Starting up new Tank

[Debo]

I am going to finish setting up my new tank today. Thanks to this forum I got a great idea about doubling up the sponges in my filter for a few months before I start a new tank, so that it will already have the beneficial batcteria needed to jump start the cycling. My question is this:
I have a fully established Aqua Clear 300 filter with 2 Bacteria Sponges on a 60 gallon Tank that is 8 months old. All my parameters are PERFECT.
I bought a new Aqua Clear Filter for a new 35 Gallon Tank. My plans are to set up the new tank with NEW gravel, a few plants from the OLD tank, and put the OLD filter with 1 OLD sponge and 1 new sponge and also put 15 gallons of established water from the 60 gallon tank, and 5-10 gallons water from an established 15 gallon tank that I am breaking down to take to work with me. I will then put the NEW filter with 1 OLD sponge and 1 NEW sponge in the EXISTING 60 gallon tank. I hope I am not rambling or being confusing....The question is- Approximately How long do you think will it take for the new tank to cycle? Also, Do you think putting the NEW filter on the existing tank with a NEW sponge in addition to one of the old sponges will make me go through a mini cycle? I also have an internal sponge filter in the 60 gallon tank so I have a lot of great bacteria in there.
Hope I didn't confuse anyone and sorry to ramble on. Thanks to this forum I should be able to cycle this tank quickly with the ready to go sponge idea.

Deb

PS-We're supposed to get 18 inches of snow todayand we were told not to come to work today. Can you think of a better project on a cold snowy day than setting up a new tank?

 

[Sye]

You might remove to much of the beneficial bacteria from the old tank and crash it....

Just swap 1/4 of new gravel with old then a week later swap 1 sponge from each filter.... It will speed up you cycle with out crashing your 60g

 

[Debo]

Why do you think it will crash? I am going to leave 2 very established sponges in the established tank with the new filter. I clean that filter very well once a month so it's like putting a new filter in there anyways, don't you think? I am not going to clean the gravel on the old tank for a week or so either. I have actually known I was going to do this and purposely didn't clean the gravel for the last three weeks so the bacteria bed would be strong.
Deb

 

[Tolak]

I did something similar with an established 55 gal. tank and a new 20 gal tank. I took filter media from the cannister on the 55 and put it in the cannister I got for the 20, along with some of the water. This was my first experience with fishless cycling, and I was cycled in 1 week.

I don't think your 60 gal. will have any problems. This was one of my concerns when I did this as I had replaced the gravel in the larger tank 1 month previous to this. I had no problems.

Enjoy your snow day! Sounds like excellent timing!

Tolak

 

[Mollymomma]

Deb

I don't think it will cause a crash to your 60g. If you leave the 60 g. gravel alone for about a week You will still have all the good stuff in there. imo you have it pretty well planned out and just needed confirmation. Plus as you said you won't actually be running a completely new filter since adding the old sponges will seed the new one beforehand. I think it will be just fine & won't take very long at all to fully cycle. Good Luck


P.S. You made perfect sense, no rambling

 

[Debo]

Thanks Tolac,
When you changed your gravel did you have any problems at all? How did you do it? I would love to change mine but I am very wary about it.


Deb


It's snowing like crazy here!!!!!! And I am such a fish geek.............I am leaving in a few minutes to go to Petco. I don't like the gravel I bought last night. I am on my way to by white gravel. I got some natural colored last night and i don't like the way it looks in my room. { I am an Interior Designer-Very Anal}

 

[Debo]

How long do you think it will be before I can add the fish? They are in their smaller tank sitting next to the big one looking at it. it's like they know that that's their new home!!!
"But we want to move in now Mom" Thanks Santa

 

[Mollymomma]

I'm guessing after about a week since the tank will be seeded very well from the get go. Good luck, have fun & keep us posted. New tanks are always exciting

 

[Tolak]

Changing the gravel is'nt that hard. I had to replace my stand which had gotten wet and was deteriorating and starting to collapse, so I figured it was a good time to replace the blue & white gravel with something more natural.

As I had to empty the entire tank to move it I picked up a 20 gal tank to hold the fish. Could have used my 10 gal to hold them if it wasn't for the large plecs, 2 10" & a 7".

First I removed the plants, rocks, and driftwood (the large piece still floated after 3 months!) Then I used a piece of 5/8' hose to syphon out the gravel into a 5 gal bucket. The plain hose has enough suction to pick up the gravel, whereas a gravel vac, with the enlarged end, distributes the suction over a larger area, picking up the lighter debris and not the gravel. Using this method takes all the nasty grungy stuff in the gravel along with it, leaving the water relativly clean. It took 2 5gal buckets to remove all the gravel in my 55.

To rinse the new gravel I took an old plastic cup, punched holes in the bottom, filled it with gravel, and used the nasty water in the gravel/water buckets to rinse it. You could then use the holey gravel cup to pour in the gravel after you submerge it in the tank. I am assuming that you are not going to completely empty the tank as I did.

Let it snow, let it snow let it snow!
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Tolak

 

[Inchworm]

Hi Debo

I don't think you have to worry about crashing your tank. IMHO you are making a well planned and conservative transfer of bacteria.

Your 60 gallon tank is teeming with more bacteria than it needs. Bacteria lives in the gravel and filter, on the glass, on the plants and decorations and in the water. The water has the least bacteria, but I still transfer some when I start a new tank.

Even if you take the entire filter off your established tank and replace it with a new one you will still be in great shape because you are not moving any of the gravel.

I have often taken a fully established tank and divided the gravel, water and filter floss and made two cycled tanks of the same size out of it. (This info is just to give you some point of reference.)

Since you are breaking down a tank, you could take advantage of the bacteria in the gravel by bagging it up in nylon stockings and putting it into the new tank for a while. When you are ready it can be removed easily. (Alternately, you could do the same with gravel from your big tank and replace it when you are finished.)

Now, once you have some bacteria in the new tank, don't wait too long to move a few fish into it because the bacteria will need nourishment to survive. Just make the move gradually and use your test kits to monitor the progress. Small water changes can be made to correct any problems before they get out of hand.