# Just a little note about cycling a tank



## Sherry (Apr 20, 2012)

I just thought I would share my experience. I have a 55 gallon tank, only a few months old. I bought a "quarentine" 10g tank due to an ich outbreak that devastated my fish family. I used the product Cycle to get the 10g started. Added 2 lemon tetras. A week later I checked ammonia and nitrite levels....ammonia fine nitrite through the roof. Did water change in hopes this would remedy. A week later checked water again....STILL nitrites through the roof. So I did another water change (50%) then took a filter from my 55 and swooshed it around in there. Checked it today....PERFECT. So my suggestion is to always use a "dirty" filter to seed your tank. Lesson learned for me.


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## raeven (May 12, 2011)

Funny. I did that exact same thing from my 55g for a girlfriend of mine's 10g. We used cycle as well, and in a week her ammonia and nitrites were the highest I've ever seen them. We did a water change and her ammonia dropped, but the nitrites were still kinda high. I believe she did another water change and things are looking better.

My theory is that maybe I put too much dirty filter gunk in such a small tank. Going from 55 to 10 is a huge difference in quantity, so I have a feeling her water 'overdosed' in a sense.


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## Sherry (Apr 20, 2012)

I didn't think you could overdose with good bacteria...


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## JohnnyAppleSnail (May 30, 2010)

Seeding a New Tank with existing Bacteria from an old/running Tank is the way to go,I've done it a few times and it always works.Like Sherry said you can swish around a seeded filter in the water and let the New Filters absorb it (And some fall to the gravel bed) or move a running filter that's already seeded and place it with New Tank,HOB and Canister both do the job,also adding some old substrate from another Tank works, I use both methods,but it's important to know that once You use this method a few Fish should be added the same day or as soon as possible to feed the Bacteria and keep it thriving. Another thing I do is add some aged water from another Tank,it doesn't hold beneficial bacteria that is needed (Important to know that) but I like the idea that it is aged and not all fresh out of the Tap,I put about 30% Aged Water. I just did this with My 90 gal over a month ago and the water parameters are great and no Fish loss.


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## sunshine_1965 (Aug 16, 2011)

I did the same thing when I set up my 135g. I used some aged water from my 90g and put 1 of the filters onto the 135g from the 90g. I never had to go through the new tank syndrome doing it this way and water parameters are great. No fish loss and several have had babies since the new tank set up. Must be a lucky tank.


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## Scherb (Feb 10, 2011)

JohnnyAppleSnail said:


> Seeding a New Tank with existing Bacteria from an old/running Tank is the way to go,I've done it a few times and it always works.Like Sherry said you can swish around a seeded filter in the water and let the New Filters absorb it (And some fall to the gravel bed) or move a running filter that's already seeded and place it with New Tank,HOB and Canister both do the job,also adding some old substrate from another Tank works, I use both methods,but it's important to know that once You use this method a few Fish should be added the same day or as soon as possible to feed the Bacteria and keep it thriving. Another thing I do is add some aged water from another Tank,it doesn't hold beneficial bacteria that is needed (Important to know that) but I like the idea that it is aged and not all fresh out of the Tap,I put about 30% Aged Water. I just did this with My 90 gal over a month ago and the water parameters are great and no Fish loss.


Hello i agree. when i can i like to use the tank water even though they say it don't matter. also there are substrates out there that have the good bacteria in them. and they say it will work great for an instant tank. i have only used Eco-complete in an established tank, when i used it to mix with the gravel to start a planted tank. it was my 40g long with around 50 + guppies counting babies plus some other bottom feeders. so i would say that is a good size bio load and i seen no nitrite or nothing. Cheers


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## SeaHorse_Fanatic (Apr 22, 2010)

I have always "cycled" tanks by having extra HOB filters or canister filters on my existing fw displays. Then when I need it, I just pull one off and "bam" the new tank is cycled.


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## Scherb (Feb 10, 2011)

SeaHorse_Fanatic said:


> I have always "cycled" tanks by having extra HOB filters or canister filters on my existing fw displays. Then when I need it, I just pull one off and "bam" the new tank is cycled.


Bam i like that. but kinda seem like a waste of power, even though they are very low wattage. it is a great way to start a tank. Cheers


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## Momobobo (Sep 28, 2010)

^Thats what I do as well, always have a HoB or a sponge filter in my main tank just incase the need for a cycled filter comes up.


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## niteshift (Mar 10, 2011)

Doing so with my little 10g shrimp tank right now, seeding from both my 55 and 35g tanks, and tomorrow i will stock. ... ... D


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## raeven (May 12, 2011)

Sherry said:


> I didn't think you could overdose with good bacteria...


It's just a theory, but that's all I've got going for me. All I know for sure was that her tank didn't respond well to the amount I put in there, or -something-.

Maybe there was just so much buildup of fish gunk that it gave ammonia a chance to spike up or something. Not a clue.


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