[adam-v]

when it comes to cycling a new tank what's your preferred way, the fastest ways and tricks/ whether fish in or fishless..

 

[John Wong]

Transfer some of the medium from old filter, reuse some of old aquasoil. Can start stocking just after few days..

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I'm using 650l/hr canister filter for my 90*25*25 (around 18G)

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[adam-v]

Transfer some of the medium from old filter, reuse some of old aquasoil. Can start stocking just after few days..

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what about when starting from absolute fresh?

 

[John Wong]

what about when starting from absolute fresh?

Patience I suppose

Never did that since first aquascape. Perhaps other people can help you out.

To accelerate the process I think there are some limiting factors need to consider.
1. Source of bacteria.
2. Source of bacteria food. Aka ammonia, nitrate etc.
3. Environment (substrate, filter, etc)

Not very sure how to do it though

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[adam-v]

Patience I suppose

Never did that since first aquascape. Perhaps other people can help you out.

To accelerate the process I think there are some limiting factors need to consider.
1. Source of bacteria.
2. Source of bacteria food. Aka ammonia, nitrate etc.
3. Environment (substrate, filter, etc)

Not very sure how to do it though

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patience is defiitely key haha, basically my tank was fully cycled but yesterday i had to drain it right down to the soil to make some big changes due to troubles with my scape, i washed my filter medium in the old tank water rather than fresh tap water so that it kept some of the bacteria, some of the old water was still left down in the soil too, but i now have to wait out another short cycle and wondered if there's anyway of speeding it up!

 

[John Wong]

patience is defiitely key haha, basically my tank was fully cycled but yesterday i had to drain it right down to the soil to make some big changes due to troubles with my scape, i washed my filter medium in the old tank water rather than fresh tap water so that it kept some of the bacteria, some of the old water was still left down in the soil too, but i now have to wait out another short cycle and wondered if there's anyway of speeding it up!

Done that before
Will only affect your tank a little bit unless u stock your tank to the limit.
90*25*25 15 G
15 neon tetra
7 rummy red nose.
No death after

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[roadmaster]

If not too much substrate was removed and or replaced,and bacterial colony was well established in /on filter material,then bacteria will re-generate in a couple two or three day's.
Not too long to wait as opposed to starting new withot seed material from established(cycled)tank No?
Plant's are big help also.

 

[adam-v]

If not too much substrate was removed and or replaced,and bacterial colony was well established in /on filter material,then bacteria will re-generate in a couple two or three day's.
Not too long to wait as opposed to starting new withot seed material from established(cycled)tank No?
Plant's are big help also.

ah good thats alright then, no substrate was removed and have a few plants in there already so all is good, just a waiting game now then! thanks

 

[ilv2grdn]

How do you know when you have enough good bacteria and what does it look like? Is it supposed to be brown?

 

[John Wong]

How do you know when you have enough good bacteria and what does it look like? Is it supposed to be brown?

You can't tell by the look of it. But if it is not fully cycled then any fauna in the tank most probably will be affected by nitrite or ammonia which is poisonous to fauna.

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In fully cycled tank all ammonia will immediately consumed by good bacteria and turned to nitrite and then finally nitrate which is harmless end product.

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[lksdrinker]

patience is defiitely key haha, basically my tank was fully cycled but yesterday i had to drain it right down to the soil to make some big changes due to troubles with my scape, i washed my filter medium in the old tank water rather than fresh tap water so that it kept some of the bacteria, some of the old water was still left down in the soil too, but i now have to wait out another short cycle and wondered if there's anyway of speeding it up!

ah good thats alright then, no substrate was removed and have a few plants in there already so all is good, just a waiting game now then! thanks

If you didnt remove any substrate, and didnt replace any of your bio media than your tank should still be cycled. Draining the water should not have any ill effect on the beneficial bacteria which colonized on the surfaces in your tank and filter.

How do you know when you have enough good bacteria and what does it look like? Is it supposed to be brown?

You can't tell by the look of it. But if it is not fully cycled then any fauna in the tank most probably will be affected by nitrite or ammonia which is poisonous to fauna.

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In fully cycled tank all ammonia will immediately consumed by good bacteria and turned to nitrite and then finally nitrate which is harmless end product.

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Its not something you can physically see. You need to test. If test results show any discernible reading of ammonia or nitrite then there is a very very good chance the tank is not yet cycled.


And nitrate is not exactly harmless. At low concentrations it wont be harmful to most species and is far less harmful than ammonia or nitrite. But its not 100% harmless either.

 

[John Wong]

If you didnt remove any substrate, and didnt replace any of your bio media than your tank should still be cycled. Draining the water should not have any ill effect on the beneficial bacteria which colonized on the surfaces in your tank and filter.











Its not something you can physically see. You need to test. If test results show any discernible reading of ammonia or nitrite then there is a very very good chance the tank is not yet cycled.


And nitrate is not exactly harmless. At low concentrations it wont be harmful to most species and is far less harmful than ammonia or nitrite. But its not 100% harmless either.

Yup, we can use test kit to test for ammonia and nitrate, but I never used it before so forget to mention it.

I read somewhere in forum that the author's tank nitrate as high as 100+ppm and everything just OK. I myself dose my tank with potassium nitrate. All my fish just doing fine.

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[ilv2grdn]

I was just wondering. See, about 6 months ago, I changed from a 55 long that was straight gravel and plastic plants and hob filter.. I had 6 neons, 2 zebra danios, 1 pleco (that got to be about 10") 2 gorgeous longfin black skirts and 2 bala sharks and I never tested the water. It had been running like that for 7 years. It sprung a leak so then all my fish had to live in 5 gal buckets for two weeks, till I found someone who had a 75 gal I could have. (lucky me!) When I made the change, I went dirt substrate, driftwood and live plants and started testing the water. My only filter is the same hob filter that came with the 55. Six months later, my water and everything has always been in the normal range so I added two otos, two more danios, a bristle nose pleco and two twig cats. Everyone doing great except for my two favorite fish, the twigs, died. I was just trying to figure out why. I almost forgot, along with the new fish were 10 more neons.

 

[John Wong]

Not sure why but I think hob filter may not be enough for your tank.. Kind like big car with small engine.

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[ilv2grdn]

I was thinking that but all other fish are great. Even the new fish. All have good color, very active and eating well. Everyone but the twig cats.

 

[roadmaster]

Farlowella need vegetable matter/algae regularly, and appreciate clean,cool water with moderate to brisk movement.
They are sensitive to deteriorating water quality, and or sudden changes to their environment.
Smaller ones are often more fragile IME but once they adapt/acclimate to your/my tank's they can live long time
PlanetCatfish.com - PlanetCatfish ? home of aquarium catfishes is good resource for info on these fish and many other's.