Filter help and Tank cycle

[Silly me]

My dad has a very big tank 250G and is filtered by 2 big ( looked like simming pool motors) and a big Sand filter plus 3 eheim something filters.

I have now started my own tank in my new home and my dad gave me one of the eheim filters, but I have a small tank "3 feet". I had to make a PVC tube with lots of holes in it to deflect the force of water from the filter. it still makes a lot of water movement. but the water is not 2inches deeper on the one side anymore.

Also I didnt change the filter media or clean it in any matter, I just hooked it up on my new tank. I also filled the bottom of my tank 1inch of the gravel from my dads tank and 1inch more new gravel.

Do I now have a copy of my dads tank with a 70% water change or should I still wait for the tank cycle.

I added a elephant nose, 4 blue paradise and 2 clown knives already. will this be okey?

The tank is also filled with some water plants.
I have a picture of it ( with only half the gravel )but I dont know how to added the picture

I read alot about the tank cycle, but my dad said that a tank startup cycle is only a big issue on a sea water tank, and that mine should be fine.

 

[ade]

Hi Silly and welcome!

"tank startup cycle is only a big issue on a sea water tank" - no, no, no, no, no, no and once more, NO - tank cycling is a big issue on ALL tanks. But it can be reduced by stealing from mature tanks. But it is as much of an issue for freshwater as for marine.

Whilst you've done exactly the right thing in "borrowing" from an existing tank, to jump-start the cycle process, please don't assume that it's cycled fully. You may or may not have the correct levels of bacteria in your new tank to cope with the waste output of your new friends. But...I doubt if you're going to have any major problems

Did you mix the gravel? Or put the new stuff on top of the old stuff? Reason I ask this is obviously there'll be beneficial bacteria in the old stuff but if the water is not reaching the old stuff then it'll be of limited benefit. Also, don't forget that you probably brought across a certain amount of exisint waste matter in the old gravel, hence the bio-load is more than that of just your new fish.

Does your Dad test his water? Is everything ok with his nitrites etc? Last thing that you want is to carbon copy any existing problems in his tank.

All in all, I'd say you will probably be ok (I hope anyway), but make sure you do regular tests for nitrites/ammonia/nitrates etc just to keep on top of things.

Welcome to the forum!

Ade

 

[Silly me]

My dad's tanks seems fine. He's is filled with lots of discus fish and lots of neons and the same plant that I have now in my tank. the elephant nose was in his tank aswell. I am still trying to get the black ghost from him, no luck yet, he doesnt test the water for nitrites. he does have a test kit, but its only PH ?

I also didnt mixed the gravel, well not yet ( will be as soon as I get home ) but the plants is planted already.

thanks for the welcome

 

[silver]

Hi,
I just did the exact same thing. I posted a New Topic on it a week or so ago. If you want to read through it here it is:

Silver's Cycling Post

I had a mini cycle. The only advice I could give would be to NOT add any more fish for a couple of weeks and you should be in the clear.



Good Luck,

Silver