# Anything I can instant cycle? new tank. Need to pick up fish!!!



## akdylpickles (Feb 21, 2011)

So I just set up my 55 gallon a couple days ago. I was out of the hobby for a year because I went to saltwater. At the local fish store a week ago they had a pair of angel fish that I love! SO I have to pick them up next week. Is there anyway to "Instantly" cycle a tank? I have a cascade canister filter rated for a 100 gallon tank. So could I just get some biological material from someone? remember its only two angelfish. Thank you!!


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## chad320 (Mar 7, 2010)

Yes if you can wring out someone intact filter it will help out a bunch. Ask your LFS.


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## akdylpickles (Feb 21, 2011)

So at my lfs (I help out there a lot) Just grab a spong out of one of their filters, ring it out into a bag, Then go home and put the junk in my filter? And then I can add the fish? Or wait?


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## vinniemabuna (Oct 20, 2006)

Hi, I have used Seachems Stability to cycle 2 tanks and add fish right away, also pick up seachems Prime, in case you get some ammonia from adding both angels right away it will correct that, both are great products.:icon_wink


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## akdylpickles (Feb 21, 2011)

Stability looks pretty good... I already have prime :biggrin:


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## akdylpickles (Feb 21, 2011)

Ok just talk to my lfs they have this stuff called safe start. Is that anygood?


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## reignOfFred (Jun 7, 2010)

nothing is as good as grabbing filter media from an established filter and placing into your own filters. While bottled prodcts can help to varying affect, using real live bacteria is the only way to ensure your tank really is cycled instantly.

squeezing out the filth of anothers filter media into your own aquarium only helps start you off with a dirtier tank.


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## akdylpickles (Feb 21, 2011)

ok so here is what im thinking:

1) Get a sponge full of live bacteria and put it in my filter

2) Get tetra safe start add it to the tank

3) combine the first two options.

What do you guys think would be the best options? opinions? thanks.


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## reignOfFred (Jun 7, 2010)

i can just say that option one has worked perfectly for me time and time again over the years. just add the media when you add the fish. I've been in this game too long to bother wasting money on the bottled stuff.


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## Jadelin (Sep 30, 2009)

Also, if you have access to a lot of (healthy!) plants, plant as densely as possible to begin with, especially fast-growing stems. That will help reduce ammonia and other water-quality issues until your bacterial colony is strongly establish. (But still introduce filter media from an established tank to get is started!)


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## Safez (Mar 4, 2011)

http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/general-planted-tank-discussion/130416-instant-cycling.html

Another thread here on the subject of cycling... I have instant cycled (6 hour maximum) all of my tanks and so far so good... Never tried it with brand new substrate though... always used thoroughly cycled and "active" substrate


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## Phish (Apr 29, 2009)

akdylpickles said:


> ok so here is what im thinking:
> 
> 1) Get a sponge full of live bacteria and put it in my filter
> 
> ...


Get an amonia/nitrite/nitrate testing kit to ensure your angels will be okay.


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## akdylpickles (Feb 21, 2011)

I already have test kits!


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## waterfaller1 (Jul 5, 2006)

Tetra=garbage.
Get Dr. Tim's one and only 
http://www.drtimsaquatics.com/One_Only/OneOnly.html


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## shawnhu (Jan 23, 2009)

Really surprised and disappointed that no one has mentioned instantly cycling a tank using plants.


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## akdylpickles (Feb 21, 2011)

The problem with adding a bunch of plantsis i dont have much money. Unless someone wants to give me a bunch of plants for free  haha


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## reignOfFred (Jun 7, 2010)

also plants might use up nitrogen to keep things in line, but in themselves don't help to actually generate the bacteria of which the generation of is the point of cycling.

the idea of using filter media is that it introduces live bacteria of both types directly, and into the heart of the aquarium. Once established bacteria will multiply very fast to allow for increased bioload. I have used this method successfully on new tanks, with new everthing and no live plants. without a doubt you still need to test ammonia and watch for spikes, it would be silly not to.


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## Jadelin (Sep 30, 2009)

akdylpickles said:


> The problem with adding a bunch of plantsis i dont have much money. Unless someone wants to give me a bunch of plants for free  haha


You can look on the Swap and Shop; often the RAOKs will be trimmings from fast-growing stem plants (since they grow so fast and all). You could also post a Wanting to Buy add and see if anyone has trimmings they'll let you have for the price of shipping. You might end up with sort of a mixed bag, but in a 100 gallon you'll have room for lots of types of plants.

Just make sure you get plants that can survive in whatever kind of light you're going to have over this tank; dying plants won't help you at all!


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## akdylpickles (Feb 21, 2011)

RAOKs?


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## Jadelin (Sep 30, 2009)

akdylpickles said:


> RAOKs?


Random Act of Kindness. When people feel like giving things away basically for free to help other people in the hobby. Often it's plant trimmings that they don't want to throw away but don't want to go to the trouble of pricing and selling. Shipping is usually around $6.00 in a small Priority Mail box, and you can stuff a pretty good amount in those boxes!


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## akdylpickles (Feb 21, 2011)

Does that shipping apply to anchorage, Alaska? I always want to get stuff online but shipping is crazy!


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## Jadelin (Sep 30, 2009)

It's flat rate shipping to anywhere in the US, so it will be the same for you.


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