Confused about used media Cycling

[nfored]

I have 2 20 gallon tanks wiht some live plants in them. I let them run for about 1 week with just the plants, then another week with the plants and about 3 or 4 gallons of lava rocks.

Then I added a filter pad that has been in my 55 gallon for about 2 months, about 3 days later I added about 2 or 3 cups of gravel from my canister filter thats been running for about a month on the 55 gallon. I also cleaned the filter pads from the canister in the sump which turned it dirty brown for about a day. S now here I am week 3 and still ammonia bouncing between 1ppm and .50ppm with no fish.

When I upgraded my 10 gallon to a 30 gallon, I filled the 30 gallon with fresh water, put the hob filter bag in the 30 gallon and added the bIo balls that I let cycle in my sump for 2 week.s. This 30 gallon recycled in 3 days with new gravel and new water same amount of fish.

 

[nfored]

No body? I guess when I get home ill try to and put some ammonia in the water, maybe there was not enough to feed the BB.

 

[X24]

generally i set everything up and let it run until the temperature on the tank is fine and the filters are all running like they should be. Then i go off and buy fish and throw them in the tank and when i throw the fish in the tank i add a bit of filter medium from a very well established tank and it should cycle within a couple days and the fish will go through very little if any water quality issues.

I'm not 100% sure what you are doing but it seems you are trying to do a fish-less cycle with pure ammonia but speed it up with established filter media? That should work, but i never even bother doing a fish-less cycle if i have the tank setup and some established filter media.

 

[nfored]

I have not added any ammonia yet, I just was hoping it would work itself out, my tap has 1ppm ammonia so I figured once that was down to 0 it was cycled enough for 3 fish.

 

[nfored]

But I'll do what you said, I have an emergency sponge filter that has saved me several times; I keep it in a established sump until needed. So I guess Ill throw some fish in the tank add prime for a few days and see what happens, and if need pop in the sponge filter.

 

[X24]

But I'll do what you said, I have an emergency sponge filter that has saved me several times; I keep it in a established sump until needed. So I guess Ill throw some fish in the tank add prime for a few days and see what happens, and if need pop in the sponge filter.

I'd just run the sponge filter off the start. It'll make sure there are no spikes, and it might make the cycle take a slight be longer (i.e. you won't be able to take out the sponge filter for a couple weeks) but I'd say it would be well worth it for the safety of the fish and a guaranteed cycle.

 

[nfored]

It can stay in there for ever really, this is teh emergancy filter so IT has to be in some tank at all times. Thanks for the advice, Ill will grab my neno tertas this weekend.