# Advise for cleaning a 55 gallon aquarium I am rescuing



## AnnieH (Apr 24, 2014)

I hope someone will be able to help me rather quickly. I'm hoping to rescue a 55 gallon aquarium today with five fish in it. I have no experience with aquariums but have always wanted one and am willing to put in the time to learn.

I have read how to move it. My problem is that the tank has not been taken care of as the original owner was elderly and his daughter left it at the house. The house is sold and I am getting it from the estate sale the ends tomorrow.

The tank is very dirty. My avatar is a photo of it, but it's difficult to see.

Should I rinse the gravel and the decorations in it? They're covered with funky stuff. Is there a special kind of solution to use to clean those and the inside of the tank itself? I will be completely emptying the tank for the move and would like to get it clean and the water at the right ph.

Any advise will be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance!


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## keepsmiling (May 19, 2013)

Hello, I would put the fish in a sterilite or rubbermaid container with an airstone and fresh dechlorinated water. I recommend a large bottle of Seachem Prime{you will need it, try to find the 2 litre}
I would wash the tank out with white vinegar or a light bleach solution. Your choice to keep or replace the substrate. I personally would replace it. I would also suggest you ditch it before the move. Lifting the tank with a wet bottom full of heavy gravel can easily pop the bottom. Good luck with your rescue.


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## keepsmiling (May 19, 2013)

You should also have on hand some good test kits to restart your cycle. API makes good kits. You will need PH, Ammonia, Nitrite, and Nitrate.
I would change the water with the fish daily. Feed very lightly while they are in there.


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## Sylverclaws (Jul 16, 2012)

If it has fish in it, and you're keeping it, then no you don't want to take out the gravel and wash it. You will need a gravel vacuum though. 

I personally wouldn't suggest popping them in a container unless you know how to keep it right, and even then, because they will already be stressed and you don't want them worse. Especially since what you need done will also make things...well, my fish like water changes, they always pick on me when I do them and get all curious. lol Many get stressed out though. That and they're likely in dirty conditions, and the going directly from dirty to clean water can actually kill them. 

Be sure you tell them to keep the filter media in a bag of TANK water for you so it doesn't kill off the beneficial bacteria and send your tank into a cycle. 

As for the outside of the tank, I like to use either normal water and a washcloth, or if really bad I use a vinegar and salt mix with hot water, helps get off some of the tough stuff, just don't get it in the tank and be careful with the wood, just use water or wood cleaner for it(if fumey cover the tank until the place is aired out) and be sure you dry it well.

As for cleaning inside...don't do it too fast! I mean, if they drain it a lot for the move, which they will probably have to, you wont get much say there...(see if you can take a turkey baster and put it in the gravel and suck out gunk in at least half the tank, leave the other half for another time, you don't want to shock the fish anymore than they will be from the move and already likely large water change, going from dirty to clean when it hasn't been cared for can hurt them. The turkey baster will allow you to get right to the grit, but you will have to knock gravel out here and there lol).

Make sure you get yourself the water conditioners you need, and a testing kit, you will NEED a testing kit(preferably a liquid test kit as strips are rarely accurate) to make sure you don't have ammonia and nitrites spikes. Which will likely be there...if the tank somehow comes with most of the water, do a 30% change right off, use prime to help detoxify any toxins and condition your water, do it again tomorrow, and if your test kit shows ammonia or nitrItes after that, you can go with bigger water changes(40% or so). You may need to go with bigger changes and risk it if you have more than 30ppm of ammonia in the tank....

Lost my train of thought when someone broke a dish....hope I didn't forget anything important. lol Good luck with your new tank, just take it slow, make sure you keep up on research, and research the fish you're getting with the tank to be sure you have all their needs.


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## keepsmiling (May 19, 2013)

I wouldn't worry about keeping the bacteria. Just restart and re-cycle.


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## AnnieH (Apr 24, 2014)

Thank you both for the help. I will be moving it myself, so I plan to put the fish in water from the tank while I work on the cleaning the aquarium.

The gravel is pretty nasty and replacing it sounds good if it will not kill the fish. Should I keep some of it and add it to the new so it keeps some of the good bacteria?

How do I determine if it is a fresh or saltwater tank? I know this sounds very stupid, but I am truly a beginner. I think it may e saltwater because there is a white residue on the top panels that come off on the outside. I am thinking this is called salt creep.


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## Romad (Jun 28, 2009)

Could also be calcium and scale buildup from freshwater since the tank wasn't really maintained very well. 

I wish we could tell from your picture  If you do purchase the tank, bring some 5 gallon buckets and get some of that Prime water conditioner too. 

And since it's going to take a long time to clean that sucker, the bucket with an airstone is a pretty good idea. 
There might even be an airstone in the tank?? 

Hopefully you can get pics of the tank equipment and fish to post here soon.

Crossing fingers for you.


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## keepsmiling (May 19, 2013)

AnnieH said:


> How do I determine if it is a fresh or saltwater tank?


Stick your finger in it and taste it.:lol: Seriously if it is saltwater you are in for a much more difficult learning curve. Can you get pics of the fish? If the substrate is that dirty, it's not worth trying to save any bacteria. The filter is probably just as filthy. Get clear pics of everything and we can guide you. Drop some Prime in the water with the fish. This will neutralize any ammonia, or high nitrates. The tank is going to recycle with all this upset anyway, so you might as well start off with a clean system.


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## AnnieH (Apr 24, 2014)

You guys are so awesome. I just messaged the sale to make sure it hasn't sold. Chances are unlikely since I work for them and none of the people who came to buy there yesterday even seemed to notice it. Not a big market here for fish tanks since it is a big military base and everyone moves around quite a bit.

If it is still there, I'll go get some photos for you to take a look at. I will also stop at the store and get the supplies (air stone) that I will need. There is a huge basket of stuff there I found and put it with the tank. I just don't know what the products are or what they do yet  I don;t think there is an airstone in there, but there are two things that have long tubes that move the air around. One on each side of the tank.

More to follow! THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I so want to save these fish


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## AnnieH (Apr 24, 2014)

keepsmiling said:


> Can you get pics of the fish? If the substrate is that dirty, it's not worth trying to save any bacteria. The filter is probably just as filthy. Get clear pics of everything and we can guide you. Drop some Prime in the water with the fish. This will neutralize any ammonia, or high nitrates. The tank is going to recycle with all this upset anyway, so you might as well start off with a clean system.


I will some good photos asap.

Should I stop at the store on my way there and buy the Prime and add it when I get there? How much should I add to the tank?

The plan is to begin moving it late this afternoon.


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## Romad (Jun 28, 2009)

I would def. stop on your way. Use the tank water that the fish are in so you don't shock them and add triple dose of Prime to the bucket. Regular dose is 1-2 drops per gallon of clean water so I'd go with at least 5 or 6 drops per gallon for that tank water.

Prime doesn't remove the harmful stuff in that water (ammonia, nitrites etc...) but it does render them harmless for small periods of time. 

We can talk about regular water change maintenance after you get them set up at home. The focus is to keep the fish alive while you clean and reset that tank up. You've got a long afternoon/evening ahead of you


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## AnnieH (Apr 24, 2014)

Okay, I will get some. I'm going to go ahead and go over there now and get some photos. Hopefully it will still be there. I think I'll buy a rubbermaid container also and fill it with water now and put the prime in it. That way, when I go back later to begin moving everything, the prime will have been in there for a while.

I'm excited about this! 

I sincerely appreciate your help!


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## Sylverclaws (Jul 16, 2012)

Romad said:


> Prime doesn't remove the harmful stuff in that water (ammonia, nitrites etc...) but it does render them harmless for small periods of time.


AH! I always mess that one up, it neutralizes them and makes it easier for you to remove with water changes, it doesn't take it out. lol I think it says it removes ammonia though, or perhaps I misread bottle. 

Prime is great stuff, I like to always have it on hand and I use it with water changes now. 

Yes, long road indeed. I, too, got a 55 gallon tank a while back...thankfully I didn't get any fish with it, but it was a huge mess(the person I got it from had about a dozen cichlids in there and said they died and killed each other for no reason, and then they left it sitting for like two years). Everything that came with it was completely trashed and barely worked if at all. The filters didn't work, I had to get new ones, the heater was ok, and the gravel was disgusting and stunk and it has so much filth stuck to the glass...eesh. o-o; If you can get someone to help you out, I suggest it. I did everything myself but moving it, since I obviously couldn't take it up the stairs myself. ^^; It's a lot of work! But it was so worth it for me, and I hope you enjoy yours just as much. :3


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## Romad (Jun 28, 2009)

AnnieH said:


> Okay, I will get some. I'm going to go ahead and go over there now and get some photos. Hopefully it will still be there. I think I'll buy a rubbermaid container also and fill it with water now and put the prime in it. That way, when I go back later to begin moving everything, the prime will have been in there for a while.
> 
> I'm excited about this!
> 
> I sincerely appreciate your help!


I would advise against using all new tap water to put those fish in for now. You could shock those fish by changing their environment so drastically.

But, a bit of clean water added to the tank water that they're in might not be a bad idea. You also don't have to wait for the conditioner to sit if that's a concern.

I'm excited to see what you have waiting for you


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## keepsmiling (May 19, 2013)

If your LFS is a mom and pop, or you know of one nearby, ask them to care for the fish while you get the tank up and reset. A big box store won't, but most reputable caring mom and pop's would do it. Good luck!


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## AnnieH (Apr 24, 2014)

You're right. I totally got off track. I know I need to keep the water they are in now for the move. I'm writing everything down step-by-step so I won't make any mistakes. Going to go get some photos, the airstone, rubbermaid container and gravel. I should be back here by 1:30 or so.

YAY!


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## Romad (Jun 28, 2009)

keepsmiling said:


> Stick your finger in it and taste it.:lol:
> 
> LOL


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## AnnieH (Apr 24, 2014)

keepsmiling said:


> If your LFS is a mom and pop, or you know of one nearby, ask them to care for the fish while you get the tank up and reset. A big box store won't, but most reputable caring mom and pop's would do it. Good luck!


I just looked and the closest aquarium store is in Nashville. That's an hour away  If they don't survive, I will feel horrible. I wish I knew someone around here who has fish and is experienced that could help care for them but I don't.

Thank you again for your helping so much,


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## Romad (Jun 28, 2009)

Sylverclaws said:


> AH! I always mess that one up, it neutralizes them and makes it easier for you to remove with water changes, it doesn't take it out. lol I think it says it removes ammonia though, or perhaps I misread bottle.


Nope - my bad. It def. removes ammonia. My head was thinking nitrites and nitrates and my fingers typed ammonia 

Thanks for pointing that out.


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## AnnieH (Apr 24, 2014)

Okay, I am leaving now. I just have one more question...

Should I get a gray/dark rubbermaid or see though?

Seriously, I am going to log off and go over there as soon as I get a reply !


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## Romad (Jun 28, 2009)

Doesn't matter in the least. Good luck!!


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## keepsmiling (May 19, 2013)

Agreed..it matters not. Maybe you could post another thread asking if anyone is near you that is a member here? Maybe they could help assess what you have, offer some advice, and even have the Prime. The box of supplies may have a suitable dechlorinator/neutralizer that you can use for now.


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## Romad (Jun 28, 2009)

keepsmiling said:


> Agreed..it matters not. Maybe you could post another thread asking if anyone is near you that is a member here? Maybe they could help assess what you have, offer some advice, and even have the Prime. The box of supplies may have a suitable dechlorinator/neutralizer that you can use for now.


I was wondering that myself (too late)...

There's always face time if they have smart phones.


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## keepsmiling (May 19, 2013)

Hurry up!:smash:


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## Romad (Jun 28, 2009)

keepsmiling said:


> Hurry up!:smash:


I know  I keep coming back for updates.


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## AnnieH (Apr 24, 2014)

Whew. It took forever. Here are some photos of the tank. I'll ask questions after I post these.


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## AnnieH (Apr 24, 2014)

here are some more photos


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## AnnieH (Apr 24, 2014)

Okay! Got the pics up and included quite a few of all the funky stuff. Do you think the gravel def needs to be replaced?

The black thing in the back I think is the filter (?) that is covered in... what I know nit but it's nasty. Can I just clean that up with maybe some light bleach and hot water?

I did stop and get some gravel in case I need to replace it. I also got Prime (they only had the 8oz bottle) some new ph test sticks and... the airstone.

Not sure if I am going to go back there tonight to tear it down or wait until tomorrow...

What should my next steps be exactly?:shock::shock::shock::yourock:


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## keepsmiling (May 19, 2013)

Ok those are freshwater fish...tetras.{one is maybe a barb} It does look pretty bad, but it can be fixed. Are these pics after you already moved it? The seashells do need to come out, and anything from the ocean. 
You can do this several ways. Since this is your first tank, it might be best to go slow. If you completely clean out the filter, you will need to wait to clean up the substrate. That will hold some of the bacteria until the filter grows a new colony. I think I would do that first. 
Normally, a filter would be kept clean by swishing around the media that is inside, in the water that you take out of the tank when you do a water change. Then replaced in the filter.
Whatever you use{light bleach is ok} you will need to use prime after rinsing it a lot.


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## Romad (Jun 28, 2009)

Ewwwwwwww!!! That intake tube is disgusting. 

Yes, the thing in the back is the filter, that is the intake tube that is completely clogged. Your filter pads will be in the main unit that is hanging on the back of the tank. I'm sure those will be completely disgusting as well. 

Did you add your airstone to the tank or was that already in there?? 

OK, here's what I would do. Fill up your container with 2/3 of the tank water and 1/3 clean water. Dose with about 15 drops of prime. Add the airstone and set it as low as it will go - you don't want fish getting blasted by air in that bucket. Try to keep the bucket temp. between 72-78 degrees F once you get home. Remove all of the ornaments in the tank and net the fish.

Unplug everything and take one of the filter cartridges out of the filter. I'm assuming that it's going to be disgusting but if possible, swish it around in the tank after you have removed the fish to see if you can remove the debris. If you can, put it in the bucket with your fish and you can use it again once you have the tank at home after you've cleaned the filter. If not, don't worry about it too much.

Toss the gravel and those shells. If those are real shells they will raise your ph too much (unless your ph out of your tap at home is really low, then they might come in handy). Test your ph out of the tap once you get home.

When you clean the tank, use some kosher salt or table salt and some paper towels to remove all of that scum. You can use a toothbrush and salt to remove the gunk off of the ornaments that you might want to keep as well. Or a mild bleach solution might have to be used if they're really disgusting.

The filter is going to be the hardest to clean. Can you get the name and size off of the filter cover when you go back? We can help you to break it down so that you can clean out the impeller area which is probably pretty gunky. You can use a bleach solution to clean the intake tube that you show in the picture but it might not be necessary. If you do use bleach for anything, rinse really really well and then give everything a good final rinse with conditioned water (dosed with Prime).

Is there a heater in the tank? If you can get the type and how many watts off of it, let us know that too.

And that's a start


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## AnnieH (Apr 24, 2014)

That is the tank as it right now, before moving it. I'm going to do it tomorrow.
Thanks for letting me know what type of fish they are. So I should take the fish out the shells and toss them, and then anything else in the tank except leave the gravel in it.

Can I take the gravel out to move and clean the tank and just transport it in a bucket or? I think it will be very heavy if I leave it in and will make cleaning the tank pretty difficult.

Or, just leave the gravel and work around it?

Thanks again!!


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## AnnieH (Apr 24, 2014)

I dont know if there is a heater or not, however, there is one that is unopened with all the other things it comes with.

Ok, trash the gravel and try to keep the filter. Tomorrow I can check the other things you asked about and let you know. It will be late when I get home from work...around 5pm my time


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## Romad (Jun 28, 2009)

AnnieH said:


> That is the tank as it right now, before moving it. I'm going to do it tomorrow.
> Thanks for letting me know what type of fish they are. So I should take the fish out the shells and toss them, and then anything else in the tank except leave the gravel in it.
> 
> Can I take the gravel out to move and clean the tank and just transport it in a bucket or? I think it will be very heavy if I leave it in and will make cleaning the tank pretty difficult.
> ...


Ha ha  I was posting as you were. Check out my lengthy post right before this one. That gravel is going to be nasty but if you think you want to keep any of it.... remove it first. It's going to be heavy enough to transport without wet gravel.


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## Romad (Jun 28, 2009)

AnnieH said:


> I dont know if there is a heater or not, however, there is one that is unopened with all the other things it comes with.
> 
> Ok, trash the gravel and try to keep the filter. Tomorrow I can check the other things you asked about and let you know. It will be late when I get home from work...around 5pm my time


I won't be around until late tomorrow night but there are plenty of peeps here to help you through this. Have no fear!


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## AnnieH (Apr 24, 2014)

I forgot to add the photos of products that come with it. Here it is.

I don;t know if it already has an airstone. Looking at the whole tank photo, there is a round thing on the bottom of the tank with a hose attached to it. That could be an airstone. The part on the end that has the bubbles come out (it;s green) is covered in gunk.


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## AnnieH (Apr 24, 2014)

AnnieH said:


> the photo was too large so I resized it.
> 
> I don't know if it already has an airstone. Looking at the whole tank photo, there is a round thing on the bottom of the tank with a hose attached to it. That could be an airstone. The part on the end that has the bubbles come out (it;s green) is covered in gunk.


hmmm. having some technical difficulties posting this


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## AnnieH (Apr 24, 2014)

what time will you be online? 

I already bought new gravel, so I can use it and follow your intstructions so long as the filter is okay.


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## Romad (Jun 28, 2009)

AnnieH said:


> I forgot to add the photos of products that come with it. Here it is.
> 
> I don;t know if it already has an airstone. Looking at the whole tank photo, there is a round thing on the bottom of the tank with a hose attached to it. That could be an airstone. The part on the end that has the bubbles come out (it;s green) is covered in gunk.


Yup, that's the airstone. Nice.


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## AnnieH (Apr 24, 2014)

ugh. here are the other products!


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## Romad (Jun 28, 2009)

None of those products are useful except for the ph test kit - sorry 

I'd check out the expiration date on the Ick guard or just toss it. 

If you ever have to deal with Ich (they don't even spell it right) is to raise the heat gradually in your tank. Hopefully you won't have to deal with that.

It's always best to not add unnecessary chemicals to a tank. They're pretty much short term fixes and don't really solve anything in the long run.


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## Romad (Jun 28, 2009)

OK - my last post was about the 4th picture which was the only one that I saw initially. 

It's good that you have extra filter cartridges. Once we know what the actual filter is, it will be easier to advise you on how to try to preserve any beneficial bacteria that the filter cartridges are housing so that you can quick cycle the tank once you get it cleaned out and set back up. I'll try to figure out which filter takes those size cartridges.


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## Romad (Jun 28, 2009)

Let us know if it's this filter

Marineland Marineland Emperor Bio-Wheel Power Filter Pro Series Aquarium Power Filters

If it is, it's a dual cartridge system. So you could rinse as much garbage off of one that's already in there and put it in one side of the filter and put a clean one in the other side.


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## AnnieH (Apr 24, 2014)

as a matter of fact.... check out these photos! It says it is a Marine Guard.

Yipee! So I will trash the gravel and bring everything home. Wash the tank and parts as you directed and then rinse the gravel, put it in and then add the water. After that, I will reinstall the Marine guard w/one new filter and leaving the other alone.

I can then install the heater that I found with it and then...? do I add more Prime? At what point will I be able to put the fish back in.

And finally, I still swish one of the filters around in the water I use to transport the fish?

:notworthy:


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## Romad (Jun 28, 2009)

Sort of but not exactly 

Does the filter have one or two cartridges in it? If two, try to salvage one of the filter cartridges that are already in the filter, swish it around in the tank water before you empty it but after you remove the fish from the tank. Then once you have the gunk cleaned off of it, you can add it to the bucket that the fish are in. If one, try to do the same thing. Can't be sure until you get that open and see what's in there. 

Once you have the filter cleaned out and ready to go in the clean tank, refill the tank with tap water that is as close to the safe zone temp as you can get it to. Add 1 to 2 drops of Prime for each gallon of new water to the new water or into the tank as you're adding the water.

Then take the filter cartridge out of the fish bucket and put it back into the filter along with a clean filter cartridge (if there are two cartridge slots obviously) Otherwise, if you weren't able to salvage the old "single" cartridge, you'll have to start cycling the tank all over again with a new cartridge.

But there's a bio wheel as well which will house a lot of beneficial bacteria. Let us know if that is salvagable. Rinse that off same way as the old filter cartridge and add it to the bucket of fish.

Plug in the heater, filter and airstone and make sure everything is functioning properly. 

As for the fish, i would add some clean conditioned water to the bucket slowly as you remove and discard the bucket water from the old tank. Just try to acclimate them slowly. Then you can add them to the new tank.

We will want picture of the tank once you have it cleaned and set up again


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## Sylverclaws (Jul 16, 2012)

Oh glory. That tank is right scuzzy. The tetras you have look surprisingly ok...In case I missed the post on them, they're black skirts, and maybe a white skirt in there. 

Yeah, that's gonna be work. lol You'd be surprised how things clean up though. Work yes, but probably not as bad as you think after looking at it. Scrub the windows good, vacuum. If you go slow it'll probably a week or two to actually look good again, but it should start looking better faster than you think. 


As for your medicines and stuff you got, yeah, the PH tester good, aquarium salt always good to have on hand, I know nadda on the rest so I'd go with Romad's advice on just about everything, looks like he has you covered. lol That'll be a gorgeous tank once you have it fixed up. Mine started out similar, except without the water and fish, which I suppose made it easier(they drained it for me and I bought no fish, they did, however, leave it with the same water and dead fish for a couple years before selling it to me....ugh, I was washing fish bits off the windows), they also broke the cabinet on the stand and it has this stain, like someone dumped a soda on it and left it there and I can't get it off. x.x Bits of water stains on the lid and lights too...but it looks good, yeah? Hopefully it'll make a nice example, though I'm no awesome decorator or anything. lol 

This is how mine looks now:


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## AnnieH (Apr 24, 2014)

Your tank is wonderful! Thanks for the help!

Romad, I printied everything out and will do my best. I'm off to work now. Should be able to post something later this evening when I get home.


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## Romad (Jun 28, 2009)

OK good luck!!


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## Super4Ever (Apr 3, 2014)

I love reading threads like this and seeing how the tank starts and then the final result.

Keep at it, can't wait to see what you do with this tank.


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## AnnieH (Apr 24, 2014)

Okay, well we all made it home safely, if a little on the shaken side. The tank is very dirty and we have been able to get all the alge out and most of the hard water stains. Here are some photos of when we first unloaded it in the yard.

The hard water stains have left a white film that I cannot get off not matter how much I scrub with salt. Any ideas about the film layer? 

if there was a heater in the tank, I don;t know which it is. There are three tubes that seem to blow air bubbles...The heater I found in the box separate does not have a temp on the dial, so I keep checking it. I bought one yesterday tho. It's around 70 now in the but and keeps going higher. I am not sure how to keep it at the same temp once it has reached optimal.

There are two cartridges in the filter. For now, I am going to have to keep both until Thursday when I can buy a new one. Does anyone know how to help me check out the bio wheel?

back to scrubbing! Thank you so much for your help!


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## Romad (Jun 28, 2009)

Try some white vinegar on the stains. Honestly, you're probably not going to get the majority of those off without toxic chemicals since they're pretty bad.


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## totorothealmight (Mar 25, 2014)

You are such a kind soul to take on this project! You will get so much enjoyment out of this tank!!:thumbsup:


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## Cspencer83 (Apr 5, 2014)

I wish i was able to have a tank that size but it would probibly end up going through the floor


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## AnnieH (Apr 24, 2014)

YAY! You're back! I think I need to run out to Petsmart to get an ammonia test and a chlorine & chloramine test kit. The ph test I have that uses droplets says I need to check that, so I wanted to try to get there before they close.

Here's the tank now!

Also, we found six fish in the tank. One of the red ones has been laying on it;s side since we got it home. I'm thinking that's a bad sign.

Can you please tell me what I need to know about getting the tank just right before we transfer the fish. Will that happen tonight?

Thank you and very happy to see you around tonight. I'm off to Petsmart.


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## Cspencer83 (Apr 5, 2014)

just get a API Freshwater Master test kit it tests PH, Ammonia, Nitrites, and Nitrates. Yeah everything looks to be in order and Make sure when you turn the filter on you put some water in where the water goes in the filter so its not running dry and it will help it start sucking up the water if you didn't do that already. O when you are there get a piece of air line tubing and if you don't have a rubber band get one of them too.

you are going to use the tubing to drip acclimate the fish before you put them in the tank


Watch this video 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ksfj4y2gFOs


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## AnnieH (Apr 24, 2014)

Petsmart was closed and Walmart didn't have the api test kit. So I got:

1) Terta Aqua Safe - it dechlorinates and conditions. Says it's used to set up new aquariums and partial water changes. it works instantly so I'm going to follow their directions to make sure this part is good. 

2) Jungle Ammonia Test Kit (only one they had)

3) Jungle Ammonia Clear in-case I need it.

I have test strips (I know they are not ideal), but will check everything and look online at the strips website to check all the ranges. 

I also got the air tube and my husband and I will watch that video in a few minutes.

When will we be able to transfer the fish? When the test strip is in the correct ranges, the water is the right temp and we've followed the video instructions for drip acclimation?

I sincerely appreciate all the help!


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## Cspencer83 (Apr 5, 2014)

That video will show you how to acclimate the fish to the water and let you add them. Depending on how good the stuff you are cycling with (all the stuff with the good bacteria on it that you kept in tact) the water might get really good soon or take some time but without anywhere else to put the fish they will have to be put in the tank soon and since you did a great job of getting it cleaned that much it should help the fish alot. Also I know you just bought those testers but once you are up to it i would really get the API FreshWater MasterTest kit there so accurate and make sure you read the instructions fully on how to test because expecially testing for Nitrate is a bit different then the rest.

And on another note I would really try to get Seachem Prime as your Decloroinator/ water Conditioner if you don't have it already


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## AnnieH (Apr 24, 2014)

we have the seachem prime. i didn't realize it was the same as the tetra. I've added both. We'll just have to see how this goes over the next few hours.

I'm going to go find an article here about temperature so I can figure out how to keep it at the same temp as they are in now in the bucket. The heater I am using is warming the tank and it's up to 68 now. The "arrow" it says for tropical fish is what I used and I think it goes to 78.. should I just leave it at that temp, after it;s at 70 for a while then out the fish in? If all is well with the water ph etc?

Also, if I do the drip method he shows, it will take forever to acclimate them that way. I am not to keen to move them again to a smaller bowl.

I think Romad said I couls slowly add water from the tank to the bucket over time, so maybe I will just do a small amount over 15 min or so?


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## Cspencer83 (Apr 5, 2014)

yeah maybe with a cup or something

and about the temp thing my tank is between 78 and 80 degrees so that 78 thing is perfect and one thing i mgiht do is take out some of the tank water and add some warmer water with some prime in it to get it to temp faster and use something to swish the water around to mix it


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## Tolak (Nov 13, 2012)

Per that vid; a proper drip acclimation takes about 3 hours, you want to double the water volume every hour for 3 hours, depending on the behavior of the fish. If they look stressed slow it down. By the looks of that tank it was neglected in a big way, few if any water changes, probably just topped off. This means the hardness is way jacked, your water will be much softer. This is what affects fish due to osmotic pressure, not pH. 

Plan on a nice slow drip acclimation, put the bucket on something that provides a bit of insulation from the floor to help maintain temperature. Looks like the tank cleaned up pretty good, there are things beyond vinegar that are safe to use if you know how to use them properly.


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## AnnieH (Apr 24, 2014)

So you suggest we do the drip for three hours once everything else is good. I can do that. I'll be up super late, but I am fine with that.

Based on my strip test the Nitrite is inbetween the mfg's recommendations, It looks like it's at 0.5 instead of 0. It says to use quick start aquarium (which I don't have and salt). I'll add a bit more salt now and see how that goes.

Will get the bucket off the carpet now. 

Thank you!


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## Tolak (Nov 13, 2012)

I wouldn't bother with the salt, strips are known for being inaccurate. Prime has a component that neutralizes nitrite, between that & the AquaSafe it shouldn't be a concern.


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## AnnieH (Apr 24, 2014)

Damn. I just added a teaspoon of salt! Ugh. Thank you for the quick reply. I can't wait until I understand what's what with the additives.

So... if the strips are inaccurate, you think between the prime and the aqua safe, we should be good?


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## Tolak (Nov 13, 2012)

A teaspoon in a 55 isn't much at all, I wouldn't be concerned. Between the two products it should be a go, as long as the filter media was kept wet & you feed lightly for a few days there shouldn't be an issue.


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## AnnieH (Apr 24, 2014)

Also, there was no bio wheel or filters in the tank. I kept both of the rolling filters and added a bio wheel to each cartridge. One of the rolling filters I put in the bucket with the fish until the tank was set up. The other one I had in a plastic bag.

There probably isn't that much good bacteria in there.


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## AnnieH (Apr 24, 2014)

in total, i've added three teaspoons of salt.

I'll use like just a tiny of food for the next few days, Thank you so much


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## keepsmiling (May 19, 2013)

The "rolling filter" is the biowheel.;-) The other pads you had in the beginning pics should fit in there. Cut them to fit if they don't. How did the fish go in?


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## Sylverclaws (Jul 16, 2012)

Don't worry about that small of an amount of salt in there. Even a full recommended dose is actually pretty low. It wont hurt anyone, and may -possibly- give a small boost to the fish, lightly slap non-healthy bacterias and fungus...Eh. .-.

Vinegar mixed in water and salt with a scrubby cloth is what I used to clean mine too. It was about that bad...wish I had taken before and after photos of mine too, you did a BRILLIANT job on that! 

I was trying to figure out what fish you had. The first photo I thought I saw black skirt tetras and one white skirt tetra, but in the bucket it looks like you have platies. .-. Can you get us photos of them so we can tell for sure what they are? Depending on the fish, and if you want more of the same or something else, we can tell you how your water parameters(like PH and hardness) need to be for them. If you do have platies though, and they aren't in too bad of shape, they're pretty tough fish and have a wide range of PH and GH they can handle. Well, GH is wide. lol So they make things easier.

A while back when I had a mini-cycle in my tank from accidental over-cleaning of the filter, I soaked a sponge in stress zyme+ which is bottled beneficial bacteria, it helped clear that problem up by the next day with the aid of prime. Prime stinks, I hope you read that since I don't think anyone warned you! Well, it stinks when used in dirty tanks, especially with high ammonia or chloramine(I think that's right), rotten eggs, that. lol Try getting some stress zyme if you don't have any. It wont cycle your tank if it's not cycled, but it -may- speed things up. You can buy a small sponge for your filter too.


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## Tolak (Nov 13, 2012)

Don't get scammed into any pH adjusting chemicals, or any water adjusting chemicals for that matter. A good dechlor/water conditioner such as Prime is all that you need. Your tap water is what it is, adjusting tap water is near impossible, and another scam often pushed onto newer fishkeepers. The beginner's section is no place for a lesson in water chemistry, you'll get a handle on that in time, the short lesson is don't consider trying it.

If cycling becomes a serious issue let me know, I've shipped mature media countless times. I've got enough tanks running in the fishroom that it won't make a dent here, never has. I'm up early getting gear & such together for a swap, which includes 200 angels, in a couple hours I'll be out for the day. If you've got an air pump you'll have a cycled tank.


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## Romad (Jun 28, 2009)

You have tank set up :redyay: :blueyay:


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## AnnieH (Apr 24, 2014)

I was afraid to get out of bed this morning so I laid there for an hour or so wondering if they made it. I was too scared to take a look. After a while, my hubby told me he woke up very early to check them and told me they were all swimming around and he gave them a dash of food!:-D

So I popped out of ed and have just been watching them swim around for a few hours. They are so awesome!

We really appreciate all the friendly people on this cool board who came to our rescue.

I've noticed a few things and am going to list those as questions in a moment. Just took some pics as requested and will get those up in a sec.

We want to get some plants... )


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## AnnieH (Apr 24, 2014)

Romad said:


> You have tank set up :redyay: :blueyay:


Yes. I wish I would not have worried so much and paid more attention to what you told me to do exactly. I didn't know Prime was good for multiple things and I rushed out last night to get things I didn't even need.

But the crash course has been good for me! And my hubby is a big biology and chemistry lover, so he is excited too learn all about them.

Well, here they are with lights on!


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## Romad (Jun 28, 2009)

Nice job!! I'm so glad you got it up and running. 

Hope it wasn't too much of a horror show (but guessing it was with all that gunk).

Take a breath and relax a bit for a day or so. In the meantime, read up on this (or let hubby do it since this will be right up his alley): 

http://www.tropicalfishkeeping.com/...nners-guide-freshwater-aquarium-cycle-353074/

If you can snag an API Freshwater Master Test kit soon, that should be your next step. A bit pricey at the chain stores like Petco and Petsmart but it will last a very long time. You can usually find them cheaper on ebay or Amazon.

And until you decide whether you want to live plant the tank somewhere down the road, get a mixture of silk and plastic plants without sharp edges. Your fish will appreciate the hidey spots and it will greatly reduce stress. You can find them just about anywhere....


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## AnnieH (Apr 24, 2014)

Hello  I have found that these fish are very hard to photograph! They are all over the place swimming around here and there. Here are the best pics I could get. One of the fish has red eyes. My husband says two of them do...but I have just seen one. Do you think that is natural or is there a problem with the eye being red?


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## Romad (Jun 28, 2009)

The red eye is perfecly natural for that fish. Those are red eye tetras. They all look like tetras except for your red guy. He's either a red wag platy that's a bit pale or a sunset platy. Can't tell if it's a male or a female without seeing the underside/bottom fin.

You'll want to stock more of the same down the road since most of them should be kept in groups of 6 or more. But DO NOT add any more fish at this time. I know it will be tempting but you'll end up spiking the ammonia in that tank and lose them all. 

And platys are livebearers. They breed like crazy so if you had males and females mixed, you'd have a tank full of them in no time (assuming the fry didn't get eaten by the parents or other fish). Luckily, they're pretty easy to sex.

Your next step is to test all of you water paramaters and to get the tank cycled. Were you able to salvage any of the old filter cartridges? The bio-wheel should have some decent bacteria built up in it too.


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## AnnieH (Apr 24, 2014)

*a few worries*

I have a few worries to ask you about.

1) One of the fish has stationed itself under the filter. It moves once in a while, but very rarely.

They all prefer the side of the tank near the filter. They are swimming around the whole thing, but seem to hang out mostly under the filter area. Here is a photo of the fish. Is this a concern?

2) The water temp is 78 and while I was working at the house, the temp was always 70. Is it okay for the water to be this warm for them since they are not used to it? There was not a heater in the tank when I got them.

This heater says it has a 78 degree temp, which is what I set it at last night. I am going to keep and eye on it. If it gets warmer, I'll turn it down.

3) There is a tiny red fish that is staying on the bottom. Never goes higher. It lost it's buddy yesterday and I am wondering if it okay. How will it eat if it stays on the bottom? It didn't come up for food when my hubby fed them.

4) Are all of the airstones set up correctly? Can you tell by the photos I posted.

I apologize for being such a 50 zillion question person. I'll get better  I am just still unable to stop the constant worry.

Also, it seems likes I am unable to function in any other capacity today except to watch the fish swim, take pics of them, and write posts about them! I've got it in a bad way!:lol:


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## AnnieH (Apr 24, 2014)

I am using both of the bio wheels that were in there. There were no other filters installed when I took it apart. I inserted two yesterday called Penguin power filter cartridges. These were with the supplies it came with.

What do I need to do to cycle the tank? I can't purchase the API master test kit until Thursday. I've spent about $200 in the past few days on this and am broke now.

As far as adding more fish, we will add more of the same when the time is right. Thanks for telling us what they are and how they should school together.

We would like to add some benefiicial plants at some time. When could we do this and can you recommend types?


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## keepsmiling (May 19, 2013)

Plants are good now, but what you get depends on the lighting you have and the age of the bulbs. The fish are probably not used to new voices, new faces, and a clean tank...may be why that one is acting odd. I personally do not use a heater in the summer in my 90 gallon. The tank stays about 76F. Try not to keep the lights on too long,and eventually you will want a cheap timer for them. You can get one for under $10 at a home improvement store. I can show you what type when you are ready. You can turn the lights on a bit in the a.m., turn them out in the afternoon if you work, and then on a few hours to enjoy them in the evening. Adjust to your schedule of course. Then when you get plants, again depending on what type, you can adjust the lighting for them. I keep my planted tanks on from 10:30 a.m. to about 6:30 p.m.


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## AnnieH (Apr 24, 2014)

It was pretty intense, but we feel really good about having them with us and that they have made it through so far! 

I think we'll get some plants next week and will use a mixture like you suggested.

I have some money in my paypal account and will go ahead and order the api master kit today.

I can't figure out how to reply to the individual posts. This one was for Romad.


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## Romad (Jun 28, 2009)

Agree with keepsmiling. Give the fish some time to acclimate - they're under a lot of stress right now in a new environment. And because you don't have any plants or hiding spots in there, they're trying to feel secure.

I'm guessing that's why your platy is hanging out at the bottom too 

Sit back and read up on the nitrogen cycle link that I sent you to understand how to cycle the tank. It's too lengthy to type it all out for you.

As for temperature, anywhere between 72 and 80F will be pretty safe for most fish. 

And your fish are red eye tetras, one white skirt tetra (palest fish), and either black tetras or some pale black skirt tetras for the ones with stripes. And I already told you about the red guy or gal - that's a platy.


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## Romad (Jun 28, 2009)

AnnieH said:


> It was pretty intense, but we feel really good about having them with us and that they have made it through so far!
> 
> I think we'll get some plants next week and will use a mixture like you suggested.
> 
> ...


Just click on the quote button of the post you want to respond to (like I did here) and type your reply.


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## Sylverclaws (Jul 16, 2012)

The platy, the one that was photographed hanging out near the bottom who is red, yellow and has black fins, is called a Sunset Fire-Wag Platy. Looks to be a pretty male. I'd need a photo of it swimming and from the side to tell if it really is male or female, but I think it's a boy...

Anywho, yeah, soon as you can get some plants, go for it. Stem plants are always good, can't go wrong with those since they don't need a great deal of care, java moss too. They will help eat up the ammonia and nitrites in the tank a bit, and they do more: They make oxygen, hiding places so your fish feel more secure, foraging, something to do and swim around in. Good stuff. =)

If that is two airstones I see, try putting one on each side of the tank, that should help a bit. 

These are my two sunset fire wag platies as an example, the top is female, the lower one is male. Notice how her bottom fin just before the tail is kinda fan shaped and his are pointed? That's how you tell. Sorry, not the best, but should give you an idea, I'm pretty sure that's what you have. If so, they're tough fish, but keep in mind they have been through a lot and don't do well by themselves. They do best in 3+ and are the only livebearer(aside from the odd swordtail) who can actually handle a group smaller than five. :3 Once your tank is stable, should he survive and I hope he does, get him two friends. Both female IF you want babies, and you will have a lot if you do that. These two were the unfortunates to be my first fish since I was a kid...I did not cycle the tank. Thanks to some help threads like this I saved them, and my girls nipped tail fixed up. I truly hope you can do the same. If not, please don't take it hard and lose interest, they were kept very poorly and you're giving them good attention now. The tetras look alright though! =)


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## AnnieH (Apr 24, 2014)

Sylverclaws said:


> The platy, the one that was photographed hanging out near the bottom who is red, yellow and has black fins, is called a Sunset Fire-Wag Platy. Looks to be a pretty male. I'd need a photo of it swimming and from the side to tell if it really is male or female, but I think it's a boy...
> 
> Anywho, yeah, soon as you can get some plants, go for it. Stem plants are always good, can't go wrong with those since they don't need a great deal of care, java moss too. They will help eat up the ammonia and nitrites in the tank a bit, and they do more: They make oxygen, hiding places so your fish feel more secure, foraging, something to do and swim around in. Good stuff. =)
> 
> ...


Thanks for the information! Beautiful fish! Glad you were able to save them! Looking closely at mine, he appears to be a boy. He lost his buddy yesterday. I don't think I want to get into fish babies right now, so I will look for two males as soon as the tank and they are ready.

There are three air stones in the tank - one on the far left and two small ones in the middle. Should we take one of the middle ones out or move it to the far right?


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## Sylverclaws (Jul 16, 2012)

If it were me I'd make them spaced out. You could use all the help you can get, and more oxygen in a tank going through changes is a plus. 

And thank you for the compliment on my two lovelies. Unfortunately they only got about a year with me. =( Another beginner flub, I didn't have a QT tank and added in two new members to the four I had, one brought in ich. 

If you can afford a ten-twenty gallon tank, I suggest you go for it, wont need plants or substrate, just a filter and heater. This way, when you decide to get new fish, you'll have a safe, easy to treat tank for your newbies so that they don't bring in a nasty to the tank you're fixing.


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## AnnieH (Apr 24, 2014)

Just a quick note to let you all know everything seems to be going really well. They didn't eat for a few days, but began today and are playing and swimming all over the tank. Except for the platy. He is hiding under a decoration and only comes out for a few hours in the afternoon.

I am going to order the API kit in the morning. We to both petco and petsmart and they were out.

Hubby is going to get a handle on the cycle needs and we plan to do whatever is needed to get it right.

That's all for now. Been watching them play for a few hours and I feel exhausted now.  gonna crash hard and have another awesome fish day tomorrow!


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## AbsoluteAquariums (Apr 16, 2014)

Clean the tank with vinegar, keep about half the original water, clean 90% of the substrate with running water until clear


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## AnnieH (Apr 24, 2014)

Romad;4374082
Take a breath and relax a bit for a day or so. In the meantime said:


> http://www.tropicalfishkeeping.com/beginner-freshwater-aquarium/beginners-guide-freshwater-aquarium-cycle-353074/[/URL]
> 
> If you can snag an API Freshwater Master Test kit soon, that should be your next step. A bit pricey at the chain stores like Petco and Petsmart but it will last a very long time. You can usually find them cheaper on ebay or Amazon.
> 
> And until you decide whether you want to live plant the tank somewhere down the road, get a mixture of silk and plastic plants without sharp edges. Your fish will appreciate the hidey spots and it will greatly reduce stress. You can find them just about anywhere....


After reading the article, it says that cycling with fish in the tank can kill them. I'll have to drive to nashville this afternoon to get the api test. I was thinking of a few live plants as well. We just have the standard ship light looking lighting and will get some new bulbs as well.

Is there anything else I should get from the aquarium store in Nashville?


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## Sylverclaws (Jul 16, 2012)

Yeah, cycling the tank with them in it, even with helpful chemicals, can kill them. But you kinda got stuck, eh? Let's see if we can't help you make it a bit safer during this time...but be aware it may still permanently damage their immune system, so you have to be extra, EXTRA careful you don't add in any sick fish, that's why you need a quarantine tank for making sure later fish you may want have a clean bill of health before going to the main tank. 10-20 gallon QT will work, I do suggest 15-20 gallons really, and don't add more than three fish per week to any of them. You keep fish in QT for...well it depends what kind of fish, labyrinth or bottom dwelling fish should be kept in it for at least 6 to 8 weeks, most only need about a month, and some may need longer. So you'll want something with room, especially if you intend to get a larger fish at some point like a gourami.

Now for helping make your fish safe during the cycle...well, Prime detoxifies nitrite and nitrate and removes ammonia, so that will help. Accompanied by stress coat+ that will help their slime coats more and keep stress down is a bonus, and stress zyme+ is bottled beneficial bacteria, which may help move you along just a little faster. Water changes during the cycle will also help. 

Someone may know a fish-in cycle chemical that has worked for them and others, sometimes they do just need a little extra protection but other times...meh. I never trust them myself, at least not to fully work as I don't believe any can, but every little bit of protection DOES help if only a little. ^^;


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## dancelady (Apr 24, 2014)

*Annie, you have done well so far*

I am new to this discussion, but I am also new to keeping freshwater fish. Sylverclaws has helped me immensely, and I am trying to raise Mollies and Cats, and I bought too many, put them all together from different stores, and really got concerned when my tank got cloudy. Too many, too fast setting it up, and not enough testing materials, as well. But I did what he said, moved some fish to a new tank, and treated for ammonia/nitrites, etc. After 4 weeks, the tank finally cleared so I am a very happy camper! I won't go into it all, but the main thing is BE PATIENT as you try to get everything cleaned and set up properly. And when you clean with white vinegar, you might have to leave it on for a while, I found that it did clean it all (had some older tanks). Will keep an eye on your success, as I am trying to do the same with my tanks. Oh and here is a picture of one of my Mollies...


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## Tolak (Nov 13, 2012)

If you go back in time to when phones had dials, TV had 5 channels, and everything cost a nickel the only way known to cycle a tank was with fish. The rule of thumb with that was one inch of hardy small fish per 5 gallons of water, change half the water every other day for a few weeks. Though much has changed since then, cycling with fish has not. Many things out there are basically snake oil when it comes to water additives, Prime is one of the few that is not. If you start seeing ammonia or nitrite it's time for 50% daily water changes & a double or triple dose of Prime.


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## AnnieH (Apr 24, 2014)

*THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE AWESOME MATURE FILTER MEDIA YOU SEND US AS A NICE WONDERFUL THING!* We got it today and I rinsed it out and it's now in the tank. I'ill take a pic tomorrow when there is some good light.

Our API test came out:
PH 8.2
Ammonia 0.25 ppm *except my husband thought the color was closer to 0 ppm lvl
Nitrite 0 ppm
Nitrate 0 ppm

Should I add some of the api stress coat?

I'll check the levels every morning and see how they are doing. If high, I will change 50% of the water, add some Prime to the new water and retest after a while.



Tolak said:


> If you go back in time to when phones had dials, TV had 5 channels, and everything cost a nickel the only way known to cycle a tank was with fish. The rule of thumb with that was one inch of hardy small fish per 5 gallons of water, change half the water every other day for a few weeks. Though much has changed since then, cycling with fish has not. Many things out there are basically snake oil when it comes to water additives, Prime is one of the few that is not. If you start seeing ammonia or nitrite it's time for 50% daily water changes & a double or triple dose of Prime.


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## AnnieH (Apr 24, 2014)

Thank you for sharing your new aquarium experience! I'm happy to hear all is finally great for your fish. That is a very pretty fish!

We are not adding anything live (except the six fish we got with the tank) until the tank has fully cycled. The tank was cleaned on Sunday and we didn't use any vinegar, we are just living with the white film for now.

Thanks again!



dancelady said:


> I am new to this discussion, but I am also new to keeping freshwater fish. Sylverclaws has helped me immensely, and I am trying to raise Mollies and Cats, and I bought too many, put them all together from different stores, and really got concerned when my tank got cloudy. Too many, too fast setting it up, and not enough testing materials, as well. But I did what he said, moved some fish to a new tank, and treated for ammonia/nitrites, etc. After 4 weeks, the tank finally cleared so I am a very happy camper! I won't go into it all, but the main thing is BE PATIENT as you try to get everything cleaned and set up properly. And when you clean with white vinegar, you might have to leave it on for a while, I found that it did clean it all (had some older tanks). Will keep an eye on your success, as I am trying to do the same with my tanks. Oh and here is a picture of one of my Mollies...


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## AnnieH (Apr 24, 2014)

Tolak sent us a mature filer media, so we are not going to use any chemicals. Hopefully, things will go well. I also kept the two bio wheels that were in there - just rinsed in prime water for a few - so those things should help. Hopefully, we won;t need to add anything else. Our levels seems okay today.

We are not adding anything that is alive until the tank has fully cycled. We do want to add some live plants and a few new fish so they can all have buddies to school around with, but want to get a handle on lighting and what it means to have and care for the live plants and fish together.

I am keeping my eye out for another aquarium fro Goodwill or listed on craigslist etc. to start cycling now so we can have a quarantine area for the future.

Thank you, once again, for all your help and good advice.



Sylverclaws said:


> Yeah, cycling the tank with them in it, even with helpful chemicals, can kill them. But you kinda got stuck, eh? Let's see if we can't help you make it a bit safer during this time...but be aware it may still permanently damage their immune system, so you have to be extra, EXTRA careful you don't add in any sick fish, that's why you need a quarantine tank for making sure later fish you may want have a clean bill of health before going to the main tank. 10-20 gallon QT will work, I do suggest 15-20 gallons really, and don't add more than three fish per week to any of them. You keep fish in QT for...well it depends what kind of fish, labyrinth or bottom dwelling fish should be kept in it for at least 6 to 8 weeks, most only need about a month, and some may need longer. So you'll want something with room, especially if you intend to get a larger fish at some point like a gourami.
> 
> Now for helping make your fish safe during the cycle...well, Prime detoxifies nitrite and nitrate and removes ammonia, so that will help. Accompanied by stress coat+ that will help their slime coats more and keep stress down is a bonus, and stress zyme+ is bottled beneficial bacteria, which may help move you along just a little faster. Water changes during the cycle will also help.
> 
> Someone may know a fish-in cycle chemical that has worked for them and others, sometimes they do just need a little extra protection but other times...meh. I never trust them myself, at least not to fully work as I don't believe any can, but every little bit of protection DOES help if only a little. ^^;


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## dancelady (Apr 24, 2014)

*Using stress zyme+*

*stress zyme+* You said this is a good-bacterial solution for clearing up a cloudy tank or one in trouble. Can this be pretty much the same as *SmartStart* by TLC which is an expensive additive for a tank? I would prefer to get a cheaper one, if possible, to use in the future. How much generally is stress zyme+? How much would you use in a 20gal tank as a maintenance dose?


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## Tolak (Nov 13, 2012)

I wouldn't use either. You're trying to solve symptoms rather than the problem using products with a track record that is questionable at best.


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## AnnieH (Apr 24, 2014)

Really good news on the tank today. 

PH is 7.4 - still high but not what it was yesterday!
Ammonia is 0 ppm
Nitrite is 0 ppm
Nitrate is 0 ppm

So far, so very good! I got two new big tubs today. I am going to fill one with water and add some prime in case I need to change water in the next few days. I read that I should let the water sit for two days before using it if possible. I may also add a heater to it just to get it to the same temp as tank.

I think that may help reduce the stress on the fish when I need to change it.

I also got the little guys some bloodworms from Petsmart. That's what they recommended when I was there today as a treat. I used some water from the tank and out a frozen block in there. They should be all unfrozen by the time hubby gets home.


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## keepsmiling (May 19, 2013)

The tank is not cycled if you are showing 0 across the board. You said someone sent media and you rinsed it out? In fresh water or tank water? If fresh, and not dechlorinated, you will have killed the good bacteria.


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## Tolak (Nov 13, 2012)

For starting out, no, don't rinse filter media in untreated tap water. The nitrifying bacteria is more fragile, you will do at least a little damage, if not a lot. With more mature media it will do little if any damage. If the disinfectant used in tap water were strong enough to kill off a healthy mature colony of nitrifying bacteria it would make for a great oven cleaner but would be totally undrinkable.


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## AnnieH (Apr 24, 2014)

Keepsmiling: I rinsed the filter media in a bucket of water I put out in the morning with some prime in it while waiting for the ups delivery. As in "freshwater" do you mean tap water?

I thought it took 4-6 weeks for the tank to cycle? I thought it was good to be within the range the testing kit says it's best to be in. Am I wrong? Are these levels bad?


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## AnnieH (Apr 24, 2014)

*here's the tank today*

So far, so good. All the six fish are still swimming!:-D

We're doing a water change almost daily. We've also varied their diet to include bloodworms (only gave them to them once so far) and shrimp pellets in addition to flake food.

When we do the water change, I get the water ready in the morning and add a heater to bring it to the temp they're in. Seems to be working okay.

Thanks to everyone for all the great assistance!


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## Sylverclaws (Jul 16, 2012)

WOW!! You did such an awesome job! Color me extremely impressed. That tank is gorgeous. Bit plain, but gorgeous. Bravo to you. I cannot wait to see what you do with it once you're ready to go forward.

Try giving them frozen foods, or live/fresh. Pellets are alright provided they're high quality, but they have to be soaked for several minutes before feeding or they risk causing constipation or a blockage. Bloodworms should be a very rare treat because no matter their form also carry that risk. 

Any and all freeze-dried foods are terrible. They claim to be nutritious but in reality the freeze-drying process actually removes most of it. They also have a high risk of causing bloat and fatal blockages, even if properly soaked though that does lessen it like with pellets.

If you have a store with frozen foods, try glassworms, emerald entree, mysis shrimp is a maybe(some love it, some hate it), brine shrimp(this is a favorite among all of my fish). Those are goodies. Emerald Entree can be messy, but it's got veggies in it to go with proteins, for omnivores, which is what you have. =) You can also give them fresh, blanched foods like kale, romaine lettuce(stay away from iceberg), steamed or boiled broccoli stems are big with some of mine and high in calcium for your fishies as is kale, peas cooked and skinned are great but be careful(peas are very good for them, but fed too often can cause diarrhea, they're used to help cure swimbladder infections, constipation and remove small blockages). My fishies love that stuff, I give them once or twice a week max. =) Blanched cucumber and zucchini is alright too, remove the seeds from the center though(I "Blanch" by slicing them, putting them on a cookie sheet between wax paper and freezing them over night, keep them frozen so they stay good and heat them up in really hot water before feeding to make them nice and squishy, these are great for bottom feeders too, but your fish may like it). Just don't over-feed them. Test with small amounts and see if they go for things, remove right away if they show no interest so you don't hurt your water quality.


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