Bacteria in Gravel

[Kadina]

Over the weekend I changed the substrate in my 12 gallon tank from gravel to sand. (Thanks to everyone who has posted on the best way to do this, it went very smooth!) I LOVE the look of the sand and my corys are having a blast. I took some of the old gravel and made two pouches out of tights my daughter has outgrown. Both baggies of gravel are back in the tank on top of the sand.

I recently picked up a used 29 gallon tank but it will be at least a few weeks before I am able to set it up. I would like to leave the bagged gravel in my 12 gallon tank for now and use it in the 29 gallon to help seed the cycle? Will the bacteria survive like that for a few weeks? Is there enough bacteria in the gravel to even make it worthwhile? The bags look a little ridiculous in the tank, but I am willing to put up with the appearance for a few weeks if it will be beneficial to cycling my new tank.

[Alfcea]

As long as there are fish in the tank containing the "bagged gravel", some bacteria will survive. As soon as you transfer that gravel into the new tank, and a few fish. That will seed the new tank and some bacteria will be transferred over. The water will still look cloudy for a few days, though, while new bacteria grow, but that cloudiness will eventually go away...

Good luck!

[Sir Tristen]

Alfcea nailed it straight on. Just be sure to add an ammonia source to the new tank as you add the seeded media, a few small fish would work just fine.

[ILuvMyGoldBarb]

Agreed. Just one thing that would help a bit more. If you can fit them there, I'd put them in your filter. More bacteria in the filter than anywhere.

[Lady Hobbs]

Agree with all above. Also helpful had you not cleaned the mulm that was under the gravel and just removed the gravel and left all the gunkies under it.