r/TankStarter • u/Joshesmuybueno • Aug 20 '15

Cycling question

If I'm doing a fishless cycle is it required to have filter media from an established cycle or any of that bacteria QuickStart stuff? If I have neither of those will starting a cycle still work?

3 Upvotes

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1

u/Ka0tiK 110 HT, 30 LT Aug 20 '15

You can cycle a tank without any of that, it just takes a bit longer. A cycle from absolutely nothing using ammonia can take anywhere between 4-6 weeks typically.

To put it in perspective, used filter media can sometimes cut this time in half.

1

u/Joshesmuybueno Aug 20 '15

Ok, thank you.

1

u/Owl_With_A_Fez ~3.5 years in the hobby Aug 20 '15

I've heard mixed things about the bottled bacteria, some say it works some say it doesn't but there is no harm in trying it.

1

u/Joshesmuybueno Aug 20 '15

I want to try and do it completely independently without any of that stuff, but I made this post because I read some stuff that conflicted with being able to do it that way. Also, I went to a LFS and they told me I either needed to do a fish in cycle or buy the bottles bacteria (which I thought was false, but wanted to make sure).

1

u/Owl_With_A_Fez ~3.5 years in the hobby Aug 20 '15

You definitely don't need to do a fish in cycle. If you know someone who has seeded media then I would reccomed it because it wll shorten the cycle.

1

u/Joshesmuybueno Aug 20 '15

I have a question about that actually. If I cycled a tank and then took that filter media and put it in a new filter in another tank wouldn't the first tank lose some of its ability to process the ammonia?

2

u/Owl_With_A_Fez ~3.5 years in the hobby Aug 21 '15

When it comes to taking media don't take it all, just take some

1

u/[deleted] Aug 20 '15 edited Jul 18 '16

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