What is the fastest way to cycle a QT tank????

[sophie68]

Hello all,:)

Long time, no talk!
Been very busy at work! I just ordered 2 discus from Kenny (what a doll he is!) and they should be here in a couple of weeks. So I need to get my QT ready ASAP. I do have a cycled sponge filter but it's not very big so I think I will have to use another one. What would be fastest? To put a sponge filter in my 80 gallon discus tank? I don't currently have one in there (wish I did!!!!, I always used to...lol!)or try to cycle the tank? Not even sure Bio Spira would do the trick here...
All suggestions are welcome! Of course, I could ask him to maybe ship a bit later, if he can, these two guys are fairly large (about 4"5).
Cheers!

Sophie

[Don Trinko]

You can take a filter from an existing tank but many people just do daily WC untill it cycles. Ussualy it is a smaller tank so the daily WC is not a problem. Don T.

[Tropical Haven]

You can clean that existing sponge in a bucket then take a new sponge and submerge it into the same bucket and give it some good squeezes to absorb some of the nitrifying bacteria into it then place both of them into your new tank. This will help speed it up.

[sophie68]

Thanks guys! I will try that!:)
Sophie

[korbi_doc]

If you start feeding those sponge filters now with ammonia (clear, no additives) you'll be ready...the higher the dose of ammonia, the more bacterial population, the more discus it will support.....if one is cycled, & the other is not, putting both in the tank & feeding them daily with ammonia, they will both be ready when the fish come.....more about this in other threads...good luck...

Dottie

[Apistomaster]

Having an established filter or reusing the crud from another to seed a new one, especially with sponge filters is the best methods I know. You should still be prepared for frequent partial water changes. Even 50% daily will do wonders.

[mktorn]

Hi,
What I did in QT was daily WC using water from big tank and sponges from big tank also. I didn’t have any problems with that so far (2 times frankly) :)

Good luck,
Michael

[Armandi_Fishcarer]

Hi Sophie

I would leave a spare sponge filter in a tank, for just an occasion.

Good on you, QT is a must, no-matter how well 1 knows a supplier. Anything is possible from 1 condition 2 another.

You would be suprised, how quick things can happen, when transferring a filter, whether sponge or cannister & filling up some water from your existing tank with the rest treated tap water.

Regards Armandi ;)

[sophie68]

Hello all,
Thank you for all the suggestions. ;)
Sophie

[RockHound]

Issues like this are why I like a big wet/dry trickle biofilter, with a large sump.
You can keep an extra few open cell foam filters running in the sump.
So, whenever you need an established biofilter for a QT tank.
They are right there, fully established & ready to go. ;)