Cycling New Fishtank Question

[slvr98camaro]

hey guys, if i take the filter pad out of my established aquarium and just stick it in my new tank and clean it in the new tank, will it help with the cycle, or is most of the beneficial bacteria in the filter pad itself?

i have two completely different filters, and there is no real way for me to transfer the media over, unless i take the carbon out and put it in a container and stick it in the tank, but im under the impression that it really wont do much since it will just be sitting in the tank and not having excellent water flow over it

im trying to cycle the tank with some cherry barbs and these redfin tetras i have, and also a yoyo loach (the fish store had one yoyo loach alone in a tank, i felt so bad for it, i bought it also and stuck it in my tank) i want to get him some friends but i dont want to put a huge load on a tank thats been up for only a week now unless i can get this thing cycled pretty quick

thanks

 

[ellena]

Are you keepng the established tank running? If not, stick both filters in the new tank. If you're going to put media in the new tank, it needs to be in the filter really. Sponge etc can be cut to size. Carbon isn't really needed, it's only effective for a few weeks (or days? Can't remember ) and is used to remove medications/tannins.
Washing the old media over the new will transfer some bacteria and kick start the cycle, but it could still be a long haul.

 

[slvr98camaro]

also can anyone recommend me a good test kit?

the one i have now is telling me i have very very low ammo. moderate nitrites and about 15ppm nitrates

i have had it for a while, and i dont think it is very accurate because i am almost positive i should have more ammo in the tank

since im not getting any responses im going o try and clean the filterpad in the tank and see what happens

Are you keepng the established tank running? If not, stick both filters in the new tank. If you're going to put media in the new tank, it needs to be in the filter really. Sponge etc can be cut to size. Carbon isn't really needed, it's only effective for a few weeks (or days? Can't remember ) and is used to remove medications/tannins.
Washing the old media over the new will transfer some bacteria and kick start the cycle, but it could still be a long haul.

thank you, im keeping the established tank running, so i cant transfer the filters over

i mentioned carbon because the beneficial bacteria will be living in the carbon and will do very well to kick start it, carbon is usually good for 2-4 weeks, although i leave mine in for months at a time

im going to try cleaning the filter in the new tank right now, hopefully it will do something good

 

[OldMan47]

I often clone a filter by cleaning a well established one in a new tank. Carbon is a poor biomedia and is usually changed far to often to become a part of the biofilter. The felted pads and such in the established filter will be much better for cycling the new filter than the carbon would be. If you are doing a fish-in cycle, you will still need to monitor your water chemistry for a while. Instant cycling is a fiction but it can go fairly fast with the right bacterial starter colony.

 

[slvr98camaro]

I often clone a filter by cleaning a well established one in a new tank. Carbon is a poor biomedia and is usually changed far to often to become a part of the biofilter. The felted pads and such in the established filter will be much better for cycling the new filter than the carbon would be. If you are doing a fish-in cycle, you will still need to monitor your water chemistry for a while. Instant cycling is a fiction but it can go fairly fast with the right bacterial starter colony.

thanks for your reply, i rarely change the carbon in my tank, so i would have to assume it would be a good biomedia

my filter always has carbon in it, but like i said earlier, i usually just clean the filter pad out a few times, and eventually change it after 2.5-3 months or so, which is usually how long the carbon stays in there, because i only replace it when i replace the filter pad

 

[slvr98camaro]

hey guys, after cleaning the filter in the new tank, i looked at it this morning and it is 100% clear, the water has been cloudy for the past week or so.. so im guessing i really helped the cycle along, if not, instantly cycled it

 

[waterdrop]

Whether the water is cloudy or clear has little to do with whether a biological filter has been sufficiently established or not. Per your question earlier, I'd recommend the API Freshwater Master Test Kit as one that I and many others here like as use. Using a good test kit to make daily observations over a period of time is one of the best ways to understand the extent of development of your cycling process.

Cleaning out a mature filter in a cycling tank is an excellent "2nd-best" method of doing some "seeding" of bacteria to help the cycling process. Its not as good as actually getting some sponge or loose media physically inside the new filter, but its still often very helpful. Its not good though to just assume it has cycled your filter, without testing confirmation over time. In a "fish-in cycling situation" you want to see ammonia and nitrite(NO2) both sit solidly at zero ppm (as tested by good liquid-reagent based tests) for two days without any water changes, to be able to feel you are likely cycled and to begin your final week of closely testing and watching.

Ellena was correct: activated carbon is a "chemical media" and is only useful for about 3 days max. Its used to remove medications, tannins or the occasional organic odor. After the 3 days its full and needs to be removed and tossed. Otherwise, its just sitting there useless as a chemical media. As a biomedia, you are correct that it will serve as a surface for the autotrophic bacteria to attache and grow and so will contribute over time to your total biomedia volume. However, OM47 is correct that its a poor biomedia for a number of reasons. Firstly, it readily crumbles and breaks down, which means the microscopic biocolonies are being constantly diminished and carried away (with water changes etc.) Secondly, the very fact that one does indeed remove the carbon at some point means that a volume of biological filter is being suddenly removed, which is of course exactly what you don't want in a biological filter. This is why sponge, ceramics and bioballs are considered to be "biomedia" rather than carbon.

You sound like you're in a fish-in cycle and are getting some good results from your mature media wash in the tank. Sounds like all you need is a good test kit and a period of testing and watching and things should come along nicely. Probably your media situation can be examined and you can establish some changes that will help in the long run.

~~waterdrop~~