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julielynn47
Fishaholic
Okay, so how do they "arrive"? Is there something I can do to introduce them into the tank? Or do I just have to wait for them?
Cloudy Water
- Thread starter julielynn47
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as I already mentioned in my post (post number 8) you can kick start the cycle by taking some media from your established tank - alternately you could add the new media for the new tank to your established filter if there is room. If you do this second form I would leave the media in there for about 14 days. Then you can remove the media, add it to your new filter and your good to go - you can stock the tank
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julielynn47
Fishaholic
Okay, so I can actually start a bacteria bloom by taking a small portion of the filter from my 55. I knew that, but for some reason my mind was not wrapping around the idea of that starting a bloom. Maybe that way there would be no need of bloom, they would already be there. Correct? of maybe more would start from that little piece.
Don't worry yall, I will "get" it sooner or later. LOL
Don't worry yall, I will "get" it sooner or later. LOL
You don't want a bacterial bloom, that is you don't need cloudy water. That cloudiness has nothing to do with the bacteria you grow during a fishless cycle. They are totally different bacteria.
What Akasha means is called seeding a cycle by using mature media. That mature media already has the bacteria that 'eat' ammonia and nitrite, all you need to do is add ammonia to make them grow more of them. The slow bit of of a cycle is waiting for the very few bacteria in the water to reproduce to make enough of them. Lets say they double every 24 hours and say you start with 10 bacteria. Next day you have 20. Next day 40. Next day 80 then 160, 320, 640 and so on till there are millions. If you use a bit of mature media you are adding several thousand at the start not just a handful of bacteria.
OK, those numbers are made up but they explain why it takes so long to grow enough during the cycle and why the beginning is the slowest part. Using mature media starts you part of the way through.
What Akasha means is called seeding a cycle by using mature media. That mature media already has the bacteria that 'eat' ammonia and nitrite, all you need to do is add ammonia to make them grow more of them. The slow bit of of a cycle is waiting for the very few bacteria in the water to reproduce to make enough of them. Lets say they double every 24 hours and say you start with 10 bacteria. Next day you have 20. Next day 40. Next day 80 then 160, 320, 640 and so on till there are millions. If you use a bit of mature media you are adding several thousand at the start not just a handful of bacteria.
OK, those numbers are made up but they explain why it takes so long to grow enough during the cycle and why the beginning is the slowest part. Using mature media starts you part of the way through.
no, your getting 'bacterial bloom' mixed up with 'cycling'.
As already mentioned by Essjay and Fluttermoth 'bacterial bloom' is something that happens (mostly) in new set up and are created by bacteria. BUT the bacteria that causes the 'bloom' isn't the same bacteria that you need for the 'cycle'.
The bacteria you need for the 'cycle' are good bacteria Think of the bacteria for the 'bloom' as bad bacteria.
What you need is good bacteria and these can only grow with the addition of ammonia - hence us asking how you were planning the 'cycle' this new tank. Your established tank has a large amount of good bacteria living inside it's filter. What we need is for this good bacteria is 'jump' into the new tank. There are two ways for this to happen. You can take the sponges for the brand new filter and, if there is room, add them to the established filter in your extablished tank. That way the good bacteria that is already living in the established filter can 'jump' onto the new sponges. The fish that are living in your established tank are creating ammonia (and also nitrite) all the time and the good bacteria are eating it up and transferring it into Nitrate which is less toxic for your fishes - natural plants will use Nitrate up as food.
The 2nd option is more 'difficult'. This will only work if the established filter hasn't got enough space for the brand new sponges. If this is the case then put the brand new sponges into a clean bucket and add some water from your established tank. Next remove the dirty sponges from the established tank and put them into the bucket with the brand new sponges and sqeeze them out in there. Then you can replace them. Add a air stone to the bucket as the bacteria need air and give the brand new sponges a squeeze inside the bucket every day. If you can get some ammonia you can add small amounts too but to do this you'll need to go to our calculator and figure out how much to add for the bucket.
I've tried to keep that as simple as possible but ask if there's something you can't get your head around
As already mentioned by Essjay and Fluttermoth 'bacterial bloom' is something that happens (mostly) in new set up and are created by bacteria. BUT the bacteria that causes the 'bloom' isn't the same bacteria that you need for the 'cycle'.
The bacteria you need for the 'cycle' are good bacteria Think of the bacteria for the 'bloom' as bad bacteria.
What you need is good bacteria and these can only grow with the addition of ammonia - hence us asking how you were planning the 'cycle' this new tank. Your established tank has a large amount of good bacteria living inside it's filter. What we need is for this good bacteria is 'jump' into the new tank. There are two ways for this to happen. You can take the sponges for the brand new filter and, if there is room, add them to the established filter in your extablished tank. That way the good bacteria that is already living in the established filter can 'jump' onto the new sponges. The fish that are living in your established tank are creating ammonia (and also nitrite) all the time and the good bacteria are eating it up and transferring it into Nitrate which is less toxic for your fishes - natural plants will use Nitrate up as food.
The 2nd option is more 'difficult'. This will only work if the established filter hasn't got enough space for the brand new sponges. If this is the case then put the brand new sponges into a clean bucket and add some water from your established tank. Next remove the dirty sponges from the established tank and put them into the bucket with the brand new sponges and sqeeze them out in there. Then you can replace them. Add a air stone to the bucket as the bacteria need air and give the brand new sponges a squeeze inside the bucket every day. If you can get some ammonia you can add small amounts too but to do this you'll need to go to our calculator and figure out how much to add for the bucket.
I've tried to keep that as simple as possible but ask if there's something you can't get your head around
OP
OP
julielynn47
Fishaholic
Okay, I think I have it now!! Thank you both! I have taken the sponge from the 10 a few days ago and put it in the filter of the 55 gallon. So that is good to go.
I understand now that the bacteria that is clouding my water is NOT the bacteria I want. So if it dies off, that is okay.
When the ammonia drops come Friday, I will take the sponge out of the 55 gallon, along with some of the Bio Glass rounds that have been in the filter for years, and put it all in the 10 gallon tank. Along with a little piece of the sponge that belongs to the 55 gallon. This will have good bacteria that I need already attached. Then I can start the fishless cycle.
Whew! I finally understand.
I understand now that the bacteria that is clouding my water is NOT the bacteria I want. So if it dies off, that is okay.
When the ammonia drops come Friday, I will take the sponge out of the 55 gallon, along with some of the Bio Glass rounds that have been in the filter for years, and put it all in the 10 gallon tank. Along with a little piece of the sponge that belongs to the 55 gallon. This will have good bacteria that I need already attached. Then I can start the fishless cycle.
Whew! I finally understand.
almost!! ... if the brand new sponge has been in your established tanks filter you don't need to add ammonia to the new tank as the brand new sponges are already 'cycled'. As you are only keeping a single betta I'm certain that there will be enough good bacteria on the new sponges to support the small amount of ammonia and nitrite that he's gonna create.
Feed lightly for the first few weeks and keep testing his water for ammonia, nitrite and nitrate. So long as ammonia and nitrite remain zero and the nitrate is below 40 it's all good
Feed lightly for the first few weeks and keep testing his water for ammonia, nitrite and nitrate. So long as ammonia and nitrite remain zero and the nitrate is below 40 it's all good
OP
OP
julielynn47
Fishaholic
Oh okay! Thanks!
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