[tinkerpuppet]

I have a tank that's been up and running for over a year and a half. I'm thinking of setting up a second tank, and wondering what the quickest way would be to cycle? Originally my tank took six weeks or so to cycle. I'm hoping this time maybe I can maybe swap out filter media or something now and it happening much faster. Any tips? Thanks!

 

[redfishsc]

Easy to do. Nothing is magic/overnight, so give it a good week or two even if the test kits say all is fine.


If your main tank is NOT overstocked, just take out half the filter medium and put it in the new tank. Don't wash it.... I leave it dirty if transferring it. Use tank water from the old tank. Put in some plants from an established tank. And stock the new tank LIGHTLY and feed lightly.

The filter material and old tank water will be the big help here. The old tank water is less likely to shock the bacterial colony than sterile, fresh new water.

 

[tinkerpuppet]

Thanks! I definitely don't think I'm overstocked. My current 10g has a betta and about 9 shrimp. I want to take the betta out and a couple of the shrimp into the new tank and concentrate on the cherry shrimp in my current tank. My son (whose room the new tank will go in) saw some orange guppies he liked, so we might get a half dozen of those one day, but that's down the road...

That's great about the swapping the filter, I quite like the one I have now, so will probably put the same kind into the new tank and that will make it easy!

 

[jl209]

Put a bunch of plants in the new tank. Lots of fast growing stems. Your tank will be both cycled and attractive very fast.

 

[mach_six]

Not sure what type of filter you have, but you can always rinse the current filter medium in some old tank water with the foam from the new filter so you can get other brands like Aquaclear or Whisper filters.

Make sure to never expose any bio filter medium to tap water and only use the old tank water if you just want to rinse. Chlorine in tap will kill the bacteria.

 

[HD Blazingwolf]

plants are the fastest way to cycle without additives.

their roots are LOADED with beneficial bacteria. the leaves and stems are great breeding grounds for BB as well and load up quick

 

[tinkerpuppet]

Great! I have some narrow leaf java fern that I'll move over. It will go well with the skull decoration that he wants, lol!

 

[catsma_97504]

I would transfer plants, filter media, substrate and/or decor items. Do not transfer tank water. Water does not hold any BB and potentially could transfer disease; at the very least nitrates making it difficult to determine how the cycle is holding up.

I currently have 7 tanks and stuff extra media in the filters to transfer; or add the new filter to one of my tanks for a few months. Doing this I often get an instant cycle.

Good luck with the second tank and welcome to MTS.