Good way to cycle??

[slp2772]

Well If any of you read my previous thread about the snails and how I nuked my tank trying to get rid of them . I completely stripped it down and started over. I took the two goldfish that were in my 20 gallon and put them in the old new tank. There about three and a half inches long and I figured if anyone could get a cycle going they could. I only added half the water to the tank 15 gallons of 30, would that help speed the cycle up?. Im monitoring the levels daily if it gets to toxic Ill put them back in the 20 with the other fish. If I got a bio load going that can handle the goldfish waste will the tank cycle again when I add my other fish back into it ( 3-black mollys 1-baby black molly, 4-black skirt tetras, 3-Sunburst Wag Platies had four lost one in filter hose today the guard came off when the goldfish were in the tank. They pobubly tried to eat it and knocked it off). Also I added very few ornaments and just a little gravel enough to cover bottom and did not put the gravel filter back in yet just the bio wheel. When I start putting that stuff back in after the tank cycles Is it going to throw off the biology of tank?. Sorry so many questions I dont like loseing fish to human error thats the main reason I got two tanks just in case. Didnt expect the goldfish to get that big though

[trashion]

2 goldies in a 20? That's very overstocked. ONE fancy goldfish needs 29 gallons, 1 common needs a pond, not a tank. You shouldn't be surprised, 3.5 inches is a goldfish that is young and still growing. Research before you buy!

Anyway, to speed up cycling, you can take some filter media out of your other tank and put it in the cycling one. Unless you have a whisper filter with just one filter pad, then you're SOL on that option. Alternatively, you could buy some BioSpira and squeeze some of that in. This product is supposed to instantly cycle your tank.

You don't really need an undergravel filter.

[Obsidian]

Even if you have a whisper filter it can be done. Just cut a piece of the filter floss part out of the old one and make sure you deal with any loose charcoal that may cause. You can always put the loose charcoal into a stocking. A little messy to complete, but it will cycle the other tank faster.