How long is it from setting up a tank to introducing fish?

[Fat Homer]

Since to cycle a tank you basically need a source of ammonia, some people have been known to get 1 - 2 pieces of raw shrimp and throw it in their tanks and in essence let it rot to build up the BB in the filters... then over the period of say 2 weeks or so, you test the water and watch the readings to go from 0 up till they are readable, then once you start getting readings you wait for the water to stabilize, and then you can put your new fish in and remove the prawns...

Otherwise, if you have other fish tanks in the house running, you can grab some of the bio media from that tank, and place it into your new filters to help seed the new filters to speed up the whole process...

If you have a spare filter thats hooked up to an established tank, then you can just take the whole filter, move it across and pretty much stick a fish in straight away...

But to answer your original question, i would say, adding the minnows isn;'t really going to do too much for you in this case, since those are such small fish compared to what you are looking at putting in... not to mention, even if you did cycle the tank with the minnows, once you add the wolf fish in, it will add to the bio-load anyway, which will cause a mini-cycle in its own as a best case scenario...

 

[drewbiezy]

I already introduced filter media from another tank(not sure if actives were still alive well see) i think what I will do is try and get some gravel and filter medium from my old pet store job and introduce that as well as starting to increase ammonia a bit. Thank for all the help everyone i really appreciate you guys making my monster dreams a reality.

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[drewbiezy]

Ok so there was a no go with the media and gravel, so i got a few more fish to help get things going, and I was thinking, would it be functional to get a divider and before I get my wolf to section off all the other fish, then introduce the wolf and then slowly over the period of a few weeks relocate the other fish (3 minnows, a dwarf fire gourami, and a black molly) to another tank hopefully allowing for a gradual new nitrogen cycle to begin instead of stopping the ammonia output (via fish) all together and then putting a different output altogether in ?

 

[deeda]

Can you post what your ammonia, nitrite and nitrate levels are exactly? Post the number values and not 'their good'.

You can also purchase a quality bottled bacteria product and use it according to the directions. If the used filter wasn't allowed to dry out or didn't smell like a sewer, it's possible the tank may be cycled but you won't know unless you test your tank water.

What size is the tank, you never mentioned it in your OP?

Never mind, I checked your other post and it seems it is a 40 breeder tank and a new Emperor 200 filter.

Please post the water test results though.

 

[drewbiezy]

Will retest and post in the morning I have work for the next ten hours having already worked 35 hours in the last three days other wise I would post sooner. I apologize for not posting exacts measurements previously my kit is vague and I need to get another.

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[MonsterMinis]

If your working with large water volume and your introducing a single small wolf ( of course it will grow) Then I would add him at this point if you ammonia and nitrite levels are reading zero... You can divide or leave the current fish to be eventually eaten imo its really up to you. Introduceing one smaller new fish ( comparative to water volume) really isn't a big deal. I would still test your water levels for the next few weeks every day then every other day ect... doing water changes as needed when your nitrates hit 20ppm+ or ammonia or nitrites sneak up on you ( the key to a "fast" cycle is not allowing your ammonia or nitrites to skyrocket during the process or subsiquential adds. bacteria are living and ime 4ppm ammonia or 2ppm nitites are when it can kill your fish/bacteria ect. but neither do you want to do so many you are removing the "food" for the bacteria.)

If your adding a small fish to a good sized water volume and can/willing to keep up with testing regularly the next few weeks you shouldn't have any issues imo, and if you do you will be in a position to address them easily. or imo you can leave what you have in the tank a few more weeks until your satisfied the water perameters are steady and holding... feed your current fish well and often to encourage ammonia production and health vs adding more fish.

viable ammonia source, used equipment... ect.. I wouldn't be worried but that's me.

 

[drewbiezy]

So slow today at work:/ But if it would be better to get him in there now I can do that.

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