Fishless Filter cycling vs tank cycling

[oswego]

I am thinking of fishless cycling just my cannister filter flowing through a 5 gal bucket rather than the tank.
This will let me be cycling my cannister while I am getting my tank set up.
The plan is to add the ammonia to the bucket so do I only add enough for five gallons plus the volume of the filter?
What about adding some stability also to speed up the process?
Might as well do the same with my W/D sump filter while I'm at it.

I'll just have to do a major water change on the filters rather than the whole tank.

 

[Toby_H]

I am thinking of fishless cycling just my cannister filter flowing through a 5 gal bucket rather than the tank. This will let me be cycling my cannister while I am getting my tank set up.

　
Sounds like a good idea to me.
　
　

The plan is to add the ammonia to the bucket so do I only add enough for five gallons plus the volume of the filter?

　
Yes
　

What about adding some stability also to speed up the process?

　
Sure. I’ve heard mixed results on every “Bacteria in a Bottle” formulas, so while I wouldn’t ‘expect’ it to work as the label suggests, it just might…
　

Might as well do the same with my W/D sump filter while I'm at it.

You could just toss the bio media in the 5 gal bucket that you have the canister filter hooked up to… or you could use the sump tank in place of the 5 gal bucket… no reason to use both containers though…
　

I'll just have to do a major water change on the filters rather than the whole tank.

　
The way I understand it… when the tank is set up you can simply remove the canister and connect it to the tank… and remove the Bio Media and put it in the sump… then dump the water from the 5 gal bucket. The gallon or so of water that is in the canister and the media will be diluted by the many gallons that are in the tank. Therefore any waste transferred into the new system will have minimal impact.
　
Your concept sounds like a winner to me!

 

[Iffrat]

didnt think i would see the day .. but everything he said i 100% agree with

after the media has the BB growing on it when you add it to your new tank you should see little if any cycle happen .. and if then fish are small when you put them in the tank you will see even less ..

sounds like a GREAT way to cycle the media for the sump and canister ...

best of luck

 

[oswego]

Thanks
I just did not see the need to Pre-cycle the whole tank and spend the time every day with a LOT of drops of ammonia
I'm always looking for an easier, simpler or better way to do things.

I also like the idea of just putting my media in the bucket for the W/D filter.