Cycling Fish Tanks

[Malachi Muthiah]

I have a 10 gallon planted tank with some dragon stone as well as a 20 gallon long planted sand tank with wood and rock caves. I set those up just a couple days ago. I am downsizing tanks and getting rid of my 46 gallon bowfront which still has my kribensis pair that I want to keep. I then have about 15-20 cherry shrimp in a fry net that hangs on the tank. I have hang on back filters with filter sponges on both the 10 and 20 aquariums. I am getting Bacter AE today and will start dosing that to build up biofilm. I have some moss balls that were in another tank in the 10 right now. My main question is: How long until I can put my fish and shrimp in the tanks? Can I cycle a tank with either of them? I want to have the best possible environment for them. But am not sure how long people cycle their tanks. I am anxious to put the fish in but don't want them to die because of an ammonia spike or any other problem. Thanks!

 

[HoldenOn]

Do you still have your filter media from the 46 gallon?

 

[Circus]

If you use your old, still running, filter on the new tank you will have an "instant cycle". I use seeded filter material for jump starting almost all of my tanks.

 

[Malachi Muthiah]

Yes. I also have a sponge filter just sitting in one of my tanks. It was used for about 18 months. Should I run that along filter in each of my tanks for a day or two? Then will they be safe for fish?

 

[Circus]

If the sponge filter was running it should have beneficial bacteria in it, and would cycle a tank. Or you can put some substrate, if it is gravel or pebbles, in nylon and put that in your filter. This will also cycle a filter. You can run new and old filters at the same in one tank for two weeks to seed the new filter. Or just switch over the filter media.

 

[Malachi Muthiah]

Ok. I have been running the sponge filter in my 20 for almost 5 hours. How long should it be in there? Is my tank already cycled enough to put my kribensis pair in? Of course I would check the parameters with the API Test kit.

 

[Circus]

If the sponge filter was in use before in a cycled tank, it should be ok to put the kribs in with it running.

 

[Malachi Muthiah]

Ok. Would it work for me to now move the sponge filter to my 10 gallon tank so that it can also cycle? But also put my kribenis in the 20. Does that work?

 

[Circus]

Then you would only have one cycled tank? You have to run the filters side by side for about 2 weeks for the new one to be seeded.

 

[Malachi Muthiah]

OK. But I can put the kribensis in the new tank now and everything will be fine. Right? I just did a water test and everything is how it should be for the tank. No ammonia, nitrates, or nitrites. Ph is around 7. Temperature of the water is 76 degrees

 

[Circus]

Yes, if you have the cycled sponge filter running the kribs will be fine to go into the new tank.

 

[Malachi Muthiah]

OK great! I’m going to start acclimating them now!