I am planning to upgrade to a 30gal within a year, as soon as I get enough $ put aside for 3 fancy goldfish, however I do not want to cycle the new tank with my fancy goldfish. Don't want to subject them to the cycleing process, am afraid to hurt them. I have read that you can use zebra danios to cycle. any suggestions?
Also after the new one has stabilized, can I just put the goldfish in there? or do I need to mix the water for them? as if I am floating them for the first time?
sorry with so many ?'s but am beginning to do some planning now, on how I want to decorate the tank and stuff. I am looking for a possable tank kit. I think you can find a pretty good deal with those, not sure, anyone have any information on that as well?
thanks in advance

First - I am going to move this over to Tanks........so it will get more attention.

Secondly, may I suggest a fishless cycle???? I swear by it - it is the best way of cycling a tank for it puts no fish in harm's way, nor does it require any water changes or work on your part.

Here is a link to some instructions.

http://www.kokosgoldfish.com/FishlessCycle.html

If you have questions.....just ask!!!! We are here to help.

May I also make the suggestion that you purchase your filter (or one of the filters) that you intend on using on the 30 gallon tank, FIRST. Hang this filter over the side of your present tank, and set it going. It will colonize very nicely with beneficial bacteria for you, so when you are ready to set up the 30 gallon tank and get it going, you can transfer the filter over to it and your cycle will develop within DAYS for you. It is a great thing.

what a great idea! now for another question, have two filters running? on my current tank? is that right? I have the aqua clear and love it! my store is running a special on these filters right now
thanks for your help & advice

its me again, to let you know that I would continue to run my existing tank with fish in there, make sense? hope this makes better sense

Certainly - run both filters. They will nnot hurt the fish or the tank or the cycle to do so. If you are concerned about currents, simply make sure there is a "break" made somewhere in the tank that diverts the current - a plant or decoration of some nature that produces a pocket that the goldies can veg in, and all is good.

I keep a backup filter running on one of my tanks just incase I need one. It is there all the time.

If you set up the new filter and let it run, it will be colonated by the beneficial bacteria. When you then remove it, your "old" tank will still be as cycled as it ever was - but you will have grown a colony of the good bacteria on the media of the new filter. This colony will transfer over to the new tank - If you place one fish in the new tank and monitor the water parameters you will see that the filter will most likely suppport that fish's waste. AFter a few days, you can add another fish and "grow" the cycle again. You can also move the filter over to the new tank and seed the tank with pure ammonia to really pump the new cycle up to get it ready for multiple fish.

Try to let it run at least 2 weeks on the old tank - the longer the better.

As with any new cycle - there may be a few bumps and such right at the beginning, but these should be very short. No need for a long cycling time, stuggling with less than quality parameters!

thank you Daryl, this sounds great! I did copy the fishless cycle from this forum and do plan to use that instead of fish, they are doing so well now that I don't want to desturb them, I will add the other filter on as well, am going to have two tanks running, never thought fish keeping would be so fun!
thanks again