# Jump starting new aquarium?



## Sondrus (9 Sep 2019)

Hello,

A colleague is setting up an aquarium for his daughter for her birthday. They're new to fish keeping and they are gonna put in some fish right away. I wanna help them by giving some soil or filter media from my mature aquarium to hopefully help the bacteria going.

However they live far away, and sending the package takes 3-4 days. My first thought is that the bacteria will die off by then. Will this have any effect at all, of could i add something to feed the bacteria - fish food etc?

Does anybody have other ideas?

Thanks!


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## Edvet (9 Sep 2019)

Sondrus said:


> They're new to fish keeping and they are gonna put in some fish right away.


Please tell them not to.
Rinsing of some healthy plantroots from the garden will add all the bacteria you need.
Having them add a lot of cheap plants ( pond oxygenating plants will do) and make sure everything is growing healthy before adding any livestock.


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## Sondrus (9 Sep 2019)

Thank you for good advice! I agree that it's a bad idea.. I'll donate some plants and advice him to wait again. Seems like its a common thing to rush it when people first decide to start an aquarium (understandably  )


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## dw1305 (9 Sep 2019)

Hi all, 





Edvet said:


> Please tell them not to.


Best bet, have a look at <"Nitrogen cycle discussion"> and linked threads. 





Sondrus said:


> I'll donate some plants and advice him to wait again.


Do you have any moss you could donate? It would be my first choice. 





Sondrus said:


> My first thought is that the bacteria will die off by then


You should be all right, put the damp sponge (or ceramic media etc) in a take away type container. You don't want any obvious water, just what is retained by the sponge etc., and you definitely don't need to add an ammonia source.

As long as the sponge remains damp, and the container remains oxygenated, you should be fine. Because we now know that nitrification is carried out by a <"wide range of micro-organisms, with a wide range of ecological tolerances">, it is likely that an inoculum of nitrifying organisms will survive.

Have a look at <"Bacteria/Biological starters"> as well.

cheers Darrel


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## Harry H (10 Sep 2019)

I would recommend full cycling as well, but have used Prodibio Startup before with a success.


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## zozo (10 Sep 2019)

Sondrus said:


> Thank you for good advice! I agree that it's a bad idea.. I'll donate some plants and advice him to wait again. Seems like its a common thing to rush it when people first decide to start an aquarium (understandably  )



I think we just have to get used to it, that some maybe most people think different or not at all about it. I have a best friend as example. His daughter already has aquarium for 10 years and she keeps asking the very same questions over again. And her dad aint very different and he is actualy most impatient of both. Last time i did set up a tank for her i adviced to wait. And daddy was the first one asking every week if it's finaly time to buy fish. He lives under the impression an aqaurium aint an aqaurium without fish in it. I believe i told them already 10 times about the importance and pro's of doing water changes. The still don't do it.

They go on a holiday and charter grandma to take care of the pets.. When they come home the dogs gained 3 kilo's in weight and always a number of fish don't survive it, killed by overfeeding. They take it for granted and simply buy new ones. After 10 years it's still not clear for me if i should cry or laugh about it.  Can't blaim the kid, as a product of education or simple genetics, i dunno.. That i'm not seen as a valid educative source is clear to me by know. But wonder why they still ask my advice and only listen when i say what the want to hear.

Animal love can be viewed form different corners.. Somewhere in between loving the animal and loving to have it in possesion.


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## Edvet (10 Sep 2019)

zozo said:


> only listen when i say what the want to hear.


Even i have that problem.........


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## Sondrus (11 Sep 2019)

So much interesting information there! Thank you Darrel Love having some threads to read through in the evening.

I ended up sending a big sponge from my filter and some plants. Also told him to buy more plants and only a few fish to begin with. He did not want to give his daughter a tank with no fish. I do hope they succeed!



zozo said:


> Can't blaim the kid, as a product of education or simple genetics, i dunno.


He-he! Not the best influence I guess. The kids really need proper guidance.


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## dw1305 (11 Sep 2019)

Hi all, 





Sondrus said:


> So much interesting information there! Thank you Darrel


You are welcome. There is plenty of information out there, it is just a case of finding the <"good stuff">. 





Sondrus said:


> I ended up sending a big sponge from my filter and some plants. Also told him to buy more plants and only a few fish to begin with.


You've done all you can. Hopefully it should be all right.

cheers Darrel


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