Hello all,
I am getting back into the hobby by setting up a 40 breeder in my apartment. I last had fish around 3 months ago (a Festae trio in a 125), however that tank was still full until about 6 weeks ago. At that point I drained it so the water level was at about the substrate. I filled up my new 40b with the substrate from the old 125, and it was still very wet.
I am wondering if there is any chance that there is still BB in this substrate that could help with the cycling of this tank.
Anyway, I face a challenge I haven't had in quite a few years, cycling a tank from scratch. Previously I was always able to add some media from other tanks to skip the cycle, now I don't believe I will.
What is everyone's best advice for getting through a cycle? Buy some "burner" comets to cycle the tank (I don't want to do this, my girlfriend so no more feeder fish, and imo this is much worse), put fish food in the tank and let it rot?
Do you think a LFS would be willing to give me some used media if I buy new media and exchange it with them?
Thanks in advance.
I am getting back into the hobby by setting up a 40 breeder in my apartment. I last had fish around 3 months ago (a Festae trio in a 125), however that tank was still full until about 6 weeks ago. At that point I drained it so the water level was at about the substrate. I filled up my new 40b with the substrate from the old 125, and it was still very wet.
I am wondering if there is any chance that there is still BB in this substrate that could help with the cycling of this tank.
Anyway, I face a challenge I haven't had in quite a few years, cycling a tank from scratch. Previously I was always able to add some media from other tanks to skip the cycle, now I don't believe I will.
What is everyone's best advice for getting through a cycle? Buy some "burner" comets to cycle the tank (I don't want to do this, my girlfriend so no more feeder fish, and imo this is much worse), put fish food in the tank and let it rot?
Do you think a LFS would be willing to give me some used media if I buy new media and exchange it with them?
Thanks in advance.