My Rio 180 Journal

[minxfishy]

So just put the old media into the new filter, then put some new media into the old filter so your still selling it complete.

The water holds no bacteria at all worth mentioning, if you add the fish to the new tank without the old media, you will need to be doing minimum of 50% w/c daily for at least a month until its cycled and be putting the fish thru a cycle, which isnt ideal.

Its not just that its only a 48g tank, an Oscar needs a 75g minimum tank, 4ft x 18" minimum, as they can reach 16" or more, thus needing turning space and a 3ft, 14" wide rio 180 is far too small, a rio 300 would be a minimum IMO, extra foot in length, extra 4.5" width. I know its hard not to have your ideal fish, but its always better to wait until you can house them properly and for life rather than making do with an unsuitable home for them.

 

[indigoj]

If you use the current filter on your old tank alongside the new filter and add all the fish, voila instant cycle, keep the old filter running for a couple of months, then you can remove it. Or just add all the current media into the new filter, again transfer all the fish over and your done.

Minx is spot on. Are you selling the current fish too? If not this plan is perfect. Otherwise swap out 50% media into the new filter and move that plec into the bigger tank (once you've got more dechlorinator) that should be enough to maintain the filter bacteria for you to then very slowly start stocking. If you do this then just do more frequent water changes on both tanks for a few weeks/until the smaller tank is sold (and advise the buyer accordingly).

For the stock you plan I definitely wouldn't recommend fish-in.

As for Oscars - you KNOW one even alone cannot go in there and if that's the fish you really want then you need to double in size as said 4x18x18/300l would be a bare minimum for 1 alone.

 

[Knox213]

i went when i heard they grow over 18 inch and i know


But i thought if you add some old tank water it still has ammonia etc?

i'll have to check the filter out to be honest i dont want to risk the whole thing flooding and im scared to take it appart since only my dad knows how to put it back together.

( realy am new to these big buffy filter things )

And i Know i'll proberly get a 65 gallon tank some time for a oscar.

 

[indigoj]

water has very very little good bacteria in it and if it has ammonia in then your tank is not cycled!

 

[Knox213]

does'nt ammonia and nitrates have to be 0?

( Will Read up on cycling later. )

 

[indigoj]

In a cycled tank ammonia should be zero as should nitrIte but to cycle a tank you need a small ammount of ammonia to feed the bacteria.

If you take water from a cycled tank it should have zero ammonia in it so will not help to cycle a new filter.

A piece of the filter media from a cycled tank added to the new filter will 'seed' the new filter, you then need a source of ammonia to feed it and therefore cycle the filter.

 

[GAB99]

awseome! good for you !

i cant set up mine till we get new glass forthe counter top and when the DIY counter finishes drying...errg

and what im doing is taking my old filter and putting it on the new tank along with the newfilter which will have old media in it and the old fish, viola as said previously instantly cycled and thus can slowloy start stockin

 

[mattlee]

Hi, i thought i told you all of this on pm...... put the old sponges/media in your new filter, it doesnt matter if they dont fit snug just throw them in the middle somewhere. then you will be able to add your current stock over as the old filter media will be cycled to the stock level. it doesnt matter what size tank it goes in it will still contain the same amount of bacteria....... i wouldnt transfer it until you have dechlored the water as this may damage the bacteria colonies.
leave the media in the new filter and wait a few weeks by then the bacteria will have seeded the new media and you can remove the media ready to sell. im in no rush for the tank so dont rush your new set up and do more damage than good, you dont want any deaths or sick fish do you?
the eheim filter just needs turning off, flow valves closing and opening up. pull the baskets out and throw the cycled sponges etc in the middle basket, put it all back together open valves press the prime button wait a couple of mins then turn back on at the mains. they are made to make life easier and this should only take 10 mins max to do

 

[AdamM]

Its 6 gallons off 55 witch is a let down..
Oh well i can wait till im older enough to buy a bigger tank

180 Litres is 47.5 US Gal, not 49

So your 7.5 Gal short

 

[Knox213]

Oh yea.

Sorry matt must of forgot

So i should take the sponges out (when the tanks heated of course)

add the sponge the add fish 5 minutes later?

 

[Knox213]

How it stands now

Where the filter is now

 

[shelaghfishface]

at this time of night i aint getting inolved in the "correct" way.. you know what its all about

its a great tank with a fab filter.. youll get there, i reckon you need to ( and ur ole man) need to take a step back and use what uve learnt here ( says here that s had so much to drink that she cant spell it ) really dont spoil it on trying to be clever.. and you can bring ur dad round and i`ll tell him too!!

i know you can do it.. now u need to keep ur calm and wait

the tank looks like bargain 9of the cenutry xxxxxsxxx

 

[Knox213]

It Realy was

£100

My moms drunk aswel!

She's on about getting for Oscars

She was dancing around and i was like

"ehh? And she goes "COME-ON LETS GET 4 OSCARS" i was like

"wait you was agas'nt getting the tank " ( And No Doubt they'd stunt if i put them in there )

So for her birthday i'll just get her a 60 gallon with an oscar to keep her happy.

 

[shelaghfishface]

im not drunk ( i edited that 3 times)
no really get away from oscars.. they are stinking fish!! they ruin anything you want to make the tank look good.. you dont want them i tell u!!
you could do waaaay better with that tank than a baby oscar , honest to god.. see my 450?i wanted my oscar in there,,, nar he can and will saty were he is he would wreck in.. it looks nice how it is..( and the fact that he would be ill if i move him- hes a drama queen)

yes i am tring to put u off oscars.. they aint the fish for u.. they are greedy dirty gets, with no prspect

 

[ian]

looking good knox!

Im getting my juwel trigon hopefully next week, so its good to read about swapping media from filters.