Setting up a new tank

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Rsd1982
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Hello all!

I have 2 tanks currently but my daughter who is 5, wants her own "fidges" 😂.

I'd like to get her a small tank - 40-60L.

The question is this - I regularly remove and dispose of more than 60l from my other 2 tanks when I'm doing their water changes. The fish are all healthy and both tanks are 0/0/10(ish) when tested with the API kit.

Could I use this water to fill my daughter's new tank? Will it still need cycled? I know the filter will need to grow bacteria in its own media, but will it take long?

Just a thought. I'm happy to start fresh again if that's the best idea.

Thanks in advance.

Richard.
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Andys temperate tank
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Hello mate. You can use the old water but if it was me I'd use tap.

Could you not use a bit of mature media from one of your other tanks?
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Stephen
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Hi again

The old tank water has very little value in a new tank set up.
You need beneficial bacteria to deal with the ammonia and nitrite (both are toxic to fish and shrimp).
As Andy states you could use some mature media from your other tanks.
Alternately you could use something like Seachem Stability to kick start the cycle but I would only stock fish gradually.
Only add (say) 6 small fish to start then as the filter starts to mature in a few weeks time add another 6 small fish and so on.

All the best
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Rsd1982
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Thanks for the answers, fresh water it will be!

I think I'm going to kick start her tank by moving the in-tank filter from my sons tank into the new one as I want to upgrade his filter to a HOB filter. (Allponds do a great one with UV for £35). I'll leave it in there along with the tanks own filter for a few weeks to help start the cycle. I might then remove the media and add poly-fil and just use it as a polishing filter.
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plankton
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If he has fish then you can't just move the filter as there won't be any "munchers" to deal with the ammonia and nitrite, you could take a small piece of media and put it in the filter for the new tank. ;)
If you replace it with an HOB then you'll have to use the current media (sponges/ceramics) anyway. :)
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