# Need To Cycle A Tank Fast!



## Inflade (Mar 24, 2006)

Found a Mac at a LFS. got the 35 with gravel cleaned. my buddy has an AC 500 cycling on his Current 220 gallon for me. tommorow im going out to pick up a heater, and get everything else set up.

im thinking by wednesday of this coming week, ill take half his bio media from his FX5 and put it in the filter. bring it over to my place and get it going with a dozen guppies or so.

weekend, ill go get the mac.

you guys think this will be ok?

ill be monitoring the water chemistry closely,


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## MPG (Mar 14, 2010)

It'll help but it won't be perfect..

Why can't you put him in the 220g and divide like 20g for him while you cycle it?

or what about your 200?


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## JoeDizzleMPLS (Nov 5, 2007)

I'd just grab the established media from your friend and get the mac right away, go easy on feedings and keep an eye on your ammonia/nitrites and you should be good to go.


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## Guest (Oct 24, 2010)

I agree with Joe completely, I would also go to Big Al's and purchase some Cycle or Bacteria in a bottle to help a bit with ammonia spikes if they occur

http://www.bigalsonline.ca/Fish_Additives_Biological-Additives_Live-Nitrifying-Bacteria-FW_10176513_102.html?tc=default


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## Inflade (Mar 24, 2006)

ksls said:


> I agree with Joe completely, I would also go to Big Al's and purchase some Cycle or Bacteria in a bottle to help a bit with ammonia spikes if they occur
> 
> http://www.bigalsonline.ca/Fish_Additives_Biological-Additives_Live-Nitrifying-Bacteria-FW_10176513_102.html?tc=default


Thanks, but ill hold off on the "bacteria in a bottle."

Whoever told you that, is very mistaken, bacteria can't live in a bottle. Hagen has a lot of useless product. I used to be a part time fish manager at a pet store, and questioned the reps on a lot of their product, with disappointing results.

Ill make a post in the next day or so, on the truth behind a lot of these products,

Any other ideas tho?


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## Sanjo Eel (Aug 21, 2008)

Get some live culture beneficial bacteria in a bottle as others have said. There are many to choose from, I don't know which is best because I used to use Bio-Spira and you can't get it anymore, but there's Nitromax Fresh, Tetra, Safe Start, and others. 
Why can't bacteria live in a bottle? I'm not a scientist but they claim it is a live culture, can you prove they are lying?


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## Inflade (Mar 24, 2006)

Sanjo Eel said:


> Get some live culture beneficial bacteria in a bottle as others have said. There are many to choose from, I don't know which is best because I used to use Bio-Spira and you can't get it anymore, but there's Nitromax Fresh, Tetra, Safe Start, and others.
> Why can't bacteria live in a bottle? I'm not a scientist but they claim it is a live culture, can you prove they are lying?


bacteria need food to survive, i dont understand how they could live in a bottle, and live. everyone i have talked to tries to explain and fails, ends up agreeing with me,


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## Inflade (Mar 24, 2006)

Ok, so got the filter last night from my friend, loaded with bio media from his Fx5. THX Sheppard!

Its been running all night with the heater going and its up to temp now. Picking up the fish this afternoon! Put some food in the tank(brine shrimp) last night and this morning to keep the bacteria going.

Fingers crossed!


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## HGI (Oct 27, 2009)

MPG said:


> Why can't you put him in the 220g and divide like 20g for him while you cycle it?


X 100 to this, and it was just ignored.


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## Inflade (Mar 24, 2006)

My buddies 220 gallon has a giant rhom in it.


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## JoeDizzleMPLS (Nov 5, 2007)

Inflade said:


> Ok, so got the filter last night from my friend, loaded with bio media from his Fx5. THX Sheppard!
> 
> Its been running all night with the heater going and its up to temp now. Picking up the fish this afternoon! Put some food in the tank(brine shrimp) last night and this morning to keep the bacteria going.
> 
> Fingers crossed!


I don't think you'll have any problems with one fish as long as you aren't dumping tons of extra food in the tank and letting it sit there. Make sure you get some pics taken when the new guy settles in.


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## Criley (Jun 2, 2010)

your going to be more than fine if your media is already established, no worries. of course keep an eye on it, but no sweat.


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## Sacrifice (Sep 24, 2006)

IMO you're gonna be just fine. If he's just a little guy you won't put much of a bio-load on the tank and you'll be ok. I've always wondered how bacteria could live in a bottle as well. Heck doesn't it die when you leave you filters off for an extended period of time?


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## Inflade (Mar 24, 2006)

thanks guys for your help and confirmation. The mac isnt coming until Wednesday now so im going to my LFS to get a half dozen guppies to keep the tank going.

Eric


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## FEEFA (Nov 19, 2007)

I agree with everyone that the lil guy should be fine as long as you dont overfeed.

Whats the hold up on the fish? I would bring it home asap before someone else scoops it up.

I also just picked up a juvie mac and he's awesome, one night in the tank and he already took out three neons


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## Inflade (Mar 24, 2006)

****** said:


> I agree with everyone that the lil guy should be fine as long as you dont overfeed.
> 
> Whats the hold up on the fish? I would bring it home asap before someone else scoops it up.
> 
> I also just picked up a juvie mac and he's awesome, one night in the tank and he already took out three neons


i had one at a LFS, called last night at 5 to make sure he was still there, he was. they close at 6.

called first thing this morning, hes gone!









more coming on Wednesday, only a few left from the supplier.


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## Show_Me_The_Teeth (Dec 4, 2002)

Fastest way to cycle any tank...Buy your buddy a 10lb bag of the same gravel he has. Then tank 10lbs of his old gravel and put that in the tank. Grab his old media and a 5 gallon buck of his water. If you could steal a piece of drift wood from his tank that would be great too. Now add 1 gallon of water to it every day until just the day the fish arrives. That way you are adding freshwater slowly (like a small water change)so the benefical bateria can grow with it and the water system not shock by a big ph change. I would throw some little somethings in their too just to keep the cycle going...like a s.a. cichlid.

SMTT


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## FEEFA (Nov 19, 2007)

I actually picked up the fish at 1pm on sunday, whoever you talked to didnt check and just assumed it was still there.


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