Cycling

**Tango** · 01-30-2011, 09:41 PM

I was wondering if it is possible to use an already cylced filter media from a freshwater tank to help start cycling a saltwater tank? Or are the bacteria totally different?

**jbstc03** · 01-31-2011, 12:10 AM

I would say no. Never tried, never heard of it, but just seems like the obvious difference is the reason, probably not really the same BB. Maybe someone else can shed some better light on this one than I can, but I would recommend to do it the old fashion way.

**Cliff** · 01-31-2011, 12:28 AM

I never have thought to ask the same question so I don't know what the answere would be. I would assume it would not work as the water conditions are different but I could be wrong about that.

Are you planning to have any live rock in your tank?

If you buy live rock (either cured or not cured), and put it in your tank, you will be adding BB to your tank to help kick start the cycle. Basically the same thing because the live rock is your bio filter and contains the BB just the same way as your filter media in a cycled FW tank.

**hockeyhead019** · 01-31-2011, 01:08 AM

Well I'm gonna go ahead and say no it wouldn't work as well. Just the different conditions in the salt would most likely kill the BB from the fresh water, plus as Cliff has said if you add live rock to the tank it will have most of the BB already on it which jump starts your cycle

**Tango** · 01-31-2011, 02:39 AM

Thanks all. I didn't think it would work, but figured I'd ask anyways incase I was wrong.
I was thinking of adding some live rock. I still have research to do before I think I should set up a saltwater tank.

**Cliff** · 01-31-2011, 08:55 AM

Good call on the research, glad to hear you are doing your homework first.

I had read a few books before setting up my SW tank, even before I started to buy all the equipment. It really helped me to aviod a lot of mistakes and get a pretty good set-up going