timescale of nitrogen cycle

[esoxlucius]

I'm going to seed my freshly filled up new tank with sponges, bio media, gravel etc from my established tank. If i put this media in my new tank there won't be sufficient ammonia/nitrite to keep the bacteria alive so am i better first putting in flakes of food to rot down a bit and than add my seeded media a couple of days later. If so what's the general timescale from food being added, food rotting down, rotting food producing ammonia for first stage bacteria. Or can i add the seeded media now and will the bacteria live, albeit hungry, until the flakes of food start rotting. Obviously i'll add a small amount of flakes daily.

 

[JK47]

I'm going to seed my freshly filled up new tank with sponges, bio media, gravel etc from my established tank. If i put this media in my new tank there won't be sufficient ammonia/nitrite to keep the bacteria alive so am i better first putting in flakes of food to rot down a bit and than add my seeded media a couple of days later. If so what's the general timescale from food being added, food rotting down, rotting food producing ammonia for first stage bacteria. Or can i add the seeded media now and will the bacteria live, albeit hungry, until the flakes of food start rotting. Obviously i'll add a small amount of flakes daily.

I move everything, use pure ammonia and call it a day. With established media and liquid ammonia you should be dialed around day 5. With food it is harder. The amount of food varies per the volume of tank. Too hard IMO to get the math consistent. I would suggest getting a bottle of pure ammonia from a hardware store.

 

[Drstrangelove]

Agree with JK on this. The time for protein in the food to break down into ammonia will vary according to many variables and there is no likely reference for you to use.

Food is a fine source assuming you are starting a more leisurely process. Not great for feeding mature bio material.

 

[rodger]

+1

 

[duanes]

When I start a new tank, using seeded media, substrate, and decor.
I don't wait, I immediately add some fish, and have been doing it this way since the 80s.
Doing it this way, and not overstocking, I have not had to cycle a tank in decades, and have added at least 20 new tanks in this manner.

 

[knobhill]

When I start a new tank, using seeded media, substrate, and decor.
I don't wait, I immediately add some fish, and have been doing it this way since the 80s.
Doing it this way, and not overstocking, I have not had to cycle a tank in decades, and have added at least 20 new tanks in this manner.

Same here. By not overstocking and regular water tests and changes, the cycle works itself out in under 72 hours. I typically find that nitrite spikes, then goes back to zero pretty quickly.

 

[esoxlucius]

When I start a new tank, using seeded media, substrate, and decor.
I don't wait, I immediately add some fish, and have been doing it this way since the 80s.
Doing it this way, and not overstocking, I have not had to cycle a tank in decades, and have added at least 20 new tanks in this manner.

This is the route i've decided to go down, i've already added some fish. I figured i can't possibly get an ammonia or nitrite spike if there's already established bacteria present to neutralise it. Obviously the secret to success is not too many fish and not too big. I'm going to check the parameters every 24 hours and either add more fish or more established media to compensate fluctuations.