# Cycling... Just a thought...



## Kimchi24 (Mar 22, 2013)

I was looking over some fishless cycling articles because I am planning on moving and restarting. While reading, I though of an idea... or well, more like a random side-thought, about how to efficiently cycle a tank. If the filter holds the majority of the bacteria, why does the fishless cycle even have to take place in a tank? Why cant you save water, and put your filter on a small bucket and cycle it there? Then take that water, put it into the tank when teh cycle is done and BOOM, officially seeded. Is there an issue with this that I dont understand? I mean, if I have my 46 gallon down and I want to dry start it, BUT i would also like to cycle a tank during that time, would my method work? I dont see why not. I cant think of one reason why. Even when you cycle a normal tank, it is advised that you change 90% of the water before you add fish. That kills bacteria but not enough to destroy the colony. So, Why couldn't my method work?

Any thoughts?


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## baishui (Jan 7, 2014)

I believe I read some where and it says the cycling doesn't have to be happening in a tank, it could be in a bucket.


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## Kimchi24 (Mar 22, 2013)

baishui said:


> I believe I read some where and it says the cycling doesn't have to be happening in a tank, it could be in a bucket.


I feel its inefficient to have (lets say a 75 gallon) and fill it up just so you can do a 90% water change when it is done. Seems like a waste of water.


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## mistersprinkles (Nov 4, 2013)

Kimchi24 said:


> I feel its inefficient to have (lets say a 75 gallon) and fill it up just so you can do a 90% water change when it is done. Seems like a waste of water.


Cycle the whole tank. Having biofilm on everything in the tank helps with biological exclusion, keeping other critters which may not be so friendly from getting a foothold. Plus it's a good 10-15% more biofiltration capacity on a much larger surface area.

I don't think you're understanding the role water plays here. Doing an 80% water change is a waste of water? Water doesn't cycle. Surfaces in your aquarium do. There is almost no bacteria in water.

Don't feel like water changes are a waste of water they are the most important thing in FW fish keeping.


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## pyrrolin (Jan 11, 2012)

If you are cycling for a tank you have on hand, do it in the tank. If you just need to have filter media ready, can do it in a bucket.


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