Tank Cycling questions

Bottom posted.


"Beano" wrote in message
oups.com...
Hello,

Just have a few questions about tank cycling. About 4 weeks ago I
moved my baby oscar from a 20g to a 64g (~240L) tank. He loves it. I
put as much water from the 20g tank into the 64g tank, since it had
cycled (well it had 4 betta females in it and a male occasionally for
over a month).

At about the same time as the tank upgrade, I upgraded my filter from a
air driven sponge to an internal power filter (2400L/h). To reduce the
strain on my oscar, I also added the old filter sponge to the water, so
it sat just below the new power filter.

Since it has been 4 weeks, will it be safe to assume that the power
filter has taken up enough bacteria from the old filter? Can I take
out the old sponge, or should I just leave it? It's hidden so it's not
that ugly.

I ask these questions from your experience, since I dont' know much
about cycling and I still don't have a water test kit. Does anyone
know where I can get a cheap but accurate water test kit in Australia?
I looked on ebay, but I can't seem to get one with all the parameters
(like GH and KH - not sure what these even mean, and do they matter for
oscars?)

Sorry about the long post.

Thanks!


If you want to play it safe give it 3 more weeks. By the way - the tetra
laborette test kit comes with practically everything you need in the way of
tests and is cheap. Note though that it doesn't come with a nitrate test but
it does come with ph, ammonia, nitrite, carbonate hardness, general hardness
tests. Good luck and later!