Either way, my new 55 is up and running. If there is no such thing as established water then the ceramic discs from an existing tank are keeping all my parameters in check. Going on a week+ and water params are sitting at 0, 0, 10. It's housing only my juvenile arowana and a juvenile black ghost knife. About to transfer my polypterus senegalus to it and leave it just for them until my arowana gets moved to his 175.
So if what you two are saying is true, then I'd only need to transfer media from an old tank, use brand new water, and add fish immediately?