Ok How Do I Do This?

[Lizzie71]

I have a small tank up and running, and fully cycled I had some problems for a while but all is fine now except one slightly ill platy, but that is being treated and hopefully improving.

I now have a 2 foot tank ready to be set up (given by a friend ). I am intending to leave the small tank running for my son to look after, and set up the new tank with the fish *I* want B) As the first tank is cycled, I was hoping to use some of the filter media from that tank to start the new one.

This is roughly how I think it should be done, but I would be grateful for any corrections if I'm wrong.

1. Wash gravel for new tank, put in tank and fill with water.
2. Put in the plants I want, plus ornaments etc.
3. Get heater up and running.
4. Leave it all up and running for a week to make sure everything is working fine.
5. Purchase a few fish for the new tank, something relatively hardy
6. As soon as I get home, put about half the filter media from the old tank in the filter for the new tank. Replace the missing bit in the old filter with some new sponge. Switch on the new filter, then acclimatise the new fish and introduce them to the tank as normal.
7. Do frequent tests to check all is OK, on both tanks.
8. If all is fine after a couple of weeks, add a few more fish.
9. Repeat until fully stocked

Does this sound right to you?

 

[5teady_2012]

I have a small tank up and running, and fully cycled I had some problems for a while but all is fine now except one slightly ill platy, but that is being treated and hopefully improving.

I now have a 2 foot tank ready to be set up (given by a friend ). I am intending to leave the small tank running for my son to look after, and set up the new tank with the fish *I* want B) As the first tank is cycled, I was hoping to use some of the filter media from that tank to start the new one.

This is roughly how I think it should be done, but I would be grateful for any corrections if I'm wrong.

1. Wash gravel for new tank, put in tank and fill with water.
2. Put in the plants I want, plus ornaments etc.
3. Get heater up and running.
4. Leave it all up and running for a week to make sure everything is working fine.
5. Purchase a few fish for the new tank, something relatively hardy
6. As soon as I get home, put about half the filter media from the old tank in the filter for the new tank. Replace the missing bit in the old filter with some new sponge. Switch on the new filter, then acclimatise the new fish and introduce them to the tank as normal.
7. Do frequent tests to check all is OK, on both tanks.
8. If all is fine after a couple of weeks, add a few more fish.
9. Repeat until fully stocked

Does this sound right to you?

1. Wash gravel for new tank, put in tank and fill the tank only half with water.

2. Put in the plants I want, plus ornaments etc. (then top up the water to full

3. Get heater up and running. (this does not actually have to be on while the water is cycling)

4. Leave it all up and running for a week to make sure everything is working fine. (After) turn heater on and get up to temperature ready for fish.[/color]

5. Purchase a few fish for the new tank, something relatively hardy (only add a few at a time, to many will be to much for the filter to cope with at once)

6. add some stress zyme, the fish will appreciate this and it wil help to boost the filter.

7. Do frequent tests to check all is OK, on both tanks. (every week)

8. If all is fine after a couple of weeks, add a few more fish. (add fish every 4-7 days after each other)

9. Repeat until fully stocked

This is the way i have always done things and been fine.

When adding new fish, place the bag in your tank for 20 minutes so the water in the bag becomes the same temperature has your tank, also i never add the water that came from the fish store (personal prefrence) (so use a net if you dont want to as well) to put it in to the tank.

 

[Lizzie71]

So you don't suggest using the mature filter media at all?

 

[backtotropical]

Sounds like you've been doing your homework?

The only point i would raise is that you should maybe avoid taking 1/2 the mature media. 1/3 is a better amount in my opinion. 1/2 should be ok, but with 1/3 there is just less chance of running into problems.

Also, what fish are in the small tank at the moment? Be aware that if you have say, 10 guppies for instance, If you take 1/2 the media to a new tank, you could only add 5 guppies or equivalent to the new tank. If you add 10 guppies to the new tank, the bacteria will not cope. If you took 1/3 of the media, you could only introduce 3 guppies etc etc, you get the idea.

Make sure you test both tanks, primarily for ammonia, for around a week afterwards to ensure there are no problems in either tank.

Good luck and if you have any questions, just ask!

Cheers

BTT

EDIT to say i've just read the post of 5teady who posted before me. I would not follow this advice (No offence 5teady but the water doesn't cycle without the addition of ammonia or fish to produce ammonia. You should read up on cycling). Your original method is 10x better, Lizzie.

 

[Lizzie71]

Thanks for that - you should see from my signature what's in the small tank. I want to keep small schooling fish in the new tank, so I intend to start with hardy tetras (not neons!) or small barbs eg cherry barbs. Any recommendations?

 

[5teady_2012]

Yeah i do recomend the filter media but not half, the post after mine recomended 1/3, this is better than half...

 

[Matty P]

Is that Aquastart 320 a good tank, I was thinking of maybe getting one to keep a dwarf puffer in or do some breeding. From what I have heard it is an undergravel filter that comes standard, is that any good?

 

[Lizzie71]

I didn't get an undergravel filter, I got a Fluval 1 with mine. I like the tank, it seems fine to me.

 

[5teady_2012]

Sounds like you've been doing your homework?

The only point i would raise is that you should maybe avoid taking 1/2 the mature media. 1/3 is a better amount in my opinion. 1/2 should be ok, but with 1/3 there is just less chance of running into problems.

Also, what fish are in the small tank at the moment? Be aware that if you have say, 10 guppies for instance, If you take 1/2 the media to a new tank, you could only add 5 guppies or equivalent to the new tank. If you add 10 guppies to the new tank, the bacteria will not cope. If you took 1/3 of the media, you could only introduce 3 guppies etc etc, you get the idea.

Make sure you test both tanks, primarily for ammonia, for around a week afterwards to ensure there are no problems in either tank.

Good luck and if you have any questions, just ask!

Cheers

BTT

EDIT to say i've just read the post of 5teady who posted before me. I would not follow this advice (No offence 5teady but the water doesn't cycle without the addition of ammonia or fish to produce ammonia. You should read up on cycling). Your original method is 10x better, Lizzie.

So everything i written is wrong?
or just the bit about testing the water before adding fish?

If all i been doing wrong is testing the water before i add fish, (whether the readings are correct or wrong or irrelivant) then its not exactly a bad thing is it

10x better? not doing bad then to say my -10 chance has only had 3 deaths in 21 months

 

[Matty P]

I didn't get an undergravel filter, I got a Fluval 1 with mine. I like the tank, it seems fine to me.

OK, thanks

Sounds like you've been doing your homework?

The only point i would raise is that you should maybe avoid taking 1/2 the mature media. 1/3 is a better amount in my opinion. 1/2 should be ok, but with 1/3 there is just less chance of running into problems.

Also, what fish are in the small tank at the moment? Be aware that if you have say, 10 guppies for instance, If you take 1/2 the media to a new tank, you could only add 5 guppies or equivalent to the new tank. If you add 10 guppies to the new tank, the bacteria will not cope. If you took 1/3 of the media, you could only introduce 3 guppies etc etc, you get the idea.

Make sure you test both tanks, primarily for ammonia, for around a week afterwards to ensure there are no problems in either tank.

Good luck and if you have any questions, just ask!

Cheers

BTT

EDIT to say i've just read the post of 5teady who posted before me. I would not follow this advice (No offence 5teady but the water doesn't cycle without the addition of ammonia or fish to produce ammonia. You should read up on cycling). Your original method is 10x better, Lizzie.

So everything i written is wrong?
or just the bit about testing the water before adding fish?

If all i been doing wrong is testing the water before i add fish, (whether the readings are correct or wrong or irrelivant) then its not exactly a bad thing is it

If you just left the tank with no source of ammonia the filter bacteria would die, so effectively you would be back to the start.

 

[backtotropical]

Thanks for that - you should see from my signature what's in the small tank. I want to keep small schooling fish in the new tank, so I intend to start with hardy tetras (not neons!) or small barbs eg cherry barbs. Any recommendations?

To be honest, most fish will be ok. You are correct to avoid neons as they prefer an established tank as they are quite sensitive. I have a shoal of Puntius Rhomboocellata (Pentazona Barbs or Round-Banded Barbs) which are very nice.

or maybe Hemigrammus Rhodostomus (Rummy-Nose Tetras)?

 

[backtotropical]

10x better? not doing bad then to say my -10 chance has only had 3 deaths in 21 months

If you have only had 3 deaths i'm really pleased for you. I merely said that Lizzie's method is better than the one you suggested. I also suggested that you should research what 'cycling' actually is because your post indicates that you don't fully understand it.

 

[5teady_2012]

I didn't get an undergravel filter, I got a Fluval 1 with mine. I like the tank, it seems fine to me.

OK, thanks

Sounds like you've been doing your homework?

The only point i would raise is that you should maybe avoid taking 1/2 the mature media. 1/3 is a better amount in my opinion. 1/2 should be ok, but with 1/3 there is just less chance of running into problems.

Also, what fish are in the small tank at the moment? Be aware that if you have say, 10 guppies for instance, If you take 1/2 the media to a new tank, you could only add 5 guppies or equivalent to the new tank. If you add 10 guppies to the new tank, the bacteria will not cope. If you took 1/3 of the media, you could only introduce 3 guppies etc etc, you get the idea.

Make sure you test both tanks, primarily for ammonia, for around a week afterwards to ensure there are no problems in either tank.

Good luck and if you have any questions, just ask!

Cheers

BTT

EDIT to say i've just read the post of 5teady who posted before me. I would not follow this advice (No offence 5teady but the water doesn't cycle without the addition of ammonia or fish to produce ammonia. You should read up on cycling). Your original method is 10x better, Lizzie.

So everything i written is wrong?
or just the bit about testing the water before adding fish?

If all i been doing wrong is testing the water before i add fish, (whether the readings are correct or wrong or irrelivant) then its not exactly a bad thing is it

If you just left the tank with no source of ammonia the filter bacteria would die, so effectively you would be back to the start.

I always leave the tank 1-2 weeks before i add any fish, thats all im saying, i then test my water weekly after this. ive corrected what i put in my original post, as yes it was incorrect (sorry lizzie), but the rest wasnt was it?

You made out that everything was wrong.

 

[Lizzie71]

I like those rummynose tetras, think they would look great! I'm thinking of a planted tank with small schooling fish like tetras, plus some corys. It's going to be near my armchair so I want something relaxing to watch in the evenings The children seem to be into livebearers (as the smaller tank shows) so I want to do something a bit different.

 

[5teady_2012]

Lizzie, this may help you....

STEP 1: Realize the responsibility involved.
Learning how to set up a fish tank is not all that difficult, but there are some steps you should follow. First, you must realize a few things about an aquarium setup. A tropical fish tank is just like having a dog or a cat when it comes to the amount of effort on your part. In order to have a successful freshwater tropical fish tank you will have to work at it. Once a week, or at most once every two weeks, you will need to perform some kind of maintenance on the tank. Most of the time you will be performing water changes. You will also have to feed your fish at least once a day. Setting up and running a fish tank does cost money. There are recurring expenses such as replacing filter media, buying food, etc. Check out the Freshwater vs. Saltwater Aquarium page to get an idea of the setup costs involved. If you are up to the challenge, please proceed!

STEP 2: Decide on an aquarium size.
It's a good idea to have in mind what kind of fish you want to keep before you purchase an aquarium. Some fish only grow to be an inch or two, whereas other types of tropical fish can grow 12 or 13 inches or more in length! Knowing what kind of fish you want will help you decide the size of the tank they will need. If this is your first time with an aquarium, it may be a good idea to start with a 10 or 20 gallon aquarium setup for now and stock it with some smaller and hardier species.

STEP 3: Decide on the aquarium's location.
Place your aquarium in an area where the light and temperature of the tank won't be affected by external sources such as windows and heater vents. Sunlight that enters the room through an unshaded window could affect the temperature of your tank. This could also lead to green algae problems for your tank down the road. You will want to place your aquarium on a stand that will be able to hold its total weight. You also want to be sure that the floor is able to support the total weight of the aquarium and stand. A good rule of thumb for determining the total weight of a full aquarium is 10 pounds per gallon of water. For example, a 55-gallon tank will weigh approximately 550 pounds when filled with water!

STEP 4: Buy your aquarium and equipment.
Now is a good time to decide on the type of aquarium filter you will want to use. You will also need to purchase a heater capable of heating the tank size you have. Buy the gravel, plants, a power strip and other decorations. A good rule of thumb for the amount of gravel that you will need is 1 to 1.5 pounds of gravel per gallon of water.

STEP 5: Set up your aquarium and stand.
Wash out your tank with water only! Do not use soap or detergents. Soap residue left behind will be harmful for your tropical fish. If you are going to use an under gravel filter (not recommended) now would be the time to set it up as well.

STEP 6: Wash Gravel, plants and decorations.
Be sure to wash the gravel thoroughly before adding it to your tank. An easy way to do this is to put some of the rocks in a pasta strainer and wash them out in your bath tub. Then place the clean gravel in a clean 5-gallon bucket for transport to the aquarium. After adding the gravel you can place your plants and decorations.

STEP 7: Add water to the aquarium.
To avoid messing up your gravel and plants, you can place a plate or saucer in the middle of your aquarium and direct the water flow onto the plate. Use room temperature water when filling. To remove the chlorine and chloramine, use something like Tetra AquaSafe for Aquariums. Don't completely fill up the aquarium until you are sure of the layout of your decorations. Otherwise, when you place your arm in to move stuff around water is going to spill over. Doh!

STEP 8: Set up equipment.
Install your heater but don't plug it in until the thermostat in the heater has adjusted to the water temperature. This usually takes about 15 minutes or so. Hook up your filter and any other equipment you have, then top off the aquarium water to just under the hood lip. Place your hood and tank light on the aquarium and then check your power cords to be sure that they are free of water. I would also recommend using a drip loop on all of the power cords to be extra cautious. For more information on safety, read this great article on aquarium electrical safety. Plug all of the equipment into a power strip and then "turn on" the aquarium.

STEP 9. Wait, wait, wait and then wait some more.
I know, you want to add some fish. But, in order to do this right you must wait until your aquarium has cycled before adding any fish. There are ways of speeding up this process. Check out the nitrogen cycle page to learn more about starting the nitrogen cycle and how to speed it up. If you must use fish to cycle, try to get a hardier species like the zebra danio or cherry barb. You may notice your fish tank cycle kicking in gear if you start to get some white cloudy aquarium water after a few days.

STEP 10. Add tropical fish.
Only add one or two fish at a time. Adding a couple fish at a time gives your filtration system the time needed to take on the increased biological load that the new fish introduce. When you bring the fish home let the bag float in the tank for about 15 minutes so that the fish can become acclimated to the temperature and pH of the aquarium water. After 5 minutes of floating the bag you should add some of the aquarium water to the bag so that the fish can become acclimated to the pH level in the aquarium. This will help reduce the amount of stress imposed on the fish. Stressed fish often leads to dead or diseased fish! Don't feed your fish on the first day. They probably wouldn't eat any food on the first day anyway. Let them get acquainted with their new home.

If you're interested in some good and hardy first fish, please read the Good First Tropical Fish article.

STEP 11. Get ready for regular maintenance.
Be prepared to spend some time once every week or two to clean your tank. Performing regular water changes will reduce the nitrate levels and keep your tropical fish happy and healthy.

Im crap at explaining stuff so copied you this instead.