Lake/pond water for startup ?

[kebuchan]

Hi,

I searched on this and couldn't find anything but it is a really basic question. I have never cycled tanks before. I only read about that stuff recently with this batch of fish. In the "old days", I had a ton of tanks but only ever dechlorinated the water and that was it. Anyway, my question...

I have a 55 Gallon. Was going to set up my 10 gallon but was looking for a quicker way to "cycle" it rather than waiting a week or two. I have a problem with hairy algae in the 55g so I'm not too keen on using some of that water for the 10g.

We have a lake (large pond) on my inlaws property which is stocked with catfish, turtles, bas, carp etc etc. Is it totally ludacris for me to get water from there to start up my 10g? Wouldn't that be already cycled? The pond/lake is about 3 acres or so in size.

Thanks,

Kevin

[RobbieG]

The bacteria that you grow when cycling live in the filter media, substrate, and on the surfaces in your tanks (not in the water). If you wanted to jumpstart the 10 Gallon you could transfer some of the filter media from the 55 to the 10 (best) or some of the top layer of substrate (may work / may kinda work)

[troy]

Don't do it. You don't know what kind of organisms are in the water.

[Drumachine09]

You could do that, but i dont know why you would want to.

First of all, the nitrifying bacteria doesnt live in the water column, but rather, it anchors itself to a surface, IE: The filter media, gravel, decor, and the glass.

Not to mention that you risk putting all of your future stock at risk from any organisms and parisites that you will get out of said lake.

[kebuchan]

ok so the lake idea was a bad one but I thought I'd ask anyway :c5:

Thanks,

Kevin

[rollie]

the lake water is a very bad idea.

[Nick_Pavlovski]

RobbieG's suggestion is also good because it saves you a trip to a lake (unless you were also going to go fishing there, or swimming, or something).