"Priming" Filter Media Prior to Setting Up an Aquarium?

[dmpfishlover]

So, I have an idea that I would like to run by everyone. It may not be a new or novel idea... Someone has probably already had the same idea.. I have no idea. It also may be something that wont work, but I thought it worth getting advice on. I will admit that the idea came to me as a result of a slight lack of patience.. Here is my situation: I have a 55 gallon tank and ALL of the accessories that I need to set it up TODAY, but I probably shouldn't set it up now (today, tomorrow or within the next 4 weeks) I have been slowly purchasing everything I need over the past month and I am so excited to get it up and running, but I am going on vacation to visit family in approx. 4 weeks and I will be gone for two weeks! I know , my timing is awful!!! Now my husband is not going with me and will be home and could possibly care for the tank while I am gone, but he is not keen on the idea at all, and honestly I can't say that I blame him. Knowing him it probably wouldn't end well anyway! So, back to the point.... It is driving me crazy knowing that not only can I not set up the tank for another 6 weeks, but that then it will take several weeks for it to Cycle and I can add all of the fish I want (in stages of course). So, here is where my idea comes in. Would it be possible to "Prime" my Filter Media while I am waiting until I can set up my tank? What I mean by this is to soak my filter media (ceramic balls in netting bags) in a container with water that has been conditioned with a tap water conditioner and beneficial bacteria, and then add fish food periodically to provide a source of ammonia? My thought process is that this would possibly allow the BB to colonize the filter media before it is even placed in the filter or the tank is set up?. I thought that this might help to speed up the Cycling process once I am ready to set up the Tank when I get back from vacation. What is everyone's thoughts on this idea?

 

[JuiceBox52]

Why not set it up 1 week before vacation and let it cycle while you're gone and then come back and your cycle will be more than half done when you get back?

 

[Fishmanic]

And it's preferable to use real ammonia to get the ammonia set to 3ppm instead of imprecisely using fish food. Be sure you get pure ammonia, not the type that has soap in it and that bubbles when you shake it. If you can't find it locally , you can buy a small bottle of Dr Tim's ammonia on amazon. Then follow the directions exactly as stated in this cycling section. It takes about 4 to 6 weeks for cycle to complete the cycling process. You need a test kit to do this procedure properly.

 

[Fishmanic]

If you're not in a rush to complete cycling, you don't need to add any beneficial bacteria..it will build up slowly on it's own in 4 to 6 weeks. At one point as stated in instructions, you will add a bit more ammonia. But follow the cycling procedure exactly.

 

[Fishmanic]

The chart in our cycling procedure will give you a general idea of the pace of the cycling process. Also it gives you a rough idea as to when you would need to add more ammonia to bring level back up to 3ppm.

 

[seangee]

Not very effectively. The bacteria we need requires oxygen and moving water. You could of course achieve that by putting an airstone in a bucket.
But the biggest factor is the amount of ammonia. If your concentration is too high it won't cycle. At the correct concentration the bacteria required to deal with the average bucket won't come anywhere close to dealing with 55G - unless you have a 30G bucket.

Best thing would be to take your time and set the tank up as you want it. This should include plenty of plants. Get the tank running ASAP and make sure the plants are in before you go away. When you get back your plants should be growing well, and then you can start adding fish.

 

[dmpfishlover]

Why not set it up 1 week before vacation and let it cycle while you're gone and then come back and your cycle will be more than half done when you get back?

I would absolutely LOVE to do that, but I don't think it will be possible. It would be one thing to leave my husband with an established (fully cycled) and stable tank, but to expect him to care for a tank while it is cycling would just be too much. He is not into fish, and really doesn't want to be responsible for the "fate" of my cycling tank while I am gone. I think that I am just going to have to find some patience somehow and wait 6 weeks and set it up after I get back from vacation. Thanks for the thought though!

 

[dmpfishlover]

And it's preferable to use real ammonia to get the ammonia set to 3ppm instead of imprecisely using fish food. Be sure you get pure ammonia, not the type that has soap in it and that bubbles when you shake it. If you can't find it locally , you can buy a small bottle of Dr Tim's ammonia on amazon. Then follow the directions exactly as stated in this cycling section. It takes about 4 to 6 weeks for cycle to complete the cycling process. You need a test kit to do this procedure properly.

Thanks for the advise!! I am still debating whether or not I want to go this route (fish-less cycle) or whether I want to do a fish-in-tank cycling. But if I decide to do a fish-less cycle, I will definitely order some of the correct ammonia on amazon. Either way, I really think that I will need to wait to set up the tank when I get back from vacation, because I don't think my husband is up for all of the testing, adding ammonia etc.. or testing and performing water changes if I do fish-in-tank cycling. Thanks again!

 

[dmpfishlover]

If you're not in a rush to complete cycling, you don't need to add any beneficial bacteria..it will build up slowly on it's own in 4 to 6 weeks. At one point as stated in instructions, you will add a bit more ammonia. But follow the cycling procedure exactly.

I'm not necessarily in a rush to complete cycling.... I just want to get my tank set up!! After that, if it takes 4-6 weeks, I don't care... My lack of patience is for actually setting up the tank and adding water! But I know that I can't rely on my husband to take care of a tank that is cycling... So ... I will need to wait 6 weeks... I just thought that having filter media with BB already on it, might help the process take a little less time... but my biggest issue is having to wait to just actually set up the tank. Thanks for the advise!!

 

[seangee]

I would absolutely LOVE to do that, but I don't think it will be possible. It would be one thing to leave my husband with an established (fully cycled) and stable tank, but to expect him to care for a tank while it is cycling would just be too much. He is not into fish, and really doesn't want to be responsible for the "fate" of my cycling tank while I am gone.

If you are doing a fishless cycle he won't have to do anything. The daily testing is purely for your benefit (the bacteria won't care). Sure you may miss a "snack" dose. This won't stop the cycle though.

 

[dmpfishlover]

The chart in our cycling procedure will give you a general idea of the pace of the cycling process. Also it gives you a rough idea as to when you would need to add more ammonia to bring level back up to 3ppm.

I already have a pretty good understanding of how the Cycling process goes.... I guess I am just being impatient to get the cycling process started... and because I will be gone in 4 weeks (gone for two weeks), and I can't rely on my husband to take care of a cycling tank, I guess I will just need to wait 6 weeks to set up my tank. Unfortunately my husband is just not up for the amount of testing and adding of ammonia, etc.. that will be required during the cycling process. If I set up the tank now, it would be 4 weeks into the cycling process when I leave for vacation, and I am not sure if that would be long enough for the tank to be fully cycled. If more testing or ammonia additions are required during the following two weeks while I am gone, my husband does not want be responsible the process going awry! So, it looks like it will be 6 weeks...

 

[dmpfishlover]

If you are doing a fishless cycle he won't have to do anything. The daily testing is purely for your benefit (the bacteria won't care). Sure you may miss a "snack" dose. This won't stop the cycle though.

So he wouldn't have to test the water or add any ammonia? I thought that this was the fishless process?

 

[dmpfishlover]

Not very effectively. The bacteria we need requires oxygen and moving water. You could of course achieve that by putting an airstone in a bucket.
But the biggest factor is the amount of ammonia. If your concentration is too high it won't cycle. At the correct concentration the bacteria required to deal with the average bucket won't come anywhere close to dealing with 55G - unless you have a 30G bucket.

Best thing would be to take your time and set the tank up as you want it. This should include plenty of plants. Get the tank running ASAP and make sure the plants are in before you go away. When you get back your plants should be growing well, and then you can start adding fish.

I wondered about the requirement of oxygen and current.... In any case from what everyone on here is saying it sounds like my idea really wouldn't be very effective and would likely be more of a waste of time. If I set up the tank now and added as many plants as I can, wouldn't my husband still have to do something while I am gone, like add additional ammonia, test the water, or do a water change once Nitrate levels rise?

 

[seangee]

So he wouldn't have to test the water or add any ammonia? I thought that this was the fishless process?

You add the initial dose of ammonia before you go. He has to do nothing. When you get back test the water. If there is no ammonia or nitrate add more ammonia. If it clears within 24 hours and you have no nitrite you are done. Chances are you will still have a bit of nitrite because your cycle will only be nearly complete.

 

[dmpfishlover]

If you are doing a fishless cycle he won't have to do anything. The daily testing is purely for your benefit (the bacteria won't care). Sure you may miss a "snack" dose. This won't stop the cycle though.

Ok, so I could set up the tank now with plants, start the fishless cycle by adding ammonia and testing the water, and then my husband wouldn't have to do a thing except turn the lights on for the plants in the morning and turn them off at night? So the cycle might "pause" a little, but wont stop and I can pick up where it left off when I get back?