time to cycle sponge filter?

[delta5]

I got a deep blue sponge filter 30. Rated for 80G tank I believe. I have a 60-100 whisper air pump driving it with both air lines. Running this in my cycled tank, how long should I wait before moving it and my breeding pair to a 40g breeder?

[DJW]

The quickest way to get the new sponge filter up to speed would be to squeeze some bio out of the main filter into the sponge, and then set up the 40 breeder and dose it with ammonia for a week or so, do a big WC and move the pair.

If you were to run the new sponge in the existing tank for a while it will only be seeded with bacteria, and won't be able to grow enough capacity for a pair of adults. The main filter will be keeping the ammonia/nitrite levels so close to 0 that the bacteria within the new filter will stay at a low level.

[Akili]

In a week and a half the sponge will certainly take on some bacteria, but how much is hard to say. My personal guideline for myself is 4 weeks. More is good, less is less effective.If you've got the time go for at least 4 weeks.Bacteria in a bottle can speed up the cycling process.

[delta5]

I'll prob use some seachem stability.

[Akili]

I'll prob use some seachem stability.Tetra SafeStart would be okay too

[Cpiman]

Tetra SafeStart would be okay too

+1 on that. I used Tetra SafeStart + Had better luck with that instead of SafeStart. Tank cycled in 2 days. Some have luck with it some don't. I dumped 3 bottles into my poret foam directly. Just make sure you don't have any safe or prime in water for minimum of 24 hours because it will wipe out the SafeStart.