Cycling new filter

[curviceps]

Hi there, I recently started up a 200 litre tank using 5 mature sponge filters and the fish taken from other tanks. Half of the new tank was filled with water taken from the other tanks.

I intend to progressively remove the sponge filters once the filter of the new tank has cycled. In my case, how long do you think the new filter will take to cycle - would it still be the standard 6 weeks?

Thanks!

[vxd]

what you could do to speed up the process is squeezes the juices from the sponge filters into your canister so some of the bacteria could get into your new canister.

I was told 2 - 3 weeks.

[luket]

...or you could cheat and use Seachem Stability...making sure to check ammonia/nitrite daily until you feel comfortable with it all.

You may see a small nitrite spike at some stage, it should be pretty minimal though.

I recently used stability to cycle a 6x2x2, adding fish 3 days after water went in.

I now have 4 colonies of various tangs in there and not a fish lost in 6 weeks.

[gianniz]

amrite down. works really good, but my lfs told me do not buy any of them from stores that keep it in room temperature. most of them are clearly labeled to be stored below 10 degrees. i used it and i now swear they work. also you can buy the culture in a powder form, which you brew for 6 hours then it become your live culture (apparently its really good value for money -also i think it was sechem brand).

ps i haven't used the powder one so get amrite down or other bacteria stuff from lfs that keeps it in the fridge.

[gianniz]

it takes 3 days to pretty much cycle your tank this way.

[krellious]

on fry tanks i have just added half ie 30l of parents tank water, 30l of tap water and prime plus bicarb etc and it worked for me straight away. kinda like doing a large water change.