Seeding a filter with used media to cycle

[Mamaorca77]

Last night, I got an awesome deal on a 50g tank and since I'm obviously obsessed now and have at least 4 preggo fish (2 guppies and 2 platies, was 5 but Big Mama Haley had her fry last night! Yay, my 1st babies! ) I grabbed it up so that I can do some rearranging in housing arrangements. One of the aquarium groups I am in on Facebook had an article about "instant cycling" using old filter media from an established tank, and it happens I had some from my 2gal. I set up the tank and filter, plopped in the used media and some flakes and let it run. This morn, I decided to test my water, because I just don't trust only running 12 hrs to put my fish in. My readings as of 5 mins ago are (I'm out of ammonia tester, running to the store later to restock)
Nitrate 10ppm
Nitrite 0
GH 100
KH 140
pH 7.2
What are you guys thoughts on instant cycling? I def don't want to lose any of my fish due to spikes, I had a rough time getting started again and I'm loving the ones I have right now, as well as planning to add a cpl new guys my sons have requested. TIA

 

[mikey11]

if your using cycled/established filter media and moving it to a new tank, then there is no need to cycle the tank....it is ready for fish right away,

i have a 180 gallon tank with 5 cycled sponge filters in it, when i get a preggo fish, i fill up one of my empty 30 gallon tank then take one of my sponge filters and move it into the 30 gallon, and move the preggo fish in there

 

[Mamaorca77]

Thank you. I was a bit worried but after testing this morn and seeing that everything looks good, I really want to move at least a few fish to the new tank. Now deciding who goes to the new one! Lol And deciding which fish my boys like to add to them! Decisions decisions!

 

[Mamaorca77]

Oh 1 thing, I DID buy a new filter and of course it has a new cartridge, I just added the old media to it. The old media is from a much smaller tank (10g) Still good??

 

[mikey11]

Oh 1 thing, I DID buy a new filter and of course it has a new cartridge, I just added the old media to it. The old media is from a much smaller tank (10g) Still good??

its fine....but what are you doing for media in the old tank now that you removed it?

 

[Mamaorca77]

Nothing in the old tank except for newborn fry. It was used for my son's goldfish, but he got a bigger tank

 

[mikey11]

Nothing in the old tank except for newborn fry. It was used for my son's goldfish, but he got a bigger tank

a tank with fry still needs a filter

 

[Mamaorca77]

Yeah I'm working on that. She kinda had them quicker than I thought. I'm prob gonna use a bit of sponge off the big filter. Hoping they will be ok long enough for me to get everything done since I temporarily housed my males in there a few days ago

 

[mikey11]

Yeah I'm working on that. She kinda had them quicker than I thought. I'm prob gonna use a bit of sponge off the big filter. Hoping they will be ok long enough for me to get everything done since I temporarily housed my males in there a few days ago

also......when moving filter media around like that its important not to let the media dry out.....if it dries out the bacteria will die

 

[Mamaorca77]

I know, I will keep them in my fish bucket with water til I get them in I've worked way too hard getting everything established to let an avoidable disaster happen now!

 

[seangee]

why not just move half of it. An established colony can double in size for 24 hours. So your new tank will be in exactly the same position one day on and you won't harm your old tank.

 

[Mamaorca77]

That's what I ended up doing seangee. The more I thought about it, the more sense it made to do that. Ntm I'm terrified of something going wrong in my established tanks! Especially the fry tank, as these are my 1st and I don't want to feel like I did something to hurt them. I'm a huge softy with all animals, especially babies! Which is why my house is quickly becoming a zoo! Lol Well, that and 2 kids who love animals, too. I'm in the middle of a debate right now about what is moving to the new tank..Im loving my live bearers, especially their friendly personalities ,but I have teenage boys who want aggressive (but beautiful) fish! Lol Also trying to decide how to decorate the new one. I'm thinking sand, but that's as far as I've got with it. Tomorrow is pay day for me, so I'm sure when I get off and get to the pet store, I'll have a 1000 different ideas