Ok, I think I have everything ordered that I will need to set up my 90 gallon tank. I have a Jebo 835 (same filter that I am running in my 55 currently) on the way. I will be running dual 150 watt heaters and I am planning on getting a couple 4-5 inch air stones for aeration.

My question is: What is the easiest way to cycle this tank?

Should I drain the 55 into the 90 and top off with fresh water?

Should I run both filters in the 90 until effective bacteria is built up?

I just want to make this as easy and painless as possible without hurting the fish. And as always, thanks in advance for the great advice.

Billy

i take it your 50g is already cycled and has been set up for a while. in this case drain and save the water from the 50g. keep the filter running all the time in the saved water. set up the new tank. fill with warmish water 28c or what you usually keep your tanks at. pump the saved water into the new tank and fit the filters(both). put your fish in and wait a few wks before you think about adding any other fish.

your current filter should still cope with your fish stock in the 90g as you have only added a little more water.(no extra fish) because you have used your old water you should have minimised the change to water conditions, so not shocking your fish unneededly. i would use a large clear plastic bag to catch your fish, as this does the least amount of damage to them.fill it with water and get the fish to swim into it.

if you want to speed up the cycle to the new filter you can wash the old filter sponge next to the intake of the new filter.

once you have have done the move check next few days for ammonia/nitrite just in case something went wrong.

make sure you treat any new water with a good conditioner

Billy, If all the fish out of the 55 are going into the 90, then in one shot, drain the 55 into the 90, move substrate, move old filter to the 90, add new filter, and finish filling the 90 with new water.

Fish can lounge in a CLEAN bucket, or a Rubbermaid tub while all this happens.

Between the old water, substrate, and filter you will have an instant cycled tank.

Hope this helps.

basic tank filtration, filter 2 time the tank water in an hour

if the 55 gallon is not used anymore, just drain them into 90 gallon and top up around 20% water it will be like normal 20% water change. and slowly top up the water day after day, about 10 gallon each day would do. Till you have full loaded then start testing the water for ammonia nitrite and nitrate.

if ammonia and nitrite does not shows then you're tank is good but testing for about 3 days if ammonia and nitrite still at 0ppm then you have nothing to worry about cycling

if you're having the same amount of fish you can use the old media in the new filter. that would give you a kick start.

depending on how many filtration you want to it to be in the tank. Just make sure you have 180 GPH for the new tank.

as for your aeration, I have not much information about that, but with your current canister set up with the water discharge into the tank, sit above the water surface would give you quite a lots of oxygen

I have no idea about heater I never used any from OFL article shows 21°C and 28°C are the range for Oscar. I'm at a tropical country never have to worry about that

water test are important.
www.oscarfishlover.com/water-test-kits

and here are fish cycling article
www.oscarfishlover.com/how-to-cycle-a-tank

you had been covered

pretty much have you all covered.I will tell you how I did it a could months back if you like, and my new tank almost instantly cycled itself. I drained some of the old water into the new tank, but not all of it, and filled the rest up with new water (treated with Prime) and had my fish in two buckets with a bubbler and heater since it was really cold out!

I waited 10 minutes to turn my filters on to give the conditioner a chance to work and not risk destroying alot of good bacteria in the filter by running it too soon.

Ok, I'm doing it the hard way. I figure either way, my 90 or my 55 will need to be cycled normally. I filled the tank on Wednesday and started adding water conditioner on Thursday daily since. The pet store says after 5 I will be able to add guppies to begin the cycle. Then they said it could take 4-6 weeks for tank to fully cycle. Planning on getting guppies. That way my O's will have something to eat when I move them lol.

I was reading in one of the other articles that bacteria live in the substrate as well. I was wondering if/how the bacteria is affected when you do gravel cleanings? Trying to not get anxious and move them too early. I'm as impulsive as they come according to my girlfriend. I am going to get a water testing kit tonight after work to begin testing the waters. As always, thanks in advance for the great advice.

Billy

Billy, if your tank is running now, add goldfish, or some type of small strong fish... There is NO need to wait to start cycling... Once you have fish in the tank it will take about 5 weeks for your tank to cycle!

As for the BB in substrate, yes there is a bit, but when you have an established filter, the amount in your substrate wont matter.. So vacuum without worry!

it isn't so hard it just time consuming, cycling a tank does not really mean to cycle your tank, it's actually your filtration, in normal situation ammonia and nitrite should show 0 but it'll a very minimum of ammonia and nitrite when waste are introduce by fish.

cycling mean having enough beneficial bacteria to cope up with your fish waste, 2 type of bacteria each grows in difference time of cycling

1st stage bacteria ammonia to nitrite
2nd stage bacteria nitrite to nitrate
the nitrate will cause algae so when nitrate reach certain level algae will grow
keep nitrate below 40 ppm as suggested here on OFL

Bacteria not only will grow on substrate it basically everywhere in the tank but to keep the tank nice and clean and not affecting the Bio-Filtration a good Bio filter is the best place for them to be as more water passing through it most bacteria will grow in there, so you don't have to worry about cleaning substrate.

so it's better to cycle the tank without substrate, adding them later when you have your Bio filter complete cycle would be a better choice. and be careful of choosing guppies to cycle the tank. don't add too much at once you can get tank cycle faster but if guppies may die. yet feeder guppies may have decease or fish lice, I had just solves that problem about a week ago. quarantine guppies for parasite and fish lice, wish you good luck. hope your LFS guppies not like what I have here.