Cycling methods

[Mugwump]

This is an example of cycling your tank to establish the necessary bacteria...there are other methods too.
.........
Many aquarists skip this stage, but if you devote some time to cycling your aquarium you increase your chances of keeping your fish alive dramatically. During cycling, colonies of beneficial bacteria will grow strong enough to handle a lot of the nitrogenous waste that your fish will produce. If you simply toss all your fish into a non-cycled aquarium, the levels of nitrogenous waste will sky rocket and this will injure as well as potentially kill your fish. Cycling the aquarium is certainly not difficult, but it will take at least two weeks. There are several ways of cycling an aquarium and you can learn more about the details by reading the cycling articles in the abovementioned e-book.

One easy method is to purchase a group of small and sturdy schooling fish from the fish store (e.g. Danios) together with a bottle of nitrogen converting bacteria. Add the fishes and the bacteria to the aquarium and make sure that there are suitable media for the bacteria to colonize in the aquarium, e.g. bushy plant leaves, gravel and a sponge filter that you never wash with detergents or hot water. Use your test kit and regularly check the levels of ammonia, nitrite and nitrate. They will spike after a while, but sooner or later they will hopefully decrease down to lower levels again. You need to carry out frequent water changes during the cycling process and only give your fish small servings of food. Do not loose heart if the water gets a little foggy during cycling; it is perfectly normal. When your aquarium is stable, gradually start adding more and more fish. Do not overload the bacteria by suddenly tossing ten big fishes into the aquarium. Once you have added a few fishes, wait a few weeks before adding any new ones. Yes, it is boring to wait, but your fish will stay happy and healthy and you being patient will prevent a lot of potential problems.

[P4Angels]

At the time of water changes is when I add a new tank.  about a week before I add another sponge filter to a set up tank to seed it with the Bacteria. I use water from an already cycled tank and add it to the new tank (50%). (NEVER add water from different tanks 2 different bacteria's could make the tank crash).   Then with continue with refilling the 2 tanks.  I then add the seeded sponge filter to the new tank.   this trick works for me all the time.  Just like having an old tank..

[Mugwump]

I agree that's the easiest method for those of us with existing tanks. It works good and is quick.

However, with a new setup for a beginner, they would have to know someone with existing tanks. One solution may be to purchase a seeded sponge. Angels Plus sells seeded sponges at a reasonable price. I'm sure there are other places too. Another alternative is to find a local fish club and ask for some, from a member....or perhaps a smaller LFS might have filter media available...??

http://www.angelsplus.com/

[b125killer]

I agree too. I wouldn't cycle a tank any other way. cycling tanks is one of the biggest problem for new tank owners. and it's made worse by inexperienced sells people that don't know there butt from a hole in the ground.
I'm Glade Aron Said not to use water from two different tanks. Sooner or later I would of done that.   

[Jdmcfast]

How soon do you guys add fish after quick cycling with a used sponge filter? I usually try to wait 48hrs but I have added immediatly in emergencies without ill effects

Sent from my SPH-D700 using Tapatalk 2

[b125killer]

I have added immediately with out problems. Most of the time it's upgrading them to a bigger tank that I need to put in the spot of the old tank. 

[P4Angels]

I have added immediately with out problems. Most of the time it's upgrading them to a bigger tank that I need to put in the spot of the old tank.

I also do it all the time.   I have also heard but never tried getting some filter material used card filters form a friend and that helps also.

[LizStreithorst]

This is what I have done that worked.  When I first started in fish I just changed a ton of water every day.  Eventually the filter caught up and started doing it's job.  Since I've been doing this for a while I have sponges that I am not using.  If I'm starting a new tank. I squeeze the old sponge out in declorinated water and put it into the new tank.  I have found that a lot of the beneficial bacteria goes dormant in a dry sponge so the cycle doesn't take as long.  I have also squeezed water from an old sponge into a brand new sponge.  Doing that should be better, but IMO it doesn't work as well as an old dried up sponge.

I have bought fish from Angels plus and they have been clean every time.  Still, I would never add a sponge from another person's fish room to an existing set up.  The risk is too great.

[Mugwump]

I'm don't know how Steve is seeding the seasoned sponges, but I don't think he would do it in stock tanks....but who knows...LOL..I've never asked him...good point Liz....next time I chat with him, I'll ask....

[Mugwump]

Liz, I guess he does have tanks set up just for the sponges..interesting.....
Here's his site info..
"Active Filters
These are fully cycled complete filters and are biologically active. They are taken from our disease-free tanks and contain a large, healthy colony of nitrifying bacteria and other beneficial micro organisms. A healthy tank contains a lot more than just some nitrifying bacteria and our active filters have the other essential mico-organisms. These filters provide an instant-cycle for any aquarium you put them in. You can safely add fish to the tank immediately after placing one of these in the tank. Read about a test done on them by a hobbyist here.  We put them in our fully-cycled tanks for 4-6 weeks prior to selling them, with the sole purpose of providing them to customers. This is a far superior way of "starting" a new tank, when compared to other bacteria starters. We are certain that our active filters work many times faster and better than the next best cycling product on the market. Our tanks do contain red ramshorn snails and they are a possible passenger on these filters. Don't order these if you don't want the possibility of small snails hitching a ride on them. All filters come complete. You need to supply the airline and the air to run them..
Our Active Filters are irregular sizes. Most are rectangular, not cubes." 

Here's the link to the test..
http://www.fishlore.com/fishforum/aquarium-nitrogen-cycle/77158-angels-plus-active-sponge-filter-test.html

[LizStreithorst]

He takes them from his disease free tanks.  Fine.  My tanks are disease free as well.  I still still tell people who buy from me to QT.  Introducing  a sponge from new supplier into an existing system is breaking QT in the worst way.

[Mugwump]

He takes them from his disease free tanks.  Fine.  My tanks are disease free as well.  I still still tell people who buy from me to QT.  Introducing  a sponge from new supplier into an existing system is breaking QT in the worst way.

Good point......these are for start up tho....so I guess if you used one it'd be instantly a quaratine tank anyway.....a fishroom on a closed system really wouldn't require one, they can use their sump or other filter media. I have sponges everywhere, I've parted with a seasoned sponge for someone's initial start up, shoot, they were my fish too anyway....LOL...

[LizStreithorst]

Agreed.

[Mir]

Don't forget fishless cycling! For a lot of newbies who don't know what they're doing and don't have an established tank to help seed the new filter, they can really harm the new fish and it's not fair to give some "throw-away" fish painful ammonia burns when there's another option. You can "feed" the tank with flakes etc as an ammonia source, or some people use cocktail shrimp that they just leave in there to decompose and have some food for the bacteria to come to. Or you can just use liquid household ammonia as long as it doesn't have any additives. Here're some good articles for beginners:
http://www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/fishless_cycling.php
http://www.aquahobby.com/articles/e_fishless.php
This one is my fave:
http://www.aquariumadvice.com/tips-and-tricks-for-your-fastest-fishless-cycle/

[Mugwump]

Good post, Miranda...thanx