The Best Way To Cycle Your New Aquarium

If you have the option to get beneficial bacteria from another filter, its a wicked awesome way to cycle your new tank. If you disagree with this video please read the description below, and then debunk my video after (it saves me time, and will save you embarrassment).

This method has many benefits:

1. Your adding the beneficial bacteria to your substrate, and hard aquascape, and well as your filter. Adding a cycled filter pad from a pre-existing filter does not go far enough. Your substrate is a MASSIVE component of the microbiome of your tank, and just throwing in filter pad(s) totally neglects a large portion of your ecosystem.

2. You can replace the sponge back into the pre-existing filter, so that system stays stable as well. In my example my Fluval 406 stays intact, and goes back to work intact.

3. Its free and does not cost you anything VS buying products from the fish store whos efficacy is questionable.

Who agrees with me?

[chrishasaclue]

Should have done this before getting the fish

[FootheFlowerhorn]

I understand what you did. this is old school method. it works great. however, if it was me, I would have dumped a little less of the stuff one week before adding fish. after running the tank for a week, I would do 50% water change, then add the fish. it's b/c you dumped the bucket while the fish were still in there that made many viewers go berserk.

[alexbomb]

i love your fish reaction like it, s the apocalypse

[fullmetalyellowjacket]

" this thing is gonna be rocking in terms of biology " that cracked me up😂😂😂

[happywrench]

I did the same thing to my new zebra pleco tank. Friends said I was stupid for messing up a new tank. 2 Hours later the fish crap disappeared lol. Had to cycle the tank fast because the fishies were on it way. Cool video btw! Cheers

[chubbypekingese]

if both of your tanks have the same type of canister filter set up you can also just hook the established canister filter to the new tank and get your bacteria that way.

Hook up the new canister filter to the established tank and the bacteria from inside the tank will grow in the new canister filter.

[craigwoodhull]

Woody's Discus (FB)

Exactly The way I plan on doing my new 150 ! Have not cleaned my 2217 or my sponge filter OR my HOB for a few months . Will hook up my new FX 4, with my old Bio Home media. People forget how important plants are as they are great at filtering .Glad to see someone else knows there shit. Very nice of you to share !

[earthling]

I feel like it may have been better to add the filter pads? Maybe put them down on the bottom under a rock so the bacteria could spread to the gravel/sand and rocks. I mean, this probably works too; but, seems to make it very dirty for no reason when the filter pads still had it all over them.

[FishDiseasesSymptomsandCure]

Excellent video, you covered a couple really important points like the safety of the donor bacteria and the aeration of the system on receipt of the nitrifiers. The video footage of the addition / cloud was great! Thanks -Doc

[edhorlickbullecer]

watching the murky water dumped into the tank is soooo awesome! 😁😁😁

[bobleo]

I almost do the same thing. Except I pull a filter from my established tank and hang it on my new tank, also I pull some of the substrate . Works fast to cycle a tank 👍

[AussieAquatic]

It only looks worse than it is. The fish are not bothered by the dirty water and the whole substrate will be seeded AND the filter will still end up catching most of the seeded BB. The established/dirty media into the new filter does work as well, but the substrate will take longer to colonise. Good video to get people thinking.

[HM-lkpq]

This does make perfect sense. The substrate is also a part of the filtering system of an aquarium. Introducing this is just brilliant..thanks for sharing your wisdom.

[sean]

Awesome, watched this video years ago and have been using this method since! Except I do it Pryor to adding fish ! Best technique!

[TimNewton]

A bit unorthodox but I see the logic behind it. I don't know if I would or even could do it but to those who do, I don't knock it. Regardless of where one stands on the matter, it's a great video. Thanks and keep it up.

[mitchelll]

one thing to also mention make sure it's done usually before adding fish or in emergency tank setup due to a tank leak or break. but that refugium mud looking stuff is amazing for health of the fish. beneficial bacteria colonies are hard to get but a year old tank filter sponge is safer then all the chemicals. and I agree the more air flow the faster the bacteria cloud settles and helps

[ronwise]

I just did this to my 65 gallon based on your video. I was doing a fishless cycle on it for 3 weeks prior. My nitrites has been through the roof for two weeks. Hopefully this will do the job..

[evolve]

Thanks! I just did the same on my ten gallon, the only thing I’m worried about is I don’t know if my friend had diseases in their tank, I knoticed you mentioned that. I don’t have fish yet but just want to get my tank good for when they come😊

[kevslife]

aqua logic I had an established 165ltr community tank and wanted to start keeping fancy gold fish. having no health problems in the tank I relocated the residents to a friend.. Did a 95% water change but left gravel and filter mediums intact. added fresh water and bingo job done. added 3 ranchu's and they are thriving!! my point is.. my bacteria in the gravel and filters are still there doing their thing. what you did was basically the same thing as me just in a messier (but effective) way. your tanks look awesome and fish healthy btw. subbed

[SuperKillifish]

Why not put 1 of the pad in the filter?