Ok, I have a 55 gallon up and running, has been for 5 or 6 years. Nitrates and Ammonia are 0. I am setting up a 75 this week and I am wondering if I move one of my HOB filters to the new tank along with some of the substrate and shells, how long will the cycle take? As a kid I did this all the time and put fish in the next day or so and never saw any stress or deaths, but I bet I wasn't as aware of the signs. Any advice or thoughts would help. I do have a couple of "cycle" fish I could throw in to start, but I'd rather do what's best. Any advice would be much appreciated.
Silly Cycle Question
- Thread starter Aussiedogs
- Start date
The only way you can know is through testing the water. What I would do is before adding fish add some ammonia (no colors, perfumes, etc.. just plain ammonia) just enough to get 1-2ppm and see how long it takes to go away and then test for nitrites when those are unreadable and ammonia disipates within a few hours your ready.
The other thing to keep in mind is that the tank that your taking this stuff from will also go through a mini-cycle till the bacteria catch up.
The other thing to keep in mind is that the tank that your taking this stuff from will also go through a mini-cycle till the bacteria catch up.
I have 2 Filters on the 55, an Emporer 400 and 280, it had a huge fishload at one point, leaving the 400 on the 55, will I still see the mini cycle?
ya you will. Because you had a HUGE load in it , it has to get acustomed to NOT having a huge load. Plus the filter your taking off has a great deal of the benificial bacteria in it. I did a similar thing when setting up my last 55. But a smaller aqueon off a 30. I let me g/f pick out 'pretty' fish to put in the 30 -with out testing- and it crashed! Less filter less fish = less bacteria. It took me two weeks to convince her to even look at it again.
it may help in speeding up the cycling, but the cycle still should run its full cycle before fish are added. plus, once you take the biowheel HOB back to the old tank, it will not be helping the bioload and this could cause a spike if you don't wait long enough to add fish. I would say plan on waiting a few weeks, but try it out and test a lot. once your levels come down, you should be fine to add fish.
So, I gather I should do the following...Set up new Cannister on new tank, put used bio wheel HOB on new tank. Put new HOB on old tank with existing HOB. Test water frequently, and the last and most difficult part, be patient? In a couple of weeks I can move my fish into the 75.