Help setting up another tank!

[FreshwaterFacet]

Hello! It seems I have come down with MTS.. Multiple Tank Syndrome. Hahha I have had one tank for 3 years and may or may not have purchased a few more recently! 

I have a 40 breeder that I would like to cycle first. I think I would like to do only sponge filters in this tank.. I run a Aquaclear 70 in my other tank but I would love to rid the HOB look in my next tank.  

What is the best way to cycle a tank when you have other established tanks? Do I put additional sponge filters in my current tank? I do have two bags of bio-rings in my established tank's HOB. Should I place a bag of those in the new tank? Or do I put the HOB with beneficial bacteria into the new tank for a bit?

Also, do I put any tank water from my established tank into my new tank? Or is that unnecessary? 

Sorry for all the questions! I have done a ton of research but I am still unsure of what the best route is to take. I just want to do what is best for the fish!

 

[RyanU]

The water from an established tank won't do anything. Your best bet is to put the sponge filter in the established tank for a few weeks to let it grow BB. Once that is done you can move it to your new tank and add fish. I would start adding fish slow(no more than 3 at a time) to not overwhelm the newly seeded sponge. As always test the water daily to make sure the filter is keeping up.  Wait a couple weeks after the addition of the fish for the bb to maintain the bioload and add some more fish.  Good luck with the new tank

[SWilson]

Yes I agree with everything Ryan said. 
sometimes for me, when I’ve set up a quick quarantine tank, just using a sponge filter that has been running in another thank for a few weeks wasn’t enough to not get ammonia or nitrite spikes. So I would do everything as suggested and if you get ammonia or nitrite readings you can add some gravel or a rock or decorations from your established tank into the new tank or your idea of putting one of the bags of the bio rings from your 75 into the new tank would work if your 75 can handle that. 
 

that’s exciting! Welcome to MTS! Lol. What are you planning to house in your new 40? 

Edited May 11, 2021 by SWilson

[Patrick_G]

Yup, I agree, if you’re going to run a sponge filter in the new tank let it run in the old one for a week or two first. If you don’t have time to do that put a bag of the cycled bio media in the new tank. 

[FreshwaterFacet]

I appreciate all of this great feedback!! This may be a ridiculous question but is there such thing as adding too much beneficial bacteria when setting up a new tank? 

I thought about squeezing a sponge from my established filter into the new tank as I’ve heard many have had success that way too. In addition, I would put in an established sponge filter (on the smaller side) and maybe some decorations from my other tank that have a lot of surface area.

Thoughts?

I am trying to do this semi-quickly as I received them with very short notice. (I know not ideal)... they are currently in a diy quarantine tub tank that I had had on hand as a back up. 

[SWilson]

I think your plan sounds good!  And plants (that may be a given, but just throwing it out there.  I've had some succes lately moving/propogating plants from established tanks into newly set up tanks (in addition to using seeded sponge filters) to be able to add fish right away.  

I may be wrong about this, but I think the worst that could happen if you add "too much" beneficial bacteria is that, if the fish you add end up not making as much ammonia as the bacteria needs, the bb colony will "die" back to match how much ammonia is being produced and consumed by the system.  

[FreshwaterFacet]

That is kind of what I was thinking also!! I have a habit of doubting myself especially when a) it involves fish that I love and b) there are SO much conflicting information on the internet. I am so thankful for this forum!

Thank you so much!!