Does one cycle the tank or the media

[markwill]

I've seen manay a reference to "cycling the tank". If this is so, what are the implications for how long it takes for new media in a filter to become "active" with beneficial bacteria. Specifically...

I have moved to the use of two AquaClear filters in my show tank. The larger of the two is a 110, which means it would be adequate to service the tank on it's own (it's a 72 gallon tank). Essentially, the other (an AquaClear 50) is a backup. However, I'd also like to consider it the one I swipe out when I need to set up a hospital or quarantine tank. It's been in for just a couple of days - would I need to wait the typical "4-6 weeks" for it to become able to maintain a hospital tank or does the fact that the tank is already cycled mean that it's pretty much already able to do so.

BTW, I have seen suggestions that people use a sponge filter for such a scenario but I'm not too keen on the extra clutter in the tank that comes with a sponge filter. Moving the smaller AquaClear seems like a good compromise. Anything I may have missed with this?

Thanks.

Mark

[ValorG]

I've seen manay a reference to "cycling the tank". If this is so, what are the implications for how long it takes for new media in a filter to become "active" with beneficial bacteria. Specifically...

I have moved to the use of two AquaClear filters in my show tank. The larger of the two is a 110, which means it would be adequate to service the tank on it's own (it's a 72 gallon tank). Essentially, the other (an AquaClear 50) is a backup. However, I'd also like to consider it the one I swipe out when I need to set up a hospital or quarantine tank. It's been in for just a couple of days - would I need to wait the typical "4-6 weeks" for it to become able to maintain a hospital tank or does the fact that the tank is already cycled mean that it's pretty much already able to do so.

BTW, I have seen suggestions that people use a sponge filter for such a scenario but I'm not too keen on the extra clutter in the tank that comes with a sponge filter. Moving the smaller AquaClear seems like a good compromise. Anything I may have missed with this?

Thanks.

Mark a 110 and a 50 for a 72 seems extremely short on filtration. well anywayz the 50 wouldnt be cycled yet but if u are willing to do a large or preferably 2 large water changes a day u can use it. but remember unless its an emergency ur better off waiting to use the 50 later on since u want as little stress possible on sick fish.

[markwill]

a 110 and a 50 for a 72 seems extremely short on filtration. well anywayz the 50 wouldnt be cycled yet but if u are willing to do a large or preferably 2 large water changes a day u can use it. but remember unless its an emergency ur better off waiting to use the 50 later on since u want as little stress possible on sick fish.
Thanks for the response. My hope was that the 50 may have been ready - but I guess not :-) To answer my question, would I have to wait the same amount of time for the 50 to cycle as if it was in a new tank or does the fact that the tank is cycled mean that it will be ready quicker?

I am a tad confused by your suggestion that I am extremely short on filtration. It was my understanding that the 110 means that it is designed to handle an aquarium of up to 110 gallons so, with the 50, I was assuming I was well covered. Can you expand on why you don't believe this to be adequate?

Thanks again.

Mark

[ValorG]

i have both aquaclears and they are small to me. i could never imagin having them as the filters for my 75 gal. also companies usually say that their items can handle more than what they actually can. anywayz this is just an opinion so if the 2 filters work for u, then great for you.

[markwill]

i have both aquaclears and they are small to me. i could never imagin having them as the filters for my 75 gal. also companies usually say that their items can handle more than what they actually can. anywayz this is just an opinion so if the 2 filters work for u, then great for you.
OK - phew. You had me worried there with the "extremely short on filtration" comment :-) Mine seems to be doing peachy - all readings are exactly where they should be so I think I'm good.

I agree that companies tend to oversell what they deliver - which is precisely why I have 160 gallons of "advertised" filtration in a 72 gallon tank. All this is a simplification anyway because any statement of the number of gallons presumably depends on the so-called bio-load.

Thanks again.

Mark

[Alight]

I use a AC 110 and a Tetra Whisper designed for a 60 gallon tank in my 55 gallon tank, and I consider that just enough.

It will take 3 or 4 weeks for you 50 to be cycled. Consider that when you move it, it will take a few days for your 110 to bump up its bacteria to handle your tank. Watch both tanks very carefully for the first week after you move the 50. You may have a mini-cycle in your old tank, and a mini cycle in your new tank. Be ready to do some more frequent water changes to compensate.

What I do is to put sponge filters on the intakes of my Aqua Clears (3-4 on each intake tube) and Whispers as prefilters (see prefilter section). These end up being cycled with nitrifying bacteria. Then, when I need to set up a new tank, I just pull a few of these sponges off, and put them on the new filters, and put some new sponges on the old filters.

I have not experienced any mini-cycles using this method. I assume this is because the bacteria is spread out both in the sponges and in the main filters, so it can react quickly to increases in load.

[Carol_Roberts]

I use an aqua clear 110 on a 55 gallon tank. I keep two sponges in the 110 so that one can be pulled (fully cycled) to start a new 110 on a new tank. It takes 2 or 3 weeks to fully cycle a new sponge in an existing (cycled) filter or tank. I have also cut cycled sponges in half, then test ammonia daily, keeping ammonia at zero with water changes.

[BigDaddy]

i have both aquaclears and they are small to me. i could never imagin having them as the filters for my 75 gal. also companies usually say that their items can handle more than what they actually can. anywayz this is just an opinion so if the 2 filters work for u, then great for you.

How do you figure an AC 110 and 50 aren't enough filtration for a 72 gallon tank? The AC 110 is 500 gph and the 50 is 200 gph. That's a combined total of 700 gallons per hour, or 10 times filtration.

Unless the tank is heavily (and I mean REALLY heavily) overstocked, there is certainly more than enough mechanical and biological filtration capability in that setup.

[KIWI13]

I thought I woudl throw in my two cents on the original question about cycling. Well you cycle both tank and media. Simply because bacteria grow not only in your sponges but also on your gravel bed and the panes of your tank.
Considering that bacteria need ammonia and ammonia is produced from fish waste, its good to cycle with a couple of fish in the tank.
Normally when I start up a new tank, i get the lights working on a normal 12 hour programme. I put in a little flake food even though there are no fish in the tank so that the bacteria can break it down and multiply and then at about three days in, I stick in some "cycle fish" as I call em and I normally use corries. They are strong and do well. So on the fourth day I have some corries in there and then I test for ammonia and nitrates every second day.
Its at the end of the second week, I add a few more fish in there BUT not all the future inhabitants. Then a couple of days later I put in the rest.
i have been doing this for years and have never experienced loss.

HTH

JAS :)

[Cosmo]

ok.. two more cents :)

Personnally, I prefer to do the fishless cycle using clear ammonia with new filters. Takes longer, but IMO is worth the wait :)

Kiwi is right though, you're actually cycling the entire tank (filters, water) since the colonies are in all places. ONce the filter is cycled however, and you place it in an uncycled tank you should be ok, but... a couple of other considerations.

A hospital tank should be quiet and a power filter like the AC may produce more current than would be optimal. IMO, that's what makes the sponge filters so ideal for hospital tanks, plenty of bio filtration, little current.

Whey you cycle your main tank with the two AC filters on it, the colonies will only grow (spread across both filters) in proportion to the bio load present in the tank. When you remove the 50, the 110 will not be colonized sufficiently on it's own to take over the entire load right away. Therefore, large % WC's on your main tank should be performed daily until the 110 colonizes sufficiently. Daily WCs should be performed in a hospital tank at all times as well.

Whether or not your current arrangement is sufficient is really dependant upon much more than the advertised capacity of the filters, it's determined by the bio load. A light bio load with daily WCs and you're fine. A heavy bio load with daily WCs and I'd think it's very questionable.

IMO, you can't ever have too much bio filtration, on my 180 BB with a semi heavy bio load (20 adults) I have 3 cannisters that the manufacturers advertised capacity is equal to about 480 gals. However, odds are (like mentioned above) if I were to remove one the other two would take time to pickup the entire load. You can't go by labels, you have to think in terms of colonization.

Ok.. it was 4 cents.. sorry lol

Jim

[ronrca]

Excellant info everyone! Id like to also add that you are cycling your filters using a specific tanks parameters (ie. volume, bio load, etc). If you were to relocate the established filter to another tank with different parameters, it requires time to 'adjust' to the new parameters such as volume and bio load. I suppose you could call this period re cycling.

Imo, I dont like to include the tanks parameters as part of the cycle as my discus tanks are bb and get wiped weekly therefore I counting 95% on my filters to do the nitrification process (the other 5% inside the pipes perhaps).