Questions about "Old Water Cycling"

[RadleyMiller]

Doesn't make any sense to me, I don't see how using old tank water, that you can cycle a tank. I don't even think it would aid in the process of cycling.

The only thing I would use old tank water for is if transferring all of one tank into another tank, but that isn't cycling IMO

I think one of the biggest keys to this controversy is that a lot of people have different opinions of what cycling is.

Now can we call this myth busted? I gotta go onto my next myth: Does rubbing TastyKake packages on your chest really help you get ALL the icing?

 

[Bderick67]

Now can we call this myth busted? I gotta go onto my next myth: Does rubbing TastyKake packages on your chest really help you get ALL the icing?

good question

 

[RadleyMiller]

I will test that later, I think I got some left. I think this myth is busted. Now what should I tackled next? I did this and the nitrate myth. Any ideas?

 

[ethnics]

i do this on all my tanks. i take water from my bigger tanks and fill my smaller tanks about 80% and the rest with tap water and use established filter media as well. its jus like doin a water change in a new container. then the 80% i used to fill the tank with from my bigger tank is just a large water change for that tank. works out in both ways and u got a tank thats ready to be filled with fish on the same day.

 

[RadleyMiller]

But....you are taking gunk or media from an old tank. That is cycling the tank, not the water. The water just helps the fish be more comfortable when they change tanks.

 

[ethnics]

im takin media, from a tank that i am takin water from. cycled media with the cycled water... where am i going wrong? the tank is basically completly cycled with a water change. i jus put the cycled media in my filter im using on the new tank, putting the cycled water in the new tank. filling the tank 80% with the pre-cycled water. 20% of new clean water. its an already established tank ready for new fish. i've never had any fish die on me doin it this way, including my motoro which should be most sensitive out of all my fish in the tank i did this to

 

[RadleyMiller]

ethnics, you aren't doing anything wrong. I am dispelling the myth that only old water will help you cycle a tank. The media is what cycles the tank, the water just prevents the fish from getting stressed out.

 

[Bderick67]

I been thinking on this and now have a changed my opinion on using old tank water.

If you use cycled media in the new tank and use new water then there is no ammonia or nitrites to feed the bacteria in the cycled media, but by using the cycled water there should be enough amonnia and nitrites to substain the bacteria.

either way I would test water on a daily basis. IMO to consider a tank cycled you sould have 0 amonia, 0 nitrites, and the nitrates should increase prior to water changes.

 

[rallysman]

I been thinking on this and now have a changed my opinion on using old tank water.

If you use cycled media in the new tank and use new water then there is no ammonia or nitrites to feed the bacteria in the cycled media, but by using the cycled water there should be enough amonnia and nitrites to substain the bacteria.

either way I would test water on a daily basis. IMO to consider a tank cycled you sould have 0 amonia, 0 nitrites, and the nitrates should increase prior to water changes.

If you move fish the same or next day there is. Why even bother with the filter media if you arent adding fish right away?

The old water just carries what we're trying to get rid of. Like previously mentioned, it just keeps the fish comfortable, but this can be done with an hour of dripping.

 

[RadleyMiller]

I been thinking on this and now have a changed my opinion on using old tank water.

If you use cycled media in the new tank and use new water then there is no ammonia or nitrites to feed the bacteria in the cycled media, but by using the cycled water there should be enough amonnia and nitrites to substain the bacteria.

either way I would test water on a daily basis. IMO to consider a tank cycled you sould have 0 amonia, 0 nitrites, and the nitrates should increase prior to water changes.

Like Rally said, just move the fish the same day.

If you move fish the same or next day there is. Why even bother with the filter media if you arent adding fish right away?

The old water just carries what we're trying to get rid of. Like previously mentioned, it just keeps the fish comfortable, but this can be done with an hour of dripping.

Now is this myth busted now? I need to build a jet pack to see if it is possible.