# Is a Green Terror hardy enough for cycling a tank?



## jregan73 (Aug 19, 2010)

I recently set up a 55 gallon that is going to hold a single Green Terror, and I just wanted to know if the fish would be able to survive the ammonia and nitrite spikes. I also will be adding filter media from my other tank to seed the tank.


----------



## allierw (Apr 20, 2006)

If you are using seeded media, you will probably only have a very short cycle. As long as you monitor the water parameters and do WC when the levels spike, the fish should be OK. Personally I would probably buy 6-10 danios or something cheap to ride out the cycle, then add the GT. Eventually he will eat them anyway.


----------



## HONDO (May 4, 2008)

I agree that if you are using established filter media you are not really cycling the tank so it should be fine.

If its a brand new tank and you are using a brand new filter, it is not a question of whether or not the fish could survive... it would be cruel to subject any fish to those conditions.


----------



## jregan73 (Aug 19, 2010)

Well, im adding a carbon bag from my 55 gallon filter(running on my 30 gallon mbuna tank) to the new canister filter, so will that bacteria be enough to make the tank safe for just one fish while it cycles?


----------



## ahud (Aug 22, 2009)

I never understand why people don't just do a fishless cycle. Buy yourself a bottle of pure ammonia and dose per instructions to get 1-2ppm. Add you media and you should have a quick cycle and be able to stock whatever you want.

Ammonia exposure causes permanent damage.


----------



## allierw (Apr 20, 2006)

No, adding a carbon bag won't help much. You need to add sponges, biomedia, things like that. Buy the filter you are going to use on the 55g and run it on your 30 gallon for a couple of weeks before you buy the GT. That way the filter will be ready for fish and you won't have to cycle the tank.


----------



## jregan73 (Aug 19, 2010)

I think im just going to add some danios to cycle the tank.


----------



## HONDO (May 4, 2008)

Its really easy to just buy the new filter, put some of your current media in there, run it for even a day or two on your 30 gallon, then put it on the 55... you can easily cycle the tank without poisoning any fish.


----------



## BelieveInBlue (Jul 17, 2011)

ahud said:


> I never understand why people don't just do a fishless cycle. Buy yourself a bottle of pure ammonia and dose per instructions to get 1-2ppm. Add you media and you should have a quick cycle and be able to stock whatever you want.
> 
> Ammonia exposure causes permanent damage.


+1; fishless cycling is da way to go ^^


----------



## TheFishGuy (Apr 21, 2005)

I haven't cycled a tank in probably well over a decade. I simply take a filter out of an existing tank and put it in the new one. Then put the new filter on the existing tank. The existing tank will have enough beneficial bacteria on it's decor and in it's substate and will easily be able to handle seeding the new filter...

That'd be an instant cycle. I never understood why people with multiple tanks even cycle a tank. :wink:


----------



## BelieveInBlue (Jul 17, 2011)

TheFishGuy said:


> I haven't cycled a tank in probably well over a decade. I simply take a filter out of an existing tank and put it in the new one. Then put the new filter on the existing tank. The existing tank will have enough beneficial bacteria on it's decor and in it's substate and will easily be able to handle seeding the new filter...
> 
> That'd be an instant cycle. I never understood why people with multiple tanks even cycle a tank. :wink:


I do that too! except i use 2 filters for every aquarium as an extra bit of insurance ^^


----------



## peathenster (Oct 7, 2008)

TheFishGuy said:


> I haven't cycled a tank in probably well over a decade. I simply take a filter out of an existing tank and put it in the new one. Then put the new filter on the existing tank. The existing tank will have enough beneficial bacteria on it's decor and in it's substate and will easily be able to handle seeding the new filter...
> 
> That'd be an instant cycle. I never understood why people with multiple tanks even cycle a tank. :wink:


Me three. I add a couple of filters to an existing tank for a couple of weeks, then move them to the new tank.


----------



## ivanmike (Jun 15, 2003)

The carbon isn't the best way to go - but if it's been in the other filter for a good long time it has a bacterial colony on it - a better method IME is to take a nylon stocking (rinsed) full of gravel from a cycled tank and stuff that in the new filter with the virgin filter media. Even better is to take a good chunk of the mechanical filter media from the established filter and shoehorn it in the new one.


----------



## Raylans_girl (Aug 11, 2011)

ivanmike said:


> The carbon isn't the best way to go - but if it's been in the other filter for a good long time it has a bacterial colony on it - a better method IME is to take a nylon stocking (rinsed) full of gravel from a cycled tank and stuff that in the new filter with the virgin filter media. Even better is to take a good chunk of the mechanical filter media from the established filter and shoehorn it in the new one.


That's how I do it, I have a media bag that I got at petco for like 3 bucks, I filled it with gravel from an established tank and I leave it in my 29 gallon, when I set up a new tank I just plop it in along with smooshing a few ceramic bioballs from my 75's filter into the new filter and poof! Instant cycle...


----------



## Chubbs the Jellybean (Jun 16, 2009)

Same here, I run 3 filters on every tank, so I can still set up another tank (be it a QT tank or a new setup) and still have plenty of filtration and bacteria on both of my existing tanks. I haven't cycled a tank in at least 2 years.


----------



## Cooder (Jul 19, 2011)

If your setting up a new setup, with new filters, new everything. just wait... i dont have much experience in this field, but you dont even have to test your water, you know what its going to do...just wait a month and it will be fine.

IMO all the fancy additives to get a quick cycle just makes things complicated, just wait.... think about what your going to stock it with, hunt for sources and shop around for the best deals, and save the money to do so...oh and watch your other fish!!!

good luck with it

Cody


----------



## DempseyDude (Apr 4, 2005)

jregan73 said:


> I recently set up a 55 gallon that is going to hold a single Green Terror, and I just wanted to know if the fish would be able to survive the ammonia and nitrite spikes. I also will be adding filter media from my other tank to seed the tank.


Chances are your fish will develop HITH with all the stress you gonna put him up to it, Go to your LFS and ask for some Filter Material to seed your fish tank.. Or do a Fishless Cycling, thats my advice


----------

