Fish Cycling - Please help!

[Grrrrrowler]

Hi all,
I currently have a 13UKgall tropical set up which has been established for about 8 months and is running nicely.
However I am getting an 80gal secondhand tank so that my balas and clown loaches can get nice and big (I know they need more space!).
The 80gal tank comes complete with all the kit (ie filter, heater etc) and I am wondering how I go about setting up the new tank so that I can (eventually) transfer my fish from the 13g.
I have read a lot about cycling but also realise that I have a lot of potentially useful media/bacteria in the 13g to help me with this.
Should I simply set up the 80g and add a filter sponge and some gravel from the 13g and cycle (fishless) as normal - i.e. adding ammonia and testing or is there a quicker/easier way to do this?
I intend to keep the 13g running afterwards as a 'small' community tank, moving the bigger fish into the 80g.
Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Many Thanks

 

[Grrrrrowler]

Is cycling with fish advisable?
I dont want to cause any distress to them though...
If this is acceptable, what fish are suitable?
Thanks again...

 

[CFC]

If you take the filter from the smaller tank and place it in the large tank along with the new filter and add half the gravel from the smaller tank on top of the new gravel then there should be sufficient bacteria to kick start the new tank. Leave the smaller filter in the large tank for a few weeks until the new large filter has a large enough bacteria colony to work alone and then you can transfer it back to the small tank which can be stocked instantly. Do not add any more fish than the ones you already have to the large tank for at least one month or you will over load the filter bacteria and send the tank into a mini cycle.

 

[Grrrrrowler]

Sounds great - does this mean that I can simply transfer my existing fish into the new 80g straightaway then, provided I do as you have advised?
Should I transfer all of the water from the 13g into the 80g?

Thanks again for your help...

 

[CFC]

Yes providing you follow the instructions you can transfer all the fish to the new tank right away. Dont transfer the water, the bacteria you need to transfer only colonise on the hard surfaces withinh the aquarium, the water will only contain waste.

 

[Grrrrrowler]

CFC thank you very much for your help.
Please can I just check step by step what I should do:
1. Fill up new tank (treating water etc.) and leave filter and heating running overnight until at temperature
2. Once tank is up to temperature, transfer filter and at least half of my gravel from the 13g to the 80g, whilst still running the new filter in the 80g
3. Transfer fish and plants into 80g immediately and monitor levels in new tank

Cannot wait to get the new tank set up but do not want to harm or distress my fish so want to be 100% certain I am doing the right thing.

Thanks again - your help is greatly appreciated.

 

[CFC]

Sounds like youve got it, just follow those steps and it will be a fast easy transfer. Just one thing is dont feed the fish in the new tank for a couple of days so that the bacteria have time to bed in before they have to start work, the fish will supply enough ammonia to keep the bacteria alive for the first couple of days just by emptying the contents of their stomachs and normal respiration. I wouldnt expect to even see a ammonia spike and maybe a very small nitrite spike, if you see a spike above 0.50 then do a 10% water change but it is unlikely that they will go that high.

On last thing just to avoid any possible disasters is check the pH of the old tank water against the tapwater before you transfer the fish, i doubt that the pH will be much different as the small tank is still relatively new but the pH in mature systems can sometimes be very acidic and if it is very different from the pH of your tapwater it may cause the fish to go into shock.

 

[semper fi]

keep the gravel covered with a bit of water or you will kill off the beneficial bacteria living in the gravel.