Does anyone know the instructions to cycle a new tank using pure ammonia?
I hear that only takes about 10 days to fully cycle and I also will need to find a source for pure ammonia too.

NEVER MIND, Found it easy enough by doing a web search at google......
I may try this method with my new tank after I set it up. I also plan to "seed" it with gravel from the old established tank and some old tank water too.

If you had gone to "helpful articles", there is a link to fishless cycling there. Anyway, you have sorted yourself out. Fish is cycling is certainly quicker and much less hassle than using fish. But, you have to find pure ammonia.

Definitely use some existing media out of the old filtration. This will really help establish your new biological filter.

Look forward to seeing some photos

Yea, I think I'm going to skip the ammonia altogether and just use some of the gravel from another cycled tank, add some water from that other tank and then take the filter cartridge (not the bio wheel) from that other tank and cut it into 4 equal sized pieces to place into the filter baskets of the 4 filters that are built into my new hood. That should get things moving rather quickly I feel. This new hood has 4 bio wheels fed by two seperate pumps. I'll just keep testing to make sure its cycled before thinking about moving my Oscar's into their bigger quarters. The tank they are currently in is sufficient for their small size so there is no rush to make the move.

Sounds like the best solution all around. When you take the media out of the filters to cut it out, don't hang around, the bacteria will start dying before too long.

Oscarfishlover wrote:


Yes I know. It's gotta be a quick transition into the new water. I'm going to remove the built in activated carbon too first as there is no need to remove ammonia and in fact that only will hinder the biological process at this stage. (Its those filter pads that has a pocket of carbon.) Tonight I moved it all upstairs (stand,tank, hood etc.)and set it up. Tomorrow night I'll add the gravel and water and get things flowing.
I'll add photos over the weekend of the old 37 gallon tank with the fish and then their new tank too.