Help Setting Up A 95 Litre Fish Tank

[Victora1984]

hi ive just got a 95 litre fish tank and would be greatfull of any advice setting it up, i already have a small tank set up but i never set that up i got given it a couple of weeks ago

 

[tom_os]

basically wash the gravel and put in the the tank, then was any ornaments that you may have and put them in

then fill it with water about 3/4 of the way but make sure you add the de-chlorinator to te tap water. then add plants if you have any.

finally fill it up to the top and add the filter and heater and turn it on

this is basically what i did and im a beginner to so you might want some one elses opnion

 

[Victora1984]

basically wash the gravel and put in the the tank, then was any ornaments that you may have and put them in

then fill it with water about 3/4 of the way but make sure you add the de-chlorinator to te tap water. then add plants if you have any.

finally fill it up to the top and add the filter and heater and turn it on

this is basically what i did and im a beginner to so you might want some one elses opnion

i thanks for your reply am stuck on the washing of stones ive spent over 2 hours washing them and the water is still brown ish

 

[tom_os]

what colour and size is the gravel it took me about 10 mins to wash mine and i have a 60l tank, the water was mostly clear after 5 mins of washing little bits in a kitchen seive

 

[OldMan47]

Welcome to the site Victoria. It is best to wash the gravel in small batches. I use a bucket and never fill it more than 1/4 full of gravel. That way I can get my hand down into the running water and run it through the gravel to stir up any dust or dirt in the gravel. Basic approach, and it works better outdoors, is to start filling the bucket with water and constantly stir the gravel in the bucket. When the bucket is full of water, stop the water and pour off whatever mud you have created down to just damp gravel. Repeat 5 or 6 times and the rinse water should be almost clear no matter how hard you stir the gravel. Put that gravel into the tank and start on the next batch. For a tank the size of yours, I will usually be done in about 30 minutes. My 4 ft long 55 gallon tank, about 200 liters, took almost an hour and that was some filthy sand that I used there.

 

[Victora1984]

its really tiny fine gravel and all differant shades of brown

thank you i will go and try that now

 

[tom_os]

it will get clean eventually

 

[Victora1984]

hey its startin to come clearer now thank god , nver thought it would take so long just to wash the bags of gravel

 

[Craster]

This thread has a lot of very useful information for starting up a tank, particularly with regard to the very important cycling of the tank.

 

[Victora1984]

Thank you just had a good read through it think ive got everything right so far, but its confusing on when it will be safe when to put my fish in, almost every site ive vistited say anything between 2 days and a week ,

 

[Truck]

dont add fish go for fishless cycling. look in the newby section theres a pin on it

 

[Victora1984]

ok thanks ill have a look now ,

 

[OldMan47]

There is a shortcut to fishless cycling right in my signature area that you can click on and it will take you there.