Taking Water From An Already Cycled Tank?

[Deda]

I rather not wait the 3 weeks for my new tank that I just bought to cycle. If I just fill my tank with water from another tank that's already been cycled am I good to go and can just add fish? Or is that not how this whole thing works....?

 

[aakaakaak]

Yes it does......sorta.

The gravel, glass, decorations, and especially the filter media all contain beneficial bacteria. However, the water itself DOES NOT. What you can do is take a couple gallons of dirty gravel vacuum water and that will have a chunk of beneficial bacteria. However, the best way is to use your old filter media for an instant cycle.

 

[lauraf]

+1. If you can take some of the old filter media from the old tank that would be best. You can also take some of the old gravel and put it in a mesh bag (or pantyhose) and place it in your new tank. You should still add fish slowly, and test your water regularly for ammonia, nitrites and nitrates.

 

[aakaakaak]

And don't add "sensitive" fish for a while.

(I had to go to a meeting before I could type out the gravel thing. +1 back at you.)

 

[nanu156]

yeah what i like to do is this;

old tank; big water change (dump some dirty water in new tank) do a good gravel vac so hopefully that water is pretty mucky

take the filter media (most likely you have a HOB or hang on back) so the "media" would be in the form of pads or sponges in the filter box

squish + swish +squish +swish repeat repeat repeat in the new tank water

ok then turn on your new filter hopefully the water is very poopy and brown and super gross maybe even a tad smelly thats perfect

let tank run until its clear

add fish asap as the bacteria cant live with out the fish so you need something in there when the water clears