Can I filter this monstrosity?

[Polardbear]

I've been offered a free tank by my BF's brother. He apparently left it at his ex girlfriends house when they split up about 10 years ago and it's been in her living room ever since as she has no way to move it. I just have to go pick it up.

It's a 90 gallon glass corner setup (3 sided) with stand and hood/lighting. I don't know the exact dimensions as I haven't seen it yet. I'm going under the assumption that any existing filtration equipment is probably either non-functional, lost or so outdated that it won't be worth bothering with. I may be pleasantly surprised but I'm not counting on it. The tank is at least 14 years old, possibly older. I'm trying to be pessimistic and figuring that in addition to needing cleaning up it will probably need to be resealed. However I also figure that since it's free, if the glass is in good shape it might be worth putting a lot of effort into. I don't have anything better to do with my time!

What I don't have at the moment is any money to spend on new filtration equipment so I'm trying to figure out if I can swap around some of the equipment I already have on hand and come up with adequate filtration for it. (Because of course it's going to drive me crazy if it has to sit here empty!)

Currently my main tank is a 55 gallon with a Penquin 330 Bio Wheel filter (hob 330 gph), a Top Fin 60 filter (hob 300 gph) and a UGF connected to a Penquin 1140 Power Head (300 gph). Current occupants are about a dozen swordtails and 2 Cory Cats. I think I could pull one of the hob filters from this tank without a problem. I want to keep this tank up and running as well as the 90 gallon.

I also have a Whisper 20-40 filter (hob 200 gph), a AquaTech 110 filter (hob 110 gph), 2 Aquatech Minis (hob 100 gph each) and an AquaTech Power Head (170 ghp).

So with the existing filters I have available can I keep my 55 gallon tank running and get the 90 gallon tank up and running as well? Any suggestions for rearranging the filters?

Stocking for the 90 gallon could be kept light initially until I can better filtration for it. It would house swordtails and cories. As my babies grow up they could populate it.

Heating is not an issue, I've got several heaters that range from 50 watts to 200 watts and rarely have a need for them as my house temperature is a pretty constant 76-78 degrees in winter and 80-82 degrees in summer.

 

[Polardbear]

Anybody? C'mon, all opinions welcome!

 

[Discomafia]

Firstly, congrats on the great offer. Be sure to take it up!

What I would do is try to sell the 20-40 filter, AquaTech 110 filter, 2 Aquatech Minis and the AquaTech Power Head because there's no way you're going to fit all that under your hood.

Try to get as much $ as possible from these and invest in a good canister filter. Or go with the existing Top Fin 60 filter and UGF in your 55 gallon, and use the Penquin 330 in combination with another HOB filter similarly rated.

I don't think the occupants of your new tank would produce a lot of waste, so I think you can go with that idea.

HTH.

 

[OohFeeshy]

Wow, you've got a heck of a lot of filters! I'd sell some, as Discomafia said, and I'd let it do a fishless cycle for as long as possible before adding fish. If you want to add fish to cycle with, I'd mebbe start with a fishless just to make sure the tank won't leak, then add some cheapy platys.

 

[J-Money]

sorry, this is off the subject...but i just laughed when I saw you were from chandler...A polar bear in az lol

 

[Polardbear]

Actually the smaller filters come in real handy and I'd just as soon keep them. I can use them on quarentine tanks and fry tanks. Right now I've got 2 quarentine tanks going, a fry tank, 2 hospital tanks and a grow out tank with juvenile swordies up and running. Normally they aren't all in use at any one time but it's nice to be able to throw one on a tank when needed.

I was planning on doing either a fishless cycle or using one of the filters from the 55 gallon as well as some of it's gravel to start up the 90 gallon.

I've never had a canister filter in any of my setups so I don't know anything about them. How large of one would I need for a 90 gallon tank?

 

[scottminot]

Get a Rena XP3. Can't go wrong with one of those. I have one on my 125 gallon along with two Emperor 400's.
You can really load the XP3's with a lot of media and they are very easy to prime. They even come with a valve to control flow if you want to slow it down.

 

[Discomafia]

Actually the smaller filters come in real handy and I'd just as soon keep them.  I can use them on quarentine tanks and fry tanks.  Right now I've got 2 quarentine tanks going, a fry tank, 2 hospital tanks and a grow out tank with juvenile swordies up and running.  Normally they aren't all in use at any one time but it's nice to be able to throw one on a tank when needed. 

I was planning on doing either a fishless cycle or using one of the filters from the 55 gallon as well as some of it's gravel to start up the 90 gallon.

I've never had a canister filter in any of my setups so I don't know anything about them.  How large of one would I need for a 90 gallon tank?

Why do a fishless cycle when you have your 55 gallon and all the substrate in it? Just use either the Penguin or Top Fin in your 90, and get another HOB filter later. When you get your new tank, all you have to do is get the filter you want to discard in your 55, get some stockings and fill it with gravel, and keep it in your tank for a few days to let the bacteria colony multiply. That in conjunction with using your already cycled filter will make for little or no ammonia/nitrite spikes.

edit - all this is if you don't plan on going for the canister... They're more pricy too, so just think if your fish need that extra filtration or not. IMO, you don't have that many big fish or fish that produce a lot of waste, so another HOB filter would do the job just as good.

 

[Polardbear]

The main reason I'm considering doing a fishless cycle is because of problems I've been having with internal bacterial infections in the 55 gal tank. It will depend on how things are going with that tank over the next couple of weeks whether I move any media and the filter over to the 90 gal. It would certainly be faster to start up that way but I might be better off with a fresh clean start.

I started reading up on canister filters and they do look interesting. I think that will be my long term goal for the tank. I like over kill for filtration and the swordies like a lot of current to play in.

 

[Polardbear]

Today's the big day - I get to go pick up the tank! Every time we talk to the BF's brother this tank grows in size (he has a tendency to exagerate), last conversation with him the tank was up to 120 gallons. I can't wait to see what size it really is. The ex-girlfriend also said she has some other aquarium stuff that she'll give me so this could be a fun day.