# Best way to cycle 125 Gallon?



## Steveboos (Dec 23, 2011)

I am at the final stages today getting the rocks and sand in. Also my FX5 should come today from UPS. I am wondering what would be the easiest way to cycle the tank with the supplies i have.

I have my used filter media from the 55 Gallon that includes a fair amount of filter floss, sponges and bio max. And i also could go grab a bottle of Pure ammonia since i was able to find some in the area.

So would it be best to get the tank filled and decorated then stick the AC110 on there or should i run the FX5 on my 55 for a little bit to build up bacteria?

The Ammonia route is probably the fastest, but i am not sure if using established filter media would be a better way.

But without any fish in the tank, doesn't the bacteria need ammonia to live or will they still live without fish in there with the filters running?

I'm going to be running the AC110 and FX5 on the 125 and selling the 55 Gallon, but I'm in no rush to do the fish move.

Thanks for the help!


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## whiskeyriver (Nov 29, 2011)

Steveboos said:


> But without any fish in the tank, doesn't the bacteria need ammonia to live


Yes.



Steveboos said:


> or will they still live without fish in there with the filters running?


No.



Steveboos said:


> I'm going to be running the AC110 and FX5 on the 125 and selling the 55 Gallon, but I'm in no rush to do the fish move.


If I were you, I'd take your filter media out of your AC110 and squeeze out some of the water from it into the filter media of your FX5. What I also used to do was take a cutting of the AC sponge and insert it into the new filter I was attempting to seed. I'd take a little cube from the center, not all the way through, so I wouldn't get by pass, and then cut a small section out of the new sponge and insert it in there. You could do something similar with the canister. That way you could keep the AC on the 55 and keep the fish happy and begin the cycle process with the new, seeded filter on the 125. Then you'll want to dose with ammonia to keep the bacteria alive and happy. It's probably overkill, but in my mind it sped up the process, but I used to also add BioSpira to the new setup as well to help seed the new tank/filter. Your existing bacteria from your existing tank/filter is probably enough, but overkill probably doesn't hurt. In fact, it seemed to speed things up for me. A mod will likely come in and shoot this theory down, ha ha, but hey...I'd do it. You can buy either Dr. Tim's One and Only (used to be BioSpira when he worked for Tetra), or Tetra's own newer version of BioSpira, now called Tetra SafeStart.

EDIT: I may get corrected here as well, but because you will be transferring SOME live bacteria from your existing tank to your new tank/filter, cycling with fish will likely be far less toxic/harmful to the fish since you will already have an established colony of bacteria from your old filter in your new one and you won't be starting the cycle from scratch, and the fish will be there to provide the ammonia. I just wouldn't use any of your cichlids for this in case something goes off the rails.


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## Rhinox (Sep 10, 2009)

In theory, since your AC110 is providing all the filtration for your bioload on the 55, you could transfer it over to the 125 along with the new FX5 and be good to go presuming you're not adding more fish. If you transfer the substrate and decor as well, thats also a plus.

If you're worried, and you said you're in no rush to transfer, you could get a smallish rubbermaid container and run your FX5 on it doing a fishless cycle with ammonia. It would take less ammonia and less water to do it in a small rubbermaid. You could do the squeezing the AC110 sponge into the FX5 to kick it off a bit quicker.

That way when you transfer, you know you have all your filtration cycled.


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## Steveboos (Dec 23, 2011)

Forgot to mention i also have an EX-70 Whisper on the 55. I have another extra EX-30 i could put on the 55 so that i would still be doing about 600 GPH and just put the AC110 on the 125 if need be to cycle it.

The AC110 has been running for about 3 weeks and already has some sludge in the intake, so i know there is at least some good bacteria built up on it. The EX-70 on the other hand has been running for about 2 months and just has filter floss in it.

Would that work out the same way in transferring bacteria?

I will test the water every 2-3 days to see where the Nitrates are at and to see if ammonia and nitrites have dropped to zero or close to.


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## chagoi (Dec 29, 2010)

I would run the fx5 on the 55 for a few days. Then put in on the 125 with a few( not to territorial) fish. It takes a long time to cycle a new tank. Once you have some good Bio (you do) you can't stop it.


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## Steveboos (Dec 23, 2011)

So maybe run the FX5 on the 55 first. Then move over to the 125 after a few days and then add the yellow Tail Acei i have to the tank since they are decent size and love open space.

Lots of options, they will all work, i just want to know what would be the best to get a decent amount of bacteria in the tank. I am going to add the rocks and sand today so there will be tons of surface area for the bacteria to cling to.


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## Rhinox (Sep 10, 2009)

It'll take more than a few days to get bacteria in the FX5 if you're seeding it by running it on the 55g. I've heard suggested around here by members I trust to give it at least 2 weeks.


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## CITADELGRAD87 (Mar 26, 2003)

I just cycled a 100G with a sump using established media, it took 3 weeks. It worked exactly as advertised, but it took 3 weeks not 10 days as I have seen others experience.


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## Steveboos (Dec 23, 2011)

So i might as well just do a fishless cycle on the entire 125 Gallon setup. A gallon of pure ammonia is $5, i should have plenty!


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## whiskeyriver (Nov 29, 2011)

Steveboos said:


> So i might as well just do a fishless cycle on the entire 125 Gallon setup. A gallon of pure ammonia is $5, i should have plenty!


Yes, but as I stated above, you'll of course want to seed it with some of your existing bacteria colony.


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## Totalimmortal363 (Jan 10, 2008)

I'm having to cycle my 125 the old fashioned way. The only other tank i have is a reef.


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## Steveboos (Dec 23, 2011)

Yeah i'm going to go ahead and remove the filter floss from the eX-70 and put it in the new tank for media, i also have some more cartridges that i can use in the 125 to "seed" it


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## chagoi (Dec 29, 2010)

Rhinox said:


> It'll take more than a few days to get bacteria in the FX5 if you're seeding it by running it on the 55g. I've heard suggested around here by members I trust to give it at least 2 weeks.


 I said add a few fish. This has worked for me for over forty years. Yes I know old school.


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## chagoi (Dec 29, 2010)

chagoi said:


> Rhinox said:
> 
> 
> > It'll take more than a few days to get bacteria in the FX5 if you're seeding it by running it on the 55g. I've heard suggested around here by members I trust to give it at least 2 weeks.
> ...


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