When to remove substrate bag from newly cycled tank?

[korith]

Ok in order to cycle a tank quickly here is what I did. I had the filter for the 10g tank, sitting and then running in the 20g tank for about 10-14 days. Also I filled a filter bag (about the size of a water bottle) with substrate from my 20g and placed it in the 10g. The 10g has been running for a week now, how long would you all suggest I leave the filter bag filled with substrate in the tank for? All the api tests show levels to be good. Bioload in the tank is fairly low, just contains about 20 shrimp at the moment. Tank also contains, some riccia, a bit of hornworts, 2 watersprites. and a large amazon sword.

[robnepper]

Well, you could shrink the size of your bag and so it fits into your filter and just leave it there for a while or pull it out and continue to monitor your paramaters.

[Alfcea]

I would leave it in the tank for about two weeks. Then, after adding a couple of fish, I would take it out but monitor the parameters very carefully... and, of course, stock it very slowly...

[Mvjnz]

I'd just get rid of it. The bacteria are in your filter, not in the gravel.

[korith]

Oh no fish, will be strictly a shrimp tank.

[Alfcea]

Mvjnz,

Yes, most of the bacteria are in fact in the filter, but some of them do live in the gravel and that is the reason why "seeding" a new tank with gravel from an established aquarium is an effective way to jump start the cycle... If the gravel stays in the new tank for long enough, those bacteria will colonize the new tank (including both gravel and filter). This process does not take a long time, but I would just leave it in for about two weeks just to be sure...

[Mvjnz]

When I start a new tank I rub an established sponge on the new sponge and then introduce fish witihin an hour. Has worked multiple times with no ammonia or nitrite spike. So spending 2 weeks starting a new tank before you can put anything live in it is a waste of time imo.

Korith also put in an established filter, which means the tank was instantly established, and there was no need for any more bacteria from the gravel. With an esytablished filter running you can introduce fish or shrimp or whatever you want immediately, but if you're planning on not leaving the established filter in there, you need to run a 2nd one alongside it for 4-5 weeks until it cycles, or just use the method with the sponges which I mentioned above.

[Lady Hobbs]

If you have had no fish in that 10 gallon, transferring the filter or the gravel has done you no good. You need to have living bacteria and without fish in the tank, you do not have it. A few shrimp have done you no good as far as giving you a good bacteria base for transferring over.

[korith]

If you have had no fish in that 10 gallon, transferring the filter or the gravel has done you no good. You need to have living bacteria and without fish in the tank, you do not have it. A few shrimp have done you no good as far as giving you a good bacteria base for transferring over.

Well to get it cycling I did have a few gold tetras in it before I added in the shrimp a few days later.

[Mvjnz]

I thought the filter you put in was already cycled, but if it's not you can disregard everything I said, as you need to cycle this tank normally.

Shrimp are extremely bad for cycling. The slightest amount of ammonia or nitrite and they die.

[korith]

I thought the filter you put in was already cycled, but if it's not you can disregard everything I said, as you need to cycle this tank normally.

Shrimp are extremely bad for cycling. The slightest amount of ammonia or nitrite and they die.

I did! Filter was cycled, but just added a few tetra into the 10g to make sure it was all good.

[Mvjnz]

Well if you have a cycled filter in the tank, the tankis cycled and you can put fish or shrimp or whatever you want in there. No need to put gravel in and no need to wait 2 weeks.

[Alfcea]

OK, this is confusing. Did you add media from an established filter? Oh! I thought you had only added some gravel! Yeah, then the tank was instantly cycled! You can add your shrimp any minute!... and you can get rid of the gravel too...

[korith]

OK, this is confusing. Did you add media from an established filter? Oh! I thought you had only added some gravel! Yeah, then the tank was instantly cycled! You can add your shrimp any minute!... and you can get rid of the gravel too...

The 10g filter I ran in the 20g tank, and then moved it to the 10g tank.

I put some fish in the 10g tank too just moved them over from the 20g for some days.

Also the substrate was well from the 20g tank which i put in a bag and put in the 10g.

20 cherry shrimp are in tank, I moved the fish back to old tank.

Ya I guess I overdid it, I just wanted to make sure it cycled and quickly hehe. Basically I took all the tricks people used to cycle quickly and tried to do them all? hehe.

[bushwhacker]

i run my tanks for a week to clear the water of any clorine which luckily i have none in my tap water add an established filter let that run for a day and add my fish lose a few walmart fish but that i expect params are great plants are good

http://i338.photobucket.com/albums/n438/bushwhacker_01/10-12-08026-1.jpg

[korith]

Well the tank is going fine, been checking water quality and everything, all is good. The riccia is growing in well, along with the other plants. Going to give co2 a try, diy version. We'll see how that goes.

[Taurus]

The 10g filter I ran in the 20g tank, and then moved it to the 10g tank.

I put some fish in the 10g tank too just moved them over from the 20g for some days.

Also the substrate was well from the 20g tank which i put in a bag and put in the 10g.

20 cherry shrimp are in tank, I moved the fish back to old tank.

Ya I guess I overdid it, I just wanted to make sure it cycled and quickly hehe. Basically I took all the tricks people used to cycle quickly and tried to do them all? hehe.

You did great!! Nice job and good luck with the shrimp! :19:

[korith]

You did great!! Nice job and good luck with the shrimp! :19:

Gotta start up a shrimp thread soon I think, when I received the shrimp 2 of them were berried, I think they will be ready to pop next week. 2 more of them are berried now as well. Seem to be doing alright, molting and such too.