DSM & Fishless Cycle

[Vinkenoog1977]

Hey guys,

I have a question regarding the fishless cycling of a new tank. I'm just about to flood my 120 ltr. tank after about 10 weeks of dry start, and I was just wondering if dry starting a tank for that period of time, has any bearing on the required duration of the fishless cycle after flooding? Is it still neccessary to wait 6 to 8 weeks before adding fish? Since the substrate has been kept moist for a prolonged period, and there has been activity in it due to the plant growth, there should already be a healthy bacterial colony in the substrate, and the risk of ammonia spikes should be gone as well, or am I, as usual, suffering from flawed logic?
Of course the filter media will still have to mature, but with Seachem Prime and Stability, could I be ready to go in a week to 10 days perhaps? Would it be a good idea to stick the filter media in a bucket of water from one of my mature tanks, perhaps even rinse the filtermedia from that mature tank in that water, for say a week before flooding the 120 and using it, if that makes sense?
Reason I'm asking is this will be the new home for my pair of dwarf gourami, which are looking ready to start breeding, plus, they're too large to go in my holding tanks (25 ltr. each), and they're all that's standing between me rescaping their current tank.

I did a search but could not find anything relating to DSM and fishless cycle, so I hope you can help!

Thanks!

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,

I have a question regarding the fishless cycling of a new tank. I'm just about to flood my 120 ltr. tank after about 10 weeks of dry start, and I was just wondering if dry starting a tank for that period of time, has any bearing on the required duration of the fishless cycle after flooding? Is it still neccessary to wait 6 to 8 weeks before adding fish? Since the substrate has been kept moist for a prolonged period, and there has been activity in it due to the plant growth, there should already be a healthy bacterial colony in the substrate, and the risk of ammonia spikes should be gone as well, or am I, as usual, suffering from flawed logic?
Of course the filter media will still have to mature, but with Seachem Prime and Stability, could I be ready to go in a week to 10 days perhaps? Would it be a good idea to stick the filter media in a bucket of water from one of my mature tanks, perhaps even rinse the filtermedia from that mature tank in that water. Reason I'm asking is this will be the new home for my pair of dwarf gourami, which are looking ready to start breeding, plus, they're too large to go in my holding tanks (25 ltr. each), and they're all that's standing between me rescaping their current tank.

No you are right it should be fine, the DSM doesn't effect the substrate. It hasn't been dry, its been submerged, and the shallow depth of water should have ensured plenty of oxygen was available.

If you have mature filter media available, I'd just swirl the new media in the filter mulm from your extant filter. If it is a sponge you are ready to go straight away, if its sintered glass etc it will need a bit longer. Again you need to make sure oxygen is available (either via an air stone, or by having a thin layer of water). Even easier is just to swap some of the existing media from the old to the new filter.

In the new tank I'll assume you will have some floating plants or Indian Fern (Ceratopteris) for the Gouramis? Assuming you have I'd, just wait a couple of days after flooding and then introduce them. If you don't have any floater I'd get some and give them a chance to get established before adding the Gourami's as they are prime bubble nest sites.

cheers Darrel

 

[X3NiTH]

Even easier is just to swap some of the existing media from the old to the new filter.

That's what I do, I feel it serves as a massive head start allowing the filter surfaces and piping to colonise quicker.

 

[Vinkenoog1977]

The filter media is not interchangeable, different types of filter, and I do have some sintered media, so I'll be sure to chuck that in a bucket with a thin layer of mature water, and let that sit for a couple of days, giving it a stir a couple of times a day.

And I will have floaters, off course, either Phyllanthus Fluitans or Limnobium Laevigatum, still not sure which, but probably the latter, at least at first, since the Phyllanthus requires a PP of at least 10 hours, so no chance of that so soon after startup.

Will still give it at least a day or 10, if only to keep the stresslevels down for the Gouramis because of the daily waterchanges at first (this will be hi-tech).

Thanks for the replies guys!

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,

Phyllanthus Fluitans or Limnobium Laevigatum, still not sure which, but probably the latter

I'd definitely go with Limnobium, it has better roots than Phyllanthus for bubble nesters.

and I do have some sintered media so I'll be sure to chuck that in a bucket with a thin layer of mature water, and let that sit for a couple of days, giving it a stir a couple of times a day

Very few of the micro-organisms you want are in the water, they are self gummed to surfaces. If the sintered media is in a filter already you can just move it over.

If it is new media, soak it first for a couple of days in one of running tanks (just use an aquarium net etc to hold it), and then swirl it around in the filter mulm in some tank water.

As soon as I know I'm going to need some more filter media in the future I put the media into an established tank until I need it.

The requirement for the bacteria to become gummed to a surface means they need some time, but the media doesn't need to be in contact with the mulm for very long, (a couple of hours should be plenty) but you really need to ensure that the water doesn't become de-oxygenated during this period.

cheers Darrel

 

[Vinkenoog1977]

Thanks Darrel, that clarifies things, just got home, and was about to siphon some water into a bucket, but I'll just hang them in one of the mature tanks, and I'll be sure to dump some mulm in there after cleaning that filter later this week, and then flood this one Sunday I think.

Limnobium it is then!

Thanks again!!!