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FishTits !/RDa1B/y1o
I've always wondered the exact question to this, mainly because I've always gone on guesses of the time you're supposed to do this but...

Approximately how long does it take to fully cycle a tank, or a filter for that instance. How long does it take the algae and good bacteria to grow inside the filters sponge and furthermore is there a way to tell when a filter has been properly cycled and is ready to use?

I ask because I'm replacing the basic 40 gallon capacity Whisper filter on my 30 gallon tank with a 50 gallon capacity AquaClear filter. I am currently cycling the AquaClear filter in a 5 gallon bare tank.
>> Anonymous
if you don't have ammonia or nitrIte then you are cycled (assuming your tank had some of either initially, or you added some organic material)

The aquaclear will never cycle well in a bare 5g tank cuase there is not any organic material to decompose and feed the bacteria.
Solution: put the acuaclear on your 30, take out one of the new filters and shove in one of the old ones from your whisper, or if you can fit 2 in the slot fo awhile thats fine two, give it a few days to colonize and you have instant cycling with no downtime
>> FishTits !/RDa1B/y1o
>>200870
Ooo, alright, awesome thanks.
>> Anonymous
keep cycling it for a few weeks, keep testing it with a water tester until there's no ammonia or nitrite. Thats what people told me.

adding fish-poop, ornaments from already cycled tanks, and fish helps it move along too.