s3xtcy Posted January 26, 2011 Report Share Posted January 26, 2011 Hello everyone, just a quick question, I want to cycle my new tank (305L ufo) - new substate, with already used filter (will be running right up until its swapped to new tank), my question is how can i cycle the tank relatively quickly? I used startsmart to begin with with my first tank, just wondering peoples opinion on this? Its a bit pricey since i need 2 bottles :facepalm: and im somewhat impatient haha I want to change the fish over as fast as i can, safely.. Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David R Posted January 26, 2011 Report Share Posted January 26, 2011 I'm a bit lost, what are you trying to cycle here, the tank or the filter? If the filter is already established and is capable of dealing with the waste of the fish in the new tank then there is nothing to cycle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
s3xtcy Posted January 26, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 26, 2011 ok... , my lfs said i need to add startsmart, as there is no bacteria in the gravel, new water, etc etc, he said the bio load on a filter (even if it has been running) will be too high and send the tank into a crash? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
livingart Posted January 26, 2011 Report Share Posted January 26, 2011 i take it you are moving your fish and the filter to a new tank you have set up are you moving rocks and plans as well? added: you won't need startsmart, move your old water over too and keep up with water changes over the next month Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joshlikesfish Posted January 26, 2011 Report Share Posted January 26, 2011 ok... , my lfs said i need to add startsmart, as there is no bacteria in the gravel, new water, etc etc, he said the bio load on a filter (even if it has been running) will be too high and send the tank into a crash? He just wants to sell it to you. I've moved fish from one tank to another just using the filter. I'd be cautious but I don't believe the tank will crash. What sort of filter and how many fish in the transfer? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
s3xtcy Posted January 26, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 26, 2011 new tank will be setup and heated when it arrives. The tank comes with an eheim 2213 filter that is currently running on it, which i will make sure stays running until i get the tank (then theres only a few hours tops with it being switched off). The tank the fish are coming from is a 135l.. plants and driftwood will stay in there, the new tank will have new wood and rocks.. and plants when i get all my co2 gear. ( :happy1: ) sooo... if I filled the new tank up two thirds, heated it, and had the heater running, when its all up to temp moved the fish over and then moved the water from the 135l into the 305l, put both the eheim 2213 and my cf1200 on the 305l, would that be ok? add some extra stresscoat? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joshlikesfish Posted January 26, 2011 Report Share Posted January 26, 2011 I think it should be fine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
s3xtcy Posted January 26, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 26, 2011 excellent :happy1: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joshlikesfish Posted January 26, 2011 Report Share Posted January 26, 2011 With the large volume of water and what I assume is now low stocking levels, there is a lot more room for error Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phoenix44 Posted January 26, 2011 Report Share Posted January 26, 2011 Shop assistant dude is right. Technically you have new gravel and new water. No bacteria that are of any good to you will be living in the gravel. Your filter is where the magic happens. I tell people at work this all the time and no one listens to me. You can run a tank for 10 years and it won't cycle if you don't have fish or something living in there. Even if you fishless cycle a tank and then don't add fish you will just revert to uncycled filters. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
s3xtcy Posted January 26, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 26, 2011 thanks phoenix44, so you think I should buy the startsmart? I would be introducing fish pretty much straight away. so it would cycle.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phoenix44 Posted January 26, 2011 Report Share Posted January 26, 2011 I have never used the TLC product, but I've heard it works instantly? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joshlikesfish Posted January 26, 2011 Report Share Posted January 26, 2011 Wait, is the 2213 already established? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
s3xtcy Posted January 26, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 26, 2011 Wait, is the 2213 already established? certainly is, has been running on the ufo880 for the last 6 or so months, the cf1200 is established running on my ar620t pretty much all thats new is the substrate (25kg midnight express silica) and 2 thirds of the water. I have never used the TLC product, but I've heard it works instantly? aparantly it does, but its pretty expensive, $60 dollars for a product that i wasnt sure if i need or not seems a bit steep, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phoenix44 Posted January 26, 2011 Report Share Posted January 26, 2011 Don't bother with additives then. Were there fish in that tank? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
s3xtcy Posted January 26, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 26, 2011 Don't bother with additives then. Were there fish in that tank? fish are currently in my 620t, soon to be in their ufo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phoenix44 Posted January 26, 2011 Report Share Posted January 26, 2011 Yuh. Don't bother adding any thing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
s3xtcy Posted January 26, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 26, 2011 ok, thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maxim_nz Posted January 27, 2011 Report Share Posted January 27, 2011 we recently put down new carpet in our house: So had to move 200 litre 3 foot tank which housed around 60 platties / 40 bristlenoses and odds n sods catfish.. I ran out of time with work committments so one day I set up my 3 foot spare tank i kitchen, brand new sand, and transfered probably 80 litres of water from existing tank and chucked every dirty piece of filter sponge directly into the tank. 1 plattie did overnight test duties... :sick: The very next morning 1 x test plattie was :bounce: . So moved 3 huge bogwood logs, (found a pleco nest with eggs in it) and around 100 fish - it's way over stocked. Found the Kulhi loaches I'd not seen in years, and the jungle of java fern and some new and existing water. Existing filters were moved without being cleaned. Result: no losses, pleco eggs hatched, so had bigger problem with more fish in a smaller tank. In effect I moved bacteria with the fish/plants. New carpet, paint, ceiling, no more flaky walpaper = happy wife, it was worth it. Happy wife = happy life. Men should not forget this rule. old tank Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
henward Posted January 27, 2011 Report Share Posted January 27, 2011 the filoter will be cycled already. gravel does not contain as much bacteria and also water does not flow as much into gravel as it does bio media in your filter. i say forget about anything else just use the same filter - but, in saying that, ease up on the feeding for 1 maybe2 weeks.... when you put a cycled filter into a new water set up, some bacteria may die from the difference in environment. but i would say a vast majority will still be there and active. no harm in smart start what ever product it is, it will not harm the system and can only be good for it if any effect at all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
s3xtcy Posted January 27, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 27, 2011 thanks guys, that makes me alot more comfortable, i will be transferring all the water that i can into the new tank, and have the filters running on the new tank, (filters being the one that comes with the tank (eheim 2213) and my original cf1200,) the cf1200 has been running for 6months on my existing tank, and the eheim has been running for about the same on my new tank, all should be goooood Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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