# Length of time for new media to develop biological bacteria



## Slaz (Sep 8, 2014)

Setting up and cycling a 20 gal aquarium as a breeding tank. I have put a sponge filter in my established tank with the intention of building up good biological bacteria; than moving it over to my uncycled breeding tank. My question is; approximately how long will I have to leave that sponge filter in my cycled tank before I can move it to the uncycled tank? Ammonia/nitrite are at 0 and my Nitrate is at 10 in the cycled 15 gal tank.

Thanks


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## Yorg (Jan 10, 2015)

Hi Slaz:

If your established tank has a ph above 7 and you're actively running the sponge filter on an air pump, then 3 weeks should be enough time for the sponge to become colonized with nitrifying bacteria. 

-Yorg



Slaz said:


> Setting up and cycling a 20 gal aquarium as a breeding tank. I have put a sponge filter in my established tank with the intention of building up good biological bacteria; than moving it over to my uncycled breeding tank. My question is; approximately how long will I have to leave that sponge filter in my cycled tank before I can move it to the uncycled tank? Ammonia/nitrite are at 0 and my Nitrate is at 10 in the cycled 15 gal tank.
> 
> Thanks


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## Slaz (Sep 8, 2014)

Thank you for your prompt reply. I was hoping it wouldn't be that long; however; thats part of the cycling process; hurry up; and wait!

Thanks


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## Slaz (Sep 8, 2014)

Forgot to mention. For my cycled tank; my PH is sitting at 7.8; the tank is planted and I am injecting CO2 at aprox 2 bubbles per minute.


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## Warhawk (Feb 23, 2014)

I do the same thing with my tanks I will seed a sponge for a few weeks before I move it over to the new tank. I like to let the filters run for a few weeks but it can happen faster. I have moved filters after 2 weeks before with no issues, but I have heard it can take as little as 1 week. I try to keep a extra sponge running in at least one of my tanks just in case.

One way to help seed the sponge is to do a normal water change on the cycled tank, when you raise out the sponge filter in the "dirty" water bucket you can put your new sponge in that water and squeeze it a few times. When you raise the old filter you will wash out mostly dead bacteria but some good comes out also. That will help get the new sponge going.


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## Slaz (Sep 8, 2014)

Might not have to use the foam media. I put a couple cups of substrate from my cycled tank into the uncycled yesterday. Today, I did a test on my 20 gal and the Ammonia is showing 0; however, still got a little ways to go on the Nitrate/nitrite. But; I will keep the filter going, just in case I need it sometime in the future.


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## Warhawk (Feb 23, 2014)

Slaz said:


> Might not have to use the foam media. I put a couple cups of substrate from my cycled tank into the uncycled yesterday. Today, I did a test on my 20 gal and the Ammonia is showing 0; however, still got a little ways to go on the Nitrate/nitrite. But; I will keep the filter going, just in case I need it sometime in the future.



I never tried to move substrate on my tanks, that is a good idea just need to make sure my tanks all have the same stuff. 

Remember when you add fish to do so slowly the amount of BB you have in the tank now (in the substrate) will need to grow to match the level of ammonia being produced.


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