OK decided to start a journal of my tank from resurrection to recycled, then hopefully to restocked with
, which at the moment we (the she of we is not yet here but having input from overseas) are thinking of African cichlids, but have time to decide.
I've posted a number of questions here in the last 4 or 5 days, which has helped me start off on the right foot again, i think. Wish us luck!!
The tank is a Juwel 400, 1500x480x525mm (LxWxH), which has been sitting idle for 8 years, when I was working overseas. Anyways I'm back and so glad I didn't sell my tank as my mother was hoping. as they are now over a £1000 new !!! I think I paid about £350 ten years back, as had a deal.
Firstly the gravel and plant sub-strate has been removed and disposed of last Friday the 19th of June. Then due to the fact my mum, may, or may not have, cleaned the tank with soapy water all those years ago. So it's been given a scrub with white vinegar solution and then rinsed a good few times, on the 22nd.
The internal filter material has been discarded and replaced with new Juwel jumbo coarse and fine sponges. Also have an external Eheim Pro 2 filter that I thought the heater of, was corroded. That along with the internal pump has been soaked in white vinegar over night and come up like new.
The tank was half filled to check for leaks then emptied again. Then I've started to rinse and put sand substrate to the tank (JBL Sansibar, Orange) Initially had 40Kg but increased that to 60kg (it's getting expensive already). It's been well rinsed in batches in a bucket, which was hard work.
Then filled the tank to 100L using Tetra Aqua safe as directed. Then made a wise purchase - A new hose adapter for the multi tap in my kitchen to complete filling the tank directly, adding aqua safe periodically as required.
This is now the 23rd - pH 7.6, KH 5, GH off the scale 20+. The hardness test kit is old, so ordered new online to ensure reading is correct.
Tank is really cloudy, you can't even see thru it! Running the internal filter and will start cycle once Ammonia arrives from the postman.
I've posted a number of questions here in the last 4 or 5 days, which has helped me start off on the right foot again, i think. Wish us luck!!
The tank is a Juwel 400, 1500x480x525mm (LxWxH), which has been sitting idle for 8 years, when I was working overseas. Anyways I'm back and so glad I didn't sell my tank as my mother was hoping. as they are now over a £1000 new !!! I think I paid about £350 ten years back, as had a deal.
Firstly the gravel and plant sub-strate has been removed and disposed of last Friday the 19th of June. Then due to the fact my mum, may, or may not have, cleaned the tank with soapy water all those years ago. So it's been given a scrub with white vinegar solution and then rinsed a good few times, on the 22nd.
The internal filter material has been discarded and replaced with new Juwel jumbo coarse and fine sponges. Also have an external Eheim Pro 2 filter that I thought the heater of, was corroded. That along with the internal pump has been soaked in white vinegar over night and come up like new.
The tank was half filled to check for leaks then emptied again. Then I've started to rinse and put sand substrate to the tank (JBL Sansibar, Orange) Initially had 40Kg but increased that to 60kg (it's getting expensive already). It's been well rinsed in batches in a bucket, which was hard work.
Then filled the tank to 100L using Tetra Aqua safe as directed. Then made a wise purchase - A new hose adapter for the multi tap in my kitchen to complete filling the tank directly, adding aqua safe periodically as required.
This is now the 23rd - pH 7.6, KH 5, GH off the scale 20+. The hardness test kit is old, so ordered new online to ensure reading is correct.
Tank is really cloudy, you can't even see thru it! Running the internal filter and will start cycle once Ammonia arrives from the postman.
