Want to cycle water in a bucket? with an extablished tank filter?

Question

I have 12 gallon tank that is fully cycled and going strong. i want to start a new 6 gallon tank but i'm not planning on buying the tank for another 2 weeks. can i start the cycling process in a bucket?

I'm using the filter from the old tank... an old decoration from the old tank... and brand new washed gravel... ive put this all in a 3 gallon bucket with treated water..

can I cycle my tank this way? with water that just sits still??? or does the bacteria need oxygen from an air pump?

thanks!

Answer 1

It isn't the filter that harbors most of the bacteria.  It is the entire tank.  Many fish keepers don't use a filter media to start with.

You can cycle the water in a bucket but to keep the water from become stagnent you need a source of movement.  Be it a power head or a filter.  hang on filters work well for buckets.  If you are buying the new tank, get the filter first and add it to the bucket.

Yes it wll work and yes you can feed the bucket like you would a tank to start the cycle process.  You can even add a raw shrimp or piece of fish as well.  Anything that will start to rot to get the cycle going.

Answer 2

Sorry, water does not cycle, filter media does. I keep spare sponge filters running in established tanks all the time. These get used in newly set up fry tanks, as well as larger tanks that get set up for juvies. In between groups of growing fish these tanks get drained, and cleaned with a bleach/water solution. They get filled with 100% fresh tap water, treated with dechlorinator, and a new group of fry I am growing out get added.

The water is not cycled. The tank is not cycled it is nothing but a glass box. The only other things in there are a sponge filter, fish, & a heater.

Run the new filter in the established tank for 3-4 weeks. 24 hours before setting up the new tank stop feeding the fish in the existing tank. Set up the new tank with the now cycled filter, and feed both tanks lightly for the next week.

I do this all the time, meaning at least once weekly, for several years now. I have five 5 gallon & five 2.5 gallon tanks for hatching & first few weeks growout. I have five 29's for the next stage of growth, five 40's for beyond that, or I use a 150 gallon tub if I have one open.

Answer 3

That wont work..

It's not the water that you need to cycle, it's the filter.

One thing you can do is run two filters in your existing tank. That way they will both build up a share of the cycle bacteria. Then when you set up the new tank you can move the already cycled filter into the new tank, instant cycle. It wont be fully cycled, but it will have some, and it will be safe to add a few fish right away.

Running the filter in clean water will just result in the bacteria slowly dieing off through lack of food. No ammonia - no bacteria. So allways keep fish and the filter together, they depend on each other to live.

Ian