BioPellets Help Cycle Tank?

luke33 · Oct 6, 2011

So I'm curious what everyone would think about this. I'm moving from a 125g tank to a 195g leemar tank. In the process i've been mixing my water and by the time i move the fish/corals both tanks will be completely mixed. I'm trying to speed up my cycle this way on the new tank. A cycle i've been doing for two weeks now. If i take my biopellets and throw them on the new tank would that speed up the process meaning would the bacteria cultures in the pellets help with the cycle? I would imagine as long as I fed the tank to keep the bacteria cultures thriving it would cause my tank to be cycled quicker. Just let me know what you think and thanks!

shred5 · Oct 6, 2011

I would say yes depending on the situation.. I add carbon (vodka) and bacteria to my water during cycling. It would be helpfull for those who use dead rock (which I do mostly now) or cured rock. Fresh rock or rock that has some amount of die off would not need it due to the fact it will be adding soem carbon to the water already.

Dave Polzin

Dowtish · Oct 6, 2011

Am I understanding this correctly? You are taking your existing tank water and putting it in the new tank, and then mixing new water for the existing to replace what youve taken out, and you are doing this until the new tank has enough?

luke33 · Oct 6, 2011

Thanks Shred, thats what i'm thinking as well, just wanted to make sure i wasn't completely crazy : )

Dowtish, when i started the process i got my 195g tank set up with fresh saltwater and had it running a week. In the last two weeks i've been doing 35g water changes, meaning taking 35g of old water from my 125g tank and adding the new water from the 195g with the fresh saltwater. In doing this i'm hoping to speed up the cycle process. But i'm also wondering if the biopellets that have been running for 6mths would help speed up the new tank cycle wise as well. At this point i've transfered enough water back and forth its well mixed and is reading the same calc, alk, mag, a little off ph (no lights) but i feel like this is speeding up the cycle process and I shouldn't have a long time to wait. I'm just trying to see what people's experiences in doing this is and if anyone has ever seen biopellets help fuel a cycle.

Dowtish · Oct 6, 2011

I don't think water alone will speed up the cycle. You need biological filtration to do that. i.e. Live Rock

luke33 · Oct 6, 2011

That is what i'm trying to do. Bacteria is what you need and it is in the rock. Its also in water and loads of bacteria are feeding on the biopellets. I'm wondering if these two things will speed up the cycle. Generally you introduce these bacteria through LR, but you can also introduce this way imo. Just want to see how many have done this around here.

mobatic · Oct 6, 2011

I think you'd need some strains of bacteria to cycle the system, on top of the different types of bacteria found in biopellets.
I'd like to know the details of this as well, because if it is true, then everyone should get a Bio Reactor.

I think it's just like cycling your tank with FSW and run a bio reactor to cycle it alone.
That probably isn't the best idea.

luke33 · Oct 6, 2011

I think the point is being missed. I am running a reactor that has been in use for 6mths and using water from a tank that has been running for 6+ yrs so the bacteria are present already in the new system as the new and old system are both fully mixed.

Zef004 · Oct 6, 2011

Hey bud. This how I set up my 180 from 125. But I also added Microbe-lift Special blend. and I think cycling took less then 2days.
1st I just added new dead rock and sand bed to the 180 with new Saltwater and ecobak at the sametime. Splecail blend i add 2-3x the amount they call for, for new tank setup And 3 days later I started adding corals and few more days start adding fish. Didn't use the old LR from the 125 bc I had a flatworms.

What skimmer are going to use on this tank the sw 300

jelly · Oct 6, 2011

check this video out. i think it may help you out.
Bacteria in a Bottle: Snake Oil or Worth Trusting? - YouTube

luke33 · Oct 6, 2011

Hey Zef, thats pretty much exactly what i've been wondering about. Glad to see it worked for you. I'm going a bit slower than you but thats ok. I"m thinking another week and i'll be up and running in the new tank. I'm not going to use much LR either from my old tank as it has lots of poly's on it i don't want.

Skimmer wise i was going to run the SWC300 Cone but its to freakin big! I think you really need a 300g display to get good use out of it. I'm going to run the Warner Marine MF251 and see how that goes. I think its a better fit size wise. Its super efficient too and i'm going to try to be as little of wattage as i can.