Fastest way to cycle a tank?

Don't buy on those snake oils. No offense to the poster above tho.

A cycle for a new tank takes about a month. It's a natural phenomena that can't be sped up as humans like to Do with everything.

It's the first lesson this hobby will teach you. Be patient( or dump money).

If you use an already cycled filter is instantaneous. All other methods are at the most 2-3 weeks quick.

Use this 30 days to heavily plant the tank. Plants are covered on biofilm and it's free (comes with the plants). There is nothing worse than starting a planted tank with just a few.

Use 5-6 hrs of light maximum. Avoid algae.

This question is been asked 100000000000000000 times. Just use the search engine to see other people asking the same.

You get the largest bio filter by adding a really good population of the correct species of bacteria to the new tank.
The source can be a bottle (make sure it has Nitrospira species of bacteria) or an already cycled tank.
In an already cycled tank the largest population of bacteria will be found:
1) in the filter, especially a sponge filter, or other media such as lava rock or ceramic bio-noodles with lots of lodging sites.
2) The underside of the particles in the upper level of substrate, where there is the best exposure to the water for oxygen and food, but not direct light. Perhaps one or two particles deep.
3) All other surfaces in the tank. Driftwood, rocks, ceramic merpeople, even the tubes and surfaces of equipment. The problem here is that these have very little surface area compared to a sponge in the filter. Also, these are often exposed to too much light for the bacteria. Bio-wheels are also a poor source of the necessary bacteria, unless they are perfectly cared for (they almost never are).
4) (last and least) is the water. The bacteria you want do not swim free in the water, they are anchored to surfaces that meet their needs.

Live plants, in enough quantities are also an instant cycle. If there are so many plants that you cannot see the back of the tank, and the conditions are right for them to thrive then you do not need to worry about the bacteria. Plants need the proper light, and fertilizers, including Carbon. The fastest growing plants are the best filter. Plants that can get all the CO2 they need from the air are better than plants that need to struggle for it under water.

If you are taking a significant amount of the bio filter (plants or bacteria) from an established tank do not take so much that it throws the donor tank into a mini cycle.
I got around this by taking no more than about 25% of the media from any one filter, but combining the media from several tanks, plus a lot of plant clippings. Even floating in the water plants help, though it does take a lot of them.

akdylpickles said:

What's the fastest way to cycle a tank?

Click to expand...

Here is how you cycle it faster: Plan ahead!
For myself, my 72 gallon bowfront aquarium was back-ordered. Rather than wasting 4 weeks doing nothing, I got a head-start on the cycle... I bought a cheap 30 gallon hex tank off C.L. and then set it up as below. It never occurred to me to snap any pictures, but this a schematic. It worked perfectly! As soon as my big-boy arrived I poured in the sand and was in business.


Before anyone goes off on me "That won't work, it'll go anoxic!" Well actually it did work and I had no problems at all TYVM.

http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/p...=f&id=11897&title=fishless_cycle_diagramc.jpg