Cycling New Tank with 1 Filter & Media From Old Tank

[Lady Hobbs]

That would depend on how well the remaining media is seeded, if it has recently been replaced or cleaned. Either way, just keep an eye on it, do those water changes and it should be just fine. I have started brand new fish tanks with old filters taken from another tanks many times. That's what we're supposed to do to get those instant cycles. In other words, why wait a month to grow what you already have? You can move that filter over to the new tank now if you'd like. The ammonia will keep the bacteria alive.

See! You know more than you thought you did and had the best idea from the start.

PS......You can not just toss seeded media into another tank. It has to be in the filter with water running through it.

[Dino1956]

Thanks so much for your reply.
All the media in my other Tank has never been cleaned or messed with since I cycled last October.
I did not mean I would toss the Filter Media in the Tank. ;-)
I have another Filter I can put it in. An Aqua Clear 50, which has space for Bio Media.
So as long as I take the media & put it in a Filter, I'd be good to go (eventually).
Sorry for all the silly Questions, I just want to make sure I do the right thing.

[Dino1956]

As paranoid as I am, I took only some of the Media (Fluval Bio Rings) out of the bag, put it in a new bag & in the new tank. I did not rinse or clean or get in contact with Tap water.
I just did not want to take the entire Bio Bag out, since I'm so paranoid.
This felt safer but it may not work. ;-) Did I mess up? L.O.L.

My Reason for being Paranoid is, when I first joined AC, I did a Cycle with Fish and lost 13 fish. So these days I am extra careful.

[Slaphppy7]

You didn't mess up...you did exactly what I did for the last 2 tanks I cycled...took 3 weeks to cycle them

[gronlaura]

I agree that if you are moving over the entire filter or all the seeded media from an existing tank to a different tank, you are good to go. But if you are taking only some media from a filter (not all) there is no guarantee that that media has enough BB on it. I have done this 3 times and each time I had an ammonia and nitrite reading in the new tank with the seeded media from a very well established tank.

[Dino1956]

Well here's my plan. I'm not going to touch anything. If it takes 4 weeks, so be it. I already put in the initial Ammonia dose. So with the Media, maybe the cycle will take 3 weeks instead of 4.
From here on in, I'm just continuing the cycle. How long do you guys wait to test after the initial dose? I'm thinking 4 days. Don't remember what I did last time. Nature will run it's course. Thanks for all the help.
I was just trying to get it to cycle faster, but when I think about it, it will give me more time.
Oh yeah, One More Thing (said Columbo ;-)...I have no gravel or plants in the tank yet. If I add Gravel & Plants after the cycle will I mess up the cycle?
I did not think about that. mmmm???? Duh.

[gronlaura]

You can add your gravel & decor. And waiting 4 days sounds good.

[Dino1956]

Woh. Thank you. Thought I totally messed up by not having Gravel & Plants.

[Slaphppy7]

I agree that if you are moving over the entire filter or all the seeded media from an existing tank to a different tank, you are good to go. But if you are taking only some media from a filter (not all) there is no guarantee that that media has enough BB on it. I have done this 3 times and each time I had an ammonia and nitrite reading in the new tank with the seeded media from a very well established tank.

+10 to this....moving a whole seeded filter is one thing, and probably a "sure" thing...but bits of biomedia don't guarantee BB transferral

You did just fine...remember the old saying here, "nothing good happens fast" in this hobby...

Doing fine, Dino, steady as she goes...and I agree with waiting 4-5 days to test, no reason to waste your ammonia test solution...and gravel and plants whenever you're ready

[Dino1956]

Ok. So I'm actually excited now. I'm taking my time, since I don't have the finances to do it all at once anyway. Thanks for the as usual, Pat On the Back, slaphappy.
Btw, My other tank has been doing well, since I got those 3 Ot's, it's looking beautiful & no casualties. I got some Black Neons which I love. I'm pretty much stocked up as far as I can go.
But the Fish seem really happy & healthy. So I'm actually proud of myself. But I could not have done without you and all of the fine folks on here, that help me through it all.