Gravel seeding help

Nigelk8485 · Nov 29, 2014

I'm still in the process of fishless cycling my 150 gallon and decided to use some of the gravel from my established betta tank to see if it speeds it along any. Luckily I put a ton of gravel in my betta tank initially so I was able to scrounge up about a pound or two of the gravel and put it in a nylon bag and right now I'm just suspending it in the tank. Would it be more beneficial to put it in my canister filter on top of the ceramic rings?

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Aquafreak · Nov 29, 2014

I think it would be better to spread it out on the bottom of your tank as thinly as possible to maximize the area water will contact? Maybe throw a powerhead in to cycle water over the substrate to start moving bacteria around the tank? Anyone agree?

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Nigelk8485 · Nov 29, 2014

Aquafreak said:
I think it would be better to spread it out on the bottom of your tank as thinly as possible to maximize the area water will contact? Maybe throw a powerhead in to cycle water over the substrate to start moving bacteria around the tank? Anyone agree?

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I mean I could flatten the bag out as much as possible to increase surface area but I wouldn't be able to just thinly line the perimeter of the tank unfortunately. It's a bright blue gravel and I'm using sand in this aquarium and don't want them mixing together.

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Aquafreak · Nov 29, 2014

Nigelk8485 said:
I mean I could flatten the bag out as much as possible to increase surface area but I wouldn't be able to just thinly line the perimeter of the tank unfortunately. It's a bright blue gravel and I'm using sand in this aquarium and don't want them mixing together.

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Ahhhh ok. I would try to get some water movement going passed the gravel bag at any rate though. I think you are on the right track. :thumbup:

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Drstrangelove · Nov 30, 2014

According to studies, BB are largely non motile and create and live on surfaces that have become sticky with slime. (They have some motility immediately after cellular division, but by inference that seems to primarily serve to move away from each other. They don't leave and swim around the tank looking to start a new home.) Therefore, a suspended bag of gravel might lead to some of the BB falling off if it's shaken, but most BB, if attached to the gravel, should simply expand on the gravel in the bag and live there. If later one removes the bag, virtually all the BB will go with it.

Historically, the preferred method of "seeding" is to place material already heavily colonized with BB directly in contact with sterile material, so that the latter becomes colonized over time. In this case, placing the bag of gravel in the filter might be more productive.

Nigelk8485 · Nov 30, 2014

Drstrangelove said:
According to studies, BB are largely non motile and create and live on surfaces that have become sticky with slime. (They have some motility immediately after cellular division, but by inference that seems to primarily serve to move away from each other. They don't swim around the tank like Queen ants looking for a new home.) Therefore, a suspended bag of gravel might lead to some of the BB falling off if it's shaken, but most BB, if attached to the gravel, simply expand on the gravel in the bag and live there. If later one removes the bag, virtually all the BB will go with it.

Historically, the preferred method of "seeding" is to place material already heavily colonized with BB directly in contact with sterile material, so that the latter becomes colonized over time. In this case, placing the bag of gravel in the filter might be more productive.

Yeah I was a little concerned about removing the gravel only to have the cycle crash. I ended up flattening the bag out inside of my canister filter between the ceramic rings. Do you think my betta tank will be able to regenerate any of the bacteria I stole quickly?

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xraycer · Nov 30, 2014

Nigelk8485 said:
Yeah I was a little concerned about removing the gravel only to have the cycle crash. I ended up flattening the bag out inside of my canister filter between the ceramic rings. Do you think my betta tank will be able to regenerate any of the bacteria I stole quickly?

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Your betta should be fine. BB also colonizes on glass and anything else that's in the water (decors, filter patrs, etc)

divemaster99 · Nov 30, 2014

Just put in on the bottom. The bacteria needs surface area to live on so suspending it in your tank won't create any new stuff.

xraycer · Nov 30, 2014

divemaster99 said:
Just put in on the bottom. The bacteria needs surface area to live on so suspending it in your tank won't create any new stuff.

Actually, suspended it could be beneficial since this will allow a richer O2 environment thus maximizing bb colonization to all the gravels' surface area


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Gravel seeding help

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