Can I boost cycling process using the proposed trick?

[SCORPIO]

Recently I started a new scape. Due to starting of cycling process, some HC is melting. It is very unfortunate for me. I have to arrange more HC after 2-3 weeks, If I failed.

I am planning to rescape one more tank in coming days. To boost the the speed of cycling process, a trick knocking my mind. If I tied 25% of substrate (to be used in new scape) in a cloth and put it in the running tank, I think it will be full of bacteria withing 2-3 weeks. After that I will introduce this substrate with more substrate in the new tank. This trick can bypass the cycling process. But need your precious advice for this trick or any other trick.

[bmukh]

using substrate may lead to unnecessary Ammonia spike (because you have disturbed the substrate) and along with it you will stirr the debris. A simpler way would be use water from an existing tank as well as the filter media. I always do that

[pkattitude]

I did something similar in my betta tanks. In the lower layer I used new substrate. On the top I used substrate from a old goldfish tank. While picking the substrate from the goldfish tank I only skimmed the substrate from the surface -- my logic behind this was that the bacteria of interest are mostly aerobic and would be most abundant on the top layer.

My guess is that if you just hang it with the help of a cloth in the aquarium, most of the bacteria will grow on the cloth and on the outer layer of the hanging substrate. A better idea may be to put the substrate in racks in tank or on an inverted soft drink bottle with a air stone to agitate and aerate the substrate or put the substrate with cloth right in front of the power head outlet. That is, more the surface area of the substrate exposed to running water/air better the bacterial growth.

[zico_aqua]

bappa da is right! use 50% water from an established tank for first two weeks during WC..that's what I personally do..also using seeded media..I also do one more thing..I use mulm from existing tank to be put below the substrate as well to charge it up asap!

[juanico]

if you plan to use a canister filter in your new tank, then let it run for 4 weeks in an old tank.
after this period you cant transfer the canister to your new tank...the cycling should be no problem any more

[sushant]

Recently I started a new scape. Due to starting of cycling process, some HC is melting. It is very unfortunate for me. I have to arrange more HC after 2-3 weeks, If I failed.

I am planning to rescape one more tank in coming days. To boost the the speed of cycling process, a trick knocking my mind. If I tied 25% of substrate (to be used in new scape) in a cloth and put it in the running tank, I think it will be full of bacteria withing 2-3 weeks. After that I will introduce this substrate with more substrate in the new tank. This trick can bypass the cycling process. But need your precious advice for this trick or any other trick.

this is one of the process to speedup cycling process and has been used since a very long time.

by bmukh » Tue Nov 20, 2012 9:50 pm

using substrate may lead to unnecessary Ammonia spike (because you have disturbed the substrate) and along with it you will stirr the debris. A simpler way would be use water from an existing tank as well as the filter media. I always do that

generally the useful bacteria are not free floating population so water from old tank will hardly make any difference to the cycling process.

by juanico » Tue Nov 20, 2012 10:08 pm

if you plan to use a canister filter in your new tank, then let it run for 4 weeks in an old tank.
after this period you can transfer the canister to your new tank...the cycling should be no problem any more

this is one of the better process

[Abhi]

if you plan to use a canister filter in your new tank, then let it run for 4 weeks in an old tank.
after this period you cant transfer the canister to your new tank...the cycling should be no problem any more

[SCORPIO]

Thanks for replying.

I also use old canisters in bigger tanks.

Agree to Sushant, water from old tank does not make any difference.