Cycling 20 G High

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penguin03

Gambusia
MFK Member
Jan 3, 2016
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Hi all,

I currently have a 2.5 gallon betta tank and will be upgrading to a 20 gallon high. I just bought some ceramic rings and put them in the 2.5 gallon to begin cycling them so I can then place in the filter for the 20 g high to begin cycling.

I am wondering if I am doing this correctly? How long will I have to wait before the new filter media I put in the 2.5 gallon will be cycled.

How long will the new filter media I put in the 20 gallon high before it is cycled? I understand I will need to test the water.

Thanks!
 
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I would say your seeding your new media correctly. I would give it a couple weeks in with the betta and then move JUST the media to the 20g to begin a fishless cycle in their with the seeded media.

Pure ammonia can be picked up cheap and lets you easily dose the 20gal to 1-4ppm. You can then test and monitor the cycle in the 20gal much easier. I call a tank "cycled" when you can dose 1ppm of ammonia and have the tank clear all the ammonia and nitrite in 24hrs.
 
It shouldn't take long if when you get the 20, if it will just hold the betta, and maybe 1 or two other small fish.
Cycling is not only about time, its about the population of bacteria built up, to handle amount of fish load,
the amount of media will only respond to the out put of ammonia and nitrite by the amount of fish it is accustomed to handling.
So if you put everything from the betta bowl, into the 20 with just the betta (in theory) there should be enough bacteria to handle that fish ammonia load immediately.
But if you add the betta, and 10 other larger fish, there may not be enough bacteria to handle the load 10 other fish produce.
If they are all small, there may be not be that much of a lag time for bacteria to catch up, if the 10 are twice the size of the betta, lag time may be significant enough to be problematic.
 
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I agree with duanes. Why don't you set up your new tank and transfer EVERYTHING over to it. Gravel, filter, decor, fish, everything. Your BB throughout your betta tank are already established in numbers to deal with the bio load your betta puts out. So you will be instantly cycled. Just be sure to transfer EVERYTHING, because you'll also have BB covering everything else, not just in your filter. If you don't transfer everything your BB numbers will be low and could cause issues.

Then, just for peace of mind, you can test your water for the first few days just to be sure that your cycle is still OK.
 
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Raka said:
I would say your seeding your new media correctly. I would give it a couple weeks in with the betta and then move JUST the media to the 20g to begin a fishless cycle in their with the seeded media.

Pure ammonia can be picked up cheap and lets you easily dose the 20gal to 1-4ppm. You can then test and monitor the cycle in the 20gal much easier. I call a tank "cycled" when you can dose 1ppm of ammonia and have the tank clear all the ammonia and nitrite in 24hrs.
Click to expand...
one of my tanks, once it was fully cycled, could 2ppm ammonia to 0ppm in 12 hours
 
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kingthedog said:
one of my tanks, once it was fully cycled, could 2ppm ammonia to 0ppm in 12 hours
Click to expand...

All about available surface area. When I moved my Gibbi last time I was clearing 4ppm ever 24hrs for a week straight before I was confident enough to move Fred.
 
kingthedog said:
dang
Click to expand...
The year prior I lost everything other than anubis when I upgraded my tank.

"I know what Im doing." "I dont need to test my water." :wall:

Wasnt taking chances on the cycle this time. I havent had issues cycling since then tho with tanks clearing 1ppm every 24hrs.
 
Raka said:
The year prior I lost everything other than anubis when I upgraded my tank.

"I know what Im doing." "I dont need to test my water." :wall:

Wasnt taking chances on the cycle this time. I havent had issues cycling since then tho with tanks clearing 1ppm every 24hrs.
Click to expand...
sorry for your loss
 
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