# Istant Cycle



## SharkBites (Jun 8, 2012)

Hey guys,

Just wondering if anyone can provide me some of the nice cycled bacteria in their aquarium so I can use it to instant cycle mine?  I can travel within the Van/Burn/Rich community!

Many thanks in advance!! :bigsmile:


J.


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## Scherb (Feb 10, 2011)

Hello. probably easier to buy some stability or cycle. and your good to go. Cheers


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## SharkBites (Jun 8, 2012)

Scherb said:


> Hello. probably easier to buy some stability or cycle. and your good to go. Cheers


Wish I could but I blew all the money on tank, stand, filter, heater, and a big bottle of water conditioner. -.-"

Looking to set it up tonight and get started tomorrow


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## IceBlue (Mar 17, 2011)

You are not going to want to hear this, but patience is the key to success when starting a tank. Some people are successful but things can go very bad when a tank is not ready for fish. OK I'll shut up now.


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## Scherb (Feb 10, 2011)

SharkBites said:


> Wish I could but I blew all the money on tank, stand, filter, heater, and a big bottle of water conditioner. -.-"
> 
> Looking to set it up tonight and get started tomorrow


I hear ya on that. but you should be able to get a bottle of stability for 15 bucks, and cycle is cheaper and has smaller sises for as low as 5 bucks. but if you cant swing that, hopefully somebody close can help. Cheers


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## Scherb (Feb 10, 2011)

IceBlue said:


> You are not going to want to hear this, but patience is the key to success when starting a tank. Some people are successful but things can go very bad when a tank is not ready for fish. OK I'll shut up now.


Very true. just don't add more the a few fish to start. Cheers


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## SharkBites (Jun 8, 2012)

IceBlue said:


> You are not going to want to hear this, but patience is the key to success when starting a tank. Some people are successful but things can go very bad when a tank is not ready for fish. OK I'll shut up now.


I'm hoping that the already cycled bacteria could help boost up the cycling process. Since I've seen lots of videos and comments saying instant cycle products doesn't do anything. And getting water from a already cycled tank can help instant cycle.


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## SharkBites (Jun 8, 2012)

Scherb said:


> Very true. just don't add more the a few fish to start. Cheers


I'm just getting the Tiger Oscar for my 65G tank for now and maybe couple plecos down the road. 

The Tiger Oscar I saw is only 2-3" big, shouldn't be any problem right?


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## Scherb (Feb 10, 2011)

SharkBites said:


> I'm just getting the Tiger Oscar for my 65G tank for now and maybe couple plecos down the road.
> 
> The Tiger Oscar I saw is only 2-3" big, shouldn't be any problem right?


Hello. Stability and cycle both work, some think stability is better. i am on my fist bottle and it has worked great, i have also used cycle with good success. you should be fine with one fish to start, but live food always dirty s the water faster. like any new tank you have to monitor the water perimeters or you could pay for it. Cheers


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## SharkBites (Jun 8, 2012)

Scherb said:


> Hello. Stability and cycle both work, some think stability is better. i am on my fist bottle and it has worked great, i have also used cycle with good success. you should be fine with one fish to start, but live food always dirty s the water faster. like any new tank you have to monitor the water perimeters or you could pay for it. Cheers


Thanks for the advice. I'll keep that in mind and buy myself some water test also (hopefully next month's paycheck)


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## Scherb (Feb 10, 2011)

SharkBites said:


> Thanks for the advice. I'll keep that in mind and buy myself some water test also (hopefully next month's paycheck)


You can always get you water tested for free at a lfs. test often with a new tank. Cheers


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## mdwflyer (Jan 11, 2011)

Points to ponder, trying no to rant :bigsmile:

-Water from a cycled tank is not what holds "cycled bacteria". 

-You would need either a filter from an active tank/ sponge filter from an active tank, or the biological gathering section of somebodies filter. One of the risks of doing that, what other parasites are tagging along?

-If you don't have a test kit in the first place, they don't worry about cycling. You won't know if or when it's happening. Just do very regular water changes...


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## raeven (May 12, 2011)

I'm not sure if Surrey is too far away for you, but I've got to do a water change tomorrow, and my filters could go for a good squeeze. If you're wanting to travel out this way, I could supply you with a good amount of bacteria. I'm just over in the guildford area.


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## SharkBites (Jun 8, 2012)

mdwflyer said:


> Points to ponder, trying no to rant :bigsmile:
> 
> -Water from a cycled tank is not what holds "cycled bacteria".
> 
> ...


Sorry for the big confusion.. I thought I typed bacteria from the sponge in filter water... But apparently I'm too excited and didnt think what i typed earlier... Hahaha...Just bought some used API test kit from my friend as well as picking up his semi new Rhein canister filter with new medias. I think I'm somewhat ready to set up a new tank now. just need a booster


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## Nicole (Nov 21, 2011)

You can give me a call tomorrow asap so I hold off doing my water change (not before 10am though..i'd be snoozing ). How much water do you need? I will be taking out about 40g of water with plenty of mulm. I also have some filter sponge you can have to take home too..probably a much better idea than carrying around buckets of water. 
Maybe bring a small bucket for some mulm and I can give you about 3-4 filter sponges?
I'm at Canada Way and Imperial St..604-653-8627
..Welcome to BCA!


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## Smallermouse (Jan 28, 2012)

That's pretty kind compared to other people who posted on this tread.


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## Death's Sting (Apr 21, 2010)

Once the water column becomes depleted of oxygen nitrifying bacteria begin to die off immediately. I don't recommended this idea of instant cycle with borrowed bacteria, unless the tank is close by or you use an air stone to add oxygen back into the water column via oxygen exchange at the water line.. The simplest, fastest and cheapest way to cycle a tank is using pure ammonia, which cost a about $3 a liter.


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## SeaHorse_Fanatic (Apr 22, 2010)

You can also get some filter media from one of my fw tanks if you're passing through Burnaby. PM me for the address & contact number if interested.

BTW, I've done this many, many times in the past to cycle a new tank. Either switch over a running filter from an established tank or if I didn't have one available, get some dirty media out of someone's tank whom I trusted.


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## mv7 (Jun 16, 2010)

PSpades said:


> You can give me a call tomorrow asap so I hold off doing my water change (not before 10am though..i'd be snoozing ). How much water do you need? I will be taking out about 40g of water with plenty of mulm. I also have some filter sponge you can have to take home too..probably a much better idea than carrying around buckets of water.
> Maybe bring a small bucket for some mulm and I can give you about 3-4 filter sponges?
> I'm at Canada Way and Imperial St..604-653-8627
> ..Welcome to BCA!


I was gonna give him some of my water but this is a better option.


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## dssv (Jan 1, 2012)

Great to see other members offering cycled media from their tanks. I have often wondered why more people don't offer this an why some LFS don't offer this service? I would have offered media or a sponge from mine but I have just used or moved it all to my 90 G to get it jump started.


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## Foxtail (Mar 14, 2012)

I do this as well. It seems to work just fine. You should be good with just the one fish as there won't be a huge amount of bacteria from just one filter, a lot of the bacteria is in the substrate aswell. if the water clouds up white, its probably a nitrogen bloom/minicycle, lots of water changes will keep your fishy ok.

Sent from my SGH-T959D using Tapatalk 2


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## SharkBites (Jun 8, 2012)

mv7 said:


> I was gonna give him some of my water but this is a better option.


LOL yeah, thank you very much though!


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## SharkBites (Jun 8, 2012)

I'm loving how all the gurus and pros lend out a helping hand to the newbies! Thanks a lot guys


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## mv7 (Jun 16, 2010)

No problem. When you get your tank up and running, would love to see some pics.


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## Scherb (Feb 10, 2011)

Hello. yes a squeeze from a filter works good, but if it is not from one of your tanks you only get one dose, unless you want to go back to get another dose. that is why i like stability, you add a dose every day for a week making sure you have a good bio load. and sharkbites you never mentioned water just some good bacteria. good to hear you got a test kit. Cheers


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## Nicole (Nov 21, 2011)

Hey I forgot to jot down your number. I'm pretty sure you meant you were coming today and it's an hour past 12 now so I gotta go eat..call me when you're here..


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## mdwflyer (Jan 11, 2011)

You're obviously going for it, and you are going to have fun with it.

Here's 2 more cents,

Read this:
http://www.bcaquaria.com/forum/island-pets-unlimited-42/importance-water-changes-relevance-nitrate-24646/

and this:

http://www.bcaquaria.com/forum/island-pets-unlimited-42/water-supply-issue-lower-mainland-715/

If you are on a serious budget, don't blow money on water conditioner. You don't need to age you water, tap water as close to tank temp as possible. 25% water change twice a week.

Tank aeration/circulation very important. Used powerheads can be found pretty cheap, most forum sponsors have some.


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## Fish rookie (May 21, 2012)

I have used stability with success. You can buy cycle as well which is cheaper and it is like $5. If you really want to use something free I would suugest getting some gravel from a cycled tank. 
How about the fish store where you blew all you money on? They should be able to give you some gravels from their cycled tank. But be careful that their tank is clean. Last time i was in PJ pets I saw quite a few fish swimming around with ich...
From what I understand, friendly baterias do not live in tank water so getting someone's dirty water will not give you an instant cycle. It will give you some nitrate but I am not sure what you can use that for?


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## J'sRacing (Apr 25, 2012)

How much water do you need? I have a well cycled and planted 20g that i plan on doing a waterchange, so you can come get it while its still dirty with lots of bacteria


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## TomC (Apr 21, 2010)

dssv said:


> I have often wondered why more people don't offer this an why some LFS don't offer this service?


 That seems like a good sideline for a LFS to sell, ready made filter media.


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## SharkBites (Jun 8, 2012)

Thank you everyone for lending out a helping hand and giving out advices. I've got lots of water and some sponges from PSpade.  Going to see if the water parameters are ok for this week and I'll add the Tiger Oscar next week.


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