Seeding

[HeyKristy]

What exactly is seeding? I see this word used in reference to new tank set up and getting it cycled faster. How exactly do you seed? I see people who say they are seeding from their other tanks.

Kristy

 

[Bakerman]

Seeding is the use of material from an established (cycled) tank to jump start the cycle of a new tank.

Items used can be gravel, decorations, filter media. In other words all the areas where the bacteria grow.

Claim is that the cycle of a new tank will be much quicker going this route.

I am cycling a new tank now, using material from my other tank. It seems to be moving quicker, but it has only been a week. A bit early to tell.

I hope I answered your question.

 

[HeyKristy]

You sure did Bakerman. Thank you. I kept seeing the filter media, but I didn't know of all the other stuff you could use. Since I'm doing a fish in cycle (didn't know any better) I can't do this now. I do plan on having more tanks so this is useful for the future.

 

[dogdoc]

You can still seed the tank even though there are fish in. If you have another tank, use stuff out of there. If you don't, find a friend or even a LFS that will loan or give you some gravel or filter material. Will definitely speed along the cycle and make your fish happier.

I use this all the time for my quarantine tank. It is usually stored dry in a closet somewhere until I need it. When I set it up, I take a sponge from a filter on one of the currently running tanks and put it in the filter for the QT. On day two, I get a bacterial bloom and the water goes a little cloudy. On day three, the water is clear, and the tank is cycled. No muss, no fuss.

 

[unwritten law]

sometimes getting gravel from a fish store isn't so great because chances are, that's were there is gonna be parasites and other bad stuff.... I'd recommend finding a friend with a tank instead.