18 Gallon

[Wonderboy]

Well, I started another tank friday night - I'm addicted. I decided to do another planted, cause I'm running out of places to put plants, hehe. Anyways, I found a tank at petsmart that is like a ten gallon, but around six inches higher. They call it their 18 gallon tank.

Later, I came home from the pet store to find my friend waiting for me (from 120 miles away) with 6 silver kuhli loaches, 3 ottos, and 4 neons all in tiny bags. He said to me, "these guys need a home... quickly." (I just thought it was ironic that I was just getting home with a new tank)

The fish had been in these little bags for about three hours, so I immediatly filled my 18 gallon tank half way with water from my 80 gallon tank and put the fish in the soonest I could.

I decided to go the flourite route, an washed it and slowly added it to the 18. Yes the 18 had water in it, but as I was adding the flourite, I was siphoning the dirty water out the window while siphoning more water into the tank from the 80 gallon tank. It worked like a charm - the water stayed cloudy for about 2 minutes (and I did a long needed 40 % water change on the 80 g).

Soooo, I will post pictures of what it looks like newly planted - I think I'll go with micro sword, corkscrew val, and an amazon sword...

Wow, okay... sorry for rambling. Pictures will be here soon.....

~ Wonderboy

 

[Luke_e]

What do you plan on doing with the fish in the long run? Keeping them?
You saved the day, how come your mate came from 120 miles away with some fish?

 

[Wonderboy]

What do you plan on doing with the fish in the long run? Keeping them?
You saved the day, how come your mate came from 120 miles away with some fish?

Not sure about the fish, I might just house them for now to keep the cycle going in the tank...

He's turning his tank to a brackish tank, and was visiting me anyways, so he figured the fish could make the trip. Well, they did. He thought those fish would be okay in my 80 gallon... with my tiger fish and bichirs - I think not! haha

 

[Luke_e]

lol, would of thought he would of asked you before he brought them over..
Good luck with the planted tank anyway! Cant wait for pics!

 

[Themuleous]

Am I right in thinking you've just added 13 fish to a complete new 18g tank? I would shove as many plants in there as possible, all fast growers, as the amonnia and nitrite are going to go through the roof and the plants will help (although I not exactly sure by how much) until the filter has matured.

Sam

 

[atmmachine816]

Is there anyway to get a mature filter media in there too, hate to see those fish die but good luck

 

[Wonderboy]

I took water directly from my 80 gallon tank that has been set up for well over a year now. I keep a fluval 2 plus submersable filter in my eighty just for extra filteration, so I just moved that over to the 18 after the water cleared up. I promise guys, I'm not a crazy fish killer! I do everything I can to help the fish out.

~ Wonderboy

 

[atmmachine816]

Ya then your tank should be cycled in a few days or less, they should be fine, I didn't think you were but taking the water doesn't really carry anything so that didn't really help, no offense, but it's heated water.

 

[Wonderboy]

Ya then your tank should be cycled in a few days or less, they should be fine, I didn't think you were but taking the water doesn't really carry anything so that didn't really help, no offense, but it's heated water.

I did transfer over a big sword plant (practically takes up 3/4 of the tank - haha) and the water from the 80 was completly free of nitrites, and after a recent water test (about 2 hours ago), nitrites/nitrates are at 0. I practically did the best I could to "steal" a chunk of aquarium out of my eighty gallon tank. So far (since Friday), everything has stayed at the exact levels that the 80 is at. To create a "ready" environment for these fish, I did what I could with what I had. It seems to have worked quite well, so, if you're still unhappy with how I attempted this, what else should I have done???

 

[Luke_e]

The water from an established tank can contain some bacteria. The majority of the bacteria is in the filter and the substrate though, but tank water can help kick start a cycle.

 

[atmmachine816]

I'm not unhappy you did what you could, and you probably saved some fishys lives, don't take what I said as critizism because thats not the way it was ment to be taken just wanted to make sure you did what you did.

 

[Wonderboy]

I'm not unhappy you did what you could, and you probably saved some fishys lives, don't take what I said as critizism because thats not the way it was ment to be taken just wanted to make sure you did what you did.

I'm just trying to think the best I can when it comes to a situation as hectic as that, sorry, I'm a little wound up from a long weekend ... Thanks for all the suggestions and concern.

~ Wonderboy