# using an older tank to speed up new tank cycle?



## abyrd (Nov 5, 2007)

okay so here is my question (im full of them today  )

I currently have a 29 gallon tank that has been up and running with no problems for about a year now.
I just bought a 55 gallon tank and was wondering if I can use anything from my old tank to help my new tank cycle faster?


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## shade2dope (Jan 21, 2007)

you could use the filter pad gravel/sand decorations.For my 55 I used the sponge filter from my 30 the sponge was just in the 30 for extra filtration


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## fishbone (Jan 15, 2007)

The more you can dump in there from your old tank, the better/faster/safer.
Do keep an eye on the water parameters for the weeks to come regardless, hopefully you have a liquid water test kit such as the one sold by Aquarium Pharmaceuticals (API).


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## abyrd (Nov 5, 2007)

yes, I have a water test kit. I was just hoping that maybe I could speed it up a bit ... the month long wait always kills me!!


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## fishbone (Jan 15, 2007)

By using as much media from your old tank as you can you will have already started the cycle and will already have the beneficial bacteria in there. You can start stocking right away but do so lightly to give the bacteria a chance to catch up before you run into cycle issues. For example don't dump all the fish in at once. Put a few, give them a week, then add some more.


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## abyrd (Nov 5, 2007)

okay, well i have a Tiger Oscar and a sucker (dont remember its name) that I have in my current tank that I will be putting into this new tank. How long should i let the stuff from my old tank sit in the new tank before adding these guys and should I start with one or can I put both in together?


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## abyrd (Nov 5, 2007)

oh and the stuff from my old tank... i dont plan on keeping them in my new tank (like the decor stuff) so how long should i leave them in the new tank to get the bateria spread around before I can remove them?


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## fishbone (Jan 15, 2007)

If you want a 24-hour cycle, buy some Bio Spira but make sure it's given to you from a fridge and you KEEP it chilled until you use it. It's pretty much the only product I know of that will truly cycle your aquarium. The media you should keep for as long as possible, I'd say a month. Because it's a 55 gallon tank, it'll take a bit to properly seed and stabilize it. The longer, the safer. Don't rush into things, take your time and in the long run you'll be better off.


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## oliesminis (May 7, 2007)

sound like someones caught the tank bug, just remember faster isnt always better as you probably know another suggestion is if you are using the the same type of substrate then put a cupfull of the old stuff into the new tank to introduce bacteria if you are using a different one get a small cloth bag preferably with tiny holes to give the same effect without mixing up the gravel hope this helps


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## Betta1 (Jan 5, 2007)

This forum is a strong advocate of fishless cycling, I suggest looking into it as it's one thing which isn't popular in the hobby but should be.

To speed up a cycle by using your old tank be sure you don't do anything to drastic which may effect the biological filtration from your old tank. Setting an old filter cartridge in your tank will help seed (if your lucky enough to use same sized cartridges swap an old one into the new tank). One thing which you can do is make a water change from your established tank and do a gravel vac, use the dirty water in your new tank. For length of time to leave your decorations in, well the longer the better, personaly I'd leave them in until your initial cycle completes.

If you should happen to buy a third setup one option to speed up your process would be to purchase a filter earlier then everything else and run it on your established tank. The extra filtration will reduce the bio-load on the original filter causing a mini cycle when removing the new filter however it shouldn't be that bad, once the extra filter is established your new tank will be that much better off. Granted it will need time to adjust to your specific bio-load (thats what I love about fishless using raw ammonia, the bio-load is always higher then any tank inhabitants)


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## abyrd (Nov 5, 2007)

Im not in a big rush, just hoping to maybe shave off a few days or more if possible by using some stuff. I used the sponges from my old tank (not the whole filter, just the sponge) from my old tank. I also pulled a few of the decor items from my old tank and put them in my new one. I also put a few of the new decor items in my old tank to let them get stuff on them while this new tank is going. Hopefully it will help give it a boost. 

Since I am doing it this way, will I see the same spike and such as I would by doing it the traditional way?


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## Betta1 (Jan 5, 2007)

When you say you took the sponge from your old tank do you mean the bio sponge from your hob filter or a sponge filter? The hob filter will be losing alot of biological filtration if you remove it's bio storeage unless your filters have lost all chemical filtration (charcoal) and become bio storeage. Even with the sponge filter, unless you've got other filtration you've just took a major hit in biological filtration if not next to a recycle (leaving only gravel and deco)


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## abyrd (Nov 5, 2007)

I dont know the technical names... My filters have a sponge, then the filter. The filter is a cotton type outside and has pockets of the carbon. I kept my old filters in my old tank, and just took the sponge part out. I put the old sponges in my new tank with the new filters. (hope that makes sence)

For the other stuff I took out, I took out 1 plant and 3 pieces of decor. That left 5 plants (fake) and 2 pieces of decor in the old tank. So far there hasn't been a change in the water.


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## Betta1 (Jan 5, 2007)

If your filter cartridges, the ones with the carbon in them aren't old enough they haven't become your biological storeage they're simply carbon filtration.

The basis behind filtration in an aquarium is conversion of ammonia into nitrate, this is called biological filtration and by far the most important. The other two types are chemical filtration, which is carbon that removes chemicals from the water and it's effect is keeping water clear and odorless (carbon isn't necessary in tanks) and the remaining type of filtration is mechanical which is simply removing large debris from the water.

Removing those sponges from your esstablished tank has essentialy removed your biological filtration (the key to filtration) and unless the rest of your tank can compensate, which i'm assuming it can't, your going to have alot of problems very soon. Basicaly theres no filtration in your old tank now.

Using your old cartridges in your new tank would be an acceptable way of establishing your new tank, replacing cartridges is common place as typicaly they are only chemical and mechanical which means your tank can still process ammonia when they are replaced. 

For the sake of your established tank you should put those sponges back


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## trashion (Aug 24, 2007)

i actually just upgraded tanks[10 gal to 15 gal,] but i'm in an EXTREMELY tiny space [state college dorm room] so i had no room to run 2 tanks. so i cut corners immensely. here's what i did:

-set up the new tank NEXT TO the old one, shut off the filter.
-pulled out the filter pad [it'd been in there for about a month, very well established bacteria on it. 
-i siphoned over ALL of the water from the new tank, and squeezed the old filter pad in it. i let the pad soak in the water while i added new, conditioned water to fill up the tank all the way. i used eco-complete substrate, which is seeded with beneficial bacteria. 
-i transferred ALL decor into the new tank, including several live plants, and turned on the filter. when the water started clearing, i put my five skirt tetras into the tank. 

none of them showed any signs of stress, and the levels of everything have remained normal.

just to show it CAN be done


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## abyrd (Nov 5, 2007)

The filters in my old tank have been in there a while. I really think that between the stuff down in the gravel, the stuff on the plants, and on the decor it will hold up okay. So far everything is holding up well (still at 0 on everything, PH still at 7.5). I will keep a close eye on it though.


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## abyrd (Nov 5, 2007)

Okay, all of my numbers are at 0 .... how many days should I give it before I start adding fish? I know I need to keep testing to make sure it stays at 0, but how long would it normally take for something to spike if its going to?


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