cycling a tank that's been seeded - what should I be looking for?

[labloverl]

I've got a 5 gallon tank set up with an internal filter that was running alongside a HOB filter in my cycled 10 gallon for about 3 days. (I can get take some stuff from the 10 gallon filter and add to the 5 gallon filter if needed.) I also have gravel from the 10 gallon in the cup a betta came in and in a net sitting near the filter intake. I moved all of this over today. I know that for a tank to be cycled, the parameters have to be a certain amount, but what should I be looking for in a tank that has been seeded from a cycled tank.

Will the parameters just fall into place? Will I have to feed the BB in the new tank with something? there aren't any fish in it yet.

[labloverl]

bump

[Basement Bettas]

Originally Posted by labloverl

I've got a 5 gallon tank set up with an internal filter that was running alongside a HOB filter in my cycled 10 gallon for about 3 days. (I can get take some stuff from the 10 gallon filter and add to the 5 gallon filter if needed.) I also have gravel from the 10 gallon in the cup a betta came in and in a net sitting near the filter intake. I moved all of this over today. I know that for a tank to be cycled, the parameters have to be a certain amount, but what should I be looking for in a tank that has been seeded from a cycled tank.

Will the parameters just fall into place? Will I have to feed the BB in the new tank with something? there aren't any fish in it yet.

Ammonia typically will climb first. You really should get a test kit [drops] and test daily so you know what is going on. Keep water changing till you get back to 0. Might be daily or every other day. .25 is all the highest you want at water change time. Chances you'll see 1-2. Hopefully not higher. As that starts to stay low and be the .25 after a few days you will see the nitrItes climb. Stay on top of daily changes of necessary to keep that at 0. in time it will balance out and the nitrAtes climb. THat is taken care of with water changes. The other two you were getting bacteria build up to handle the load. If you add fish or feed more then usual expect spikes. In time your tank will get predictable and will tell you how long it can go before a w/c. As soon as you get any kind of ammonia or nitrIte reading you need to change water.

** I will reread this after I get some sleep.. may not make sense in the morning.. and I will make clearer.

[Hallyx]

For all intents and purposes your tank is cycled. Run it a few days to ensure ammonia and nitrites return to 0.0ppm in a day after a small dose of ammonia.

Change water to lower nitrates.

Stock lightly

Monitor daily.

This is the easiest and best way to cycle if you have seasoned media.

[labloverl]

Basement Bettas, that kinda makes sense. :)

Hallyx, what small dose of ammonia? Should I put food in?

How much water do I change? Should I add some of the filter cartridge from the 10 gallon filter into the 5 gallon filter?

[labloverl]

Anyone? I really hate to bother, but I don't want to mess this up. :(

[labloverl]

Okay, last time I'm bumping. Promise. :)

[Hallyx]

I reread your setup, LL. Three days running both filters is usually not quite enough to transfer bacteria into the new filter. It took me about a week, both times.

But, with seeded gravel from your cycled 10g and a small amount of seeded filter media in your new filter, you should be good to go.

You need an ammonia source as soon as possible. If you don't have a fish ready to add, I guess a little fishfood would help.

You want to get an ammonia reading 0.25/0.5ppm and see that reading return to 0.0ppm in one day. After you stock, you should see ammonia and nitrite at 0.0ppm. Change as much water as needed to get those readings. With nitrate, change as much as you need to get below 10ppm.

[labloverl]

Well I put 3 pellets in. About how long would it take with that to get an ammonia reading?

I have 3 fish in my divided 10 gallon, so I could take one from there but I'm afraid of hurting if the ammonia gets too high. I won't be able to tend to that tank all day tomorrow. I just don't know what to do.

[Hallyx]

Originally Posted by labloverl

Well I put 3 pellets in. About how long would it take with that to get an ammonia reading?

Sorry I can't answer that. I only use pure ammonia

Originally Posted by labloverl

.....I could take one from there but I'm afraid of hurting if the ammonia gets too high.....

Right. That would make a suitable ammonia source. You're not going to get harmful levels of ammonia in only a day or two, especially with all the media you have in there.