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Setting Up/Cycling a 20gal?

551 views 1 reply 2 participants last post by  osromatra 
#1 ·
My two boys will be moving into a divided 20 gallon tank in about three weeks or so.

The issue is that I will only be home for the summer before I have to move them and the new tank out to my new house/apartment for college in August, and I don't want to have to worry about cycling or breaking the cycle when that happens.

SO.

Should I cycle the tank? Is that my only option? If I don't intentionally cycle it, will it do so on its own, and do I need to worry about spikes?

Will I need to re-do everything when I move again? (It's a four hour, high speed, somewhat bumpy drive across the Rocky Mountains).

It will be filtered with two sponge filters hooked up to a single pump, heated, and will have live plants.
 
#2 ·
We may move and I didn't worry, I went ahead and cycled it. I plan on just trying to preserve all the media as much as possible. I think the BB can live safely up to 6 hours, but honestly, I had it go 12 hours a few weeks ago after a power surge broke our filter, and it didn't even flux at all. It went 3 days once and although it definitely restarted the cycle, it was a "mini" cycle, and was sorted out in about 10 days, using the same media.

ETA- Yes, it probably will cycle mostly on it's own, unless you plan on doing 100% WC often.
 
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