|
Post by corycatwoman on Feb 12, 2009 23:24:59 GMT -5
i recently got a 28 gallon fish tank and it had lime build up and what i use to clean with was watered down vinegar and the works(rust,lime & calcium remover) it removes rust, lime scale, hard water stains. i also rinsed the tank 3 times and placed it where i wanted it. filled it with tap water and placed new gravel in the tank, put everything onto the tank(filter,pump,heater,air wand,air pump) let it fun for a a day, then water conditioned it with top fin water conditioner. then day two did a full water change with siphon vacuum left about two inches above the gravel, then put tap water back in, and changed the filter cartridge then took the same water conditioner and added to the new water and took my previous ten gallon filter off my already established tank and put it on the newer tank and let it filter for about 8 hours and then put back on my ten gallon tank. and replaced the thirty gallon filter. then bought Prime by seachem added it as directed (approximately 50 drops)(directions: use two drops for each four liter (for 1 US gallon) of new water.).
Soo my question is would it be ok if i went ahead and started adding my fish from my ten gallon tank to the newer tank, and if they would be ok since i cleaned it with the works cleaner.
|
|
|
Post by jonv on Feb 13, 2009 0:20:05 GMT -5
It shouldn't be an issue. You are transferring the same filter that the stock was using, and even though it's being used on a larger tank, that shouldn't matter. The same filter with the same stock, the bio capacity should already be set for this group. Now if you add in more fish then you had, like the ten gallon stock plus others, you probably should consider having duel filtration.
I'd still acclimate the stock to the new tank water, and not just transfer them from tank to tank. That tap water is highly unlikely to have the same water chemistry as the older tank water in the 10 gallon they have been living in. I'd use an hour to 90 minute acclimation process just to be safe.
|
|
|
Post by kagome on Feb 13, 2009 0:36:57 GMT -5
Make sure that once you get the fish transferred that you put the seasoned filter media from the old tank in the new tank. It takes quite a while for the good bacteria to take root in a new tank/filter. Your best bet would be to put the filter from the 10g on the new tank along with the bigger filter meant for the 28g and run them both for a few weeks or a month. That way you will give the new filter plenty of time to become seeded with good bacteria. I would suggest picking up a liquid ammonia test so that you can keep an eye on your levels. Also those 5-in-1 test strips are great so that you can keep track of your other parameters as well.
|
|
|
Post by corycatwoman on Feb 13, 2009 0:50:06 GMT -5
well i just read one of carls posts about cycling for beginers. and i just did a filter change on my 10 gallon tank and instead of throwing it away i just simply took it out of my 10 gallon tank and just placed it in the water of my new bigger tank and let it sit on the bottom near my new filter extention. and then took most of my ornaments from the 10 gallon tank and put them in the new tank aswell. they were very slimey soo im pretty sure thats a good thing for this circumstance. im still leary about moving my fish in. i decided id go to the local fish store and pick up the 13 cent ruby red feeder fish i only baught 2. and i put them in the new tank as Guinea pigs. if they die ohwell if they survive they will help the cycling process and also tell me if its safe to add my other fish.
question number 2- is what i just did a good idea?
i also baught a few more fish while i was there 2 albino cory cats and 1 spotted cory cat.
fish that were currently in the 10 gallon tank before i went to the petstore.
1 golden dojo loach. 4 inches to 5 inches. 1 albino cory cat. 1 inch 2 ghost catfish. 1.25 inch 1 dwarf powder blue gourami 2.75 inches and lastly in a breeding isolation box- 2 female guppies 1 male guppy.
im planning to keep the guppies in the isolation box until i can transfer the rest of the fish into the bigger tank. poor little guyz i dont want to let them loose in the 10 gallon with all my fish specially with the gourami.
i then added the 3 new cory cats to the 10 gallon tank soo hopefully within 2 or 3 days i can transfer everyone sept the guppies and ghost catfish into the new tank and then last transfer ghost cats a few days later i heard there extra fragile.
keeping guppies in 10 gallon as a breeder tank until i get a decent school of about 15 adult males and then transfering the school to the 28 gallon. and keeping females and fry that are too small or young to tell the sex in the 10 gallon.
also need to know who i can sell or trade the exess guppies to soo i dont get over crowded?
any advice would be much helpful!
|
|
|
Post by corycatwoman on Feb 13, 2009 2:17:15 GMT -5
also quick question. if my tank isnt ready how long will it take for the ruby reds to die and what signs should i look for?
|
|
|
Post by eve on Feb 13, 2009 3:31:11 GMT -5
to really answer any of your questions, i have some questions first for you how long has the new 28 gallon been setup??? what are the water parameters in that tank Ammonia Nitrite Nitrate temperature as for the filter if i understood that correctly now, you have replaced the filter media in your 10 gallon, but didn't throw it away but put it in the 28 gallon tank which was a good move, as you're priming the new tank as for your guinea pig fish, there is no reason for them to die at all as long as you keep a watch on the parameters they should be able to make it watch your fish and study their behavior if the parameters go off chart they start to get skittish and stressed
|
|
|
Post by murdock6701 on Feb 13, 2009 9:50:12 GMT -5
I agree w/ Eve - check water parameters thoroughly before adding fish - putting the used media bag in will help in the cycling process - in a 28, I would give it a week, considering the size of the used media bag - using the filter from the 10 was a good idea on a jump start as well - the thing that scares me is "the works" - have been tempted to use it myself but was always afraid of residual affects, long last chemicals.....if everything was rinsed and rerinsed, am hoping all will be fine - good luck and keep us posted
|
|
|
Post by corycatwoman on Feb 13, 2009 10:41:57 GMT -5
ya murdock thats my main concern is the works. i shoulda done some homework first before just going at it with common sense. the tank was pretty dirty and dusty and had major lime build up soo i attacked it like i would anything else that had lime on it. now im just scared ive put alot of money into these fish in the last 2 months soo i dont want to start completely over again.
and im going to say since i did a full water change yesturday around 5 oclock the cycle is starting all over from begining soo its only been set up since yesturday 5 ocklock and then used the topfin water conditioner . then around 8 oclock i put the prime in. and then shortly after around 8:45 to 9pm i put the too Guinea pig fish to see if they survive. and then after reading a post carl posted it was around 10 or 10 :30 pm i pulled my 10 gallon filter cartridge from the filter and placed it in the tank. then took my 3 plastic plants and 3 monkey figurines from my 10 gallon as well and placed them in the 28 gallon tank. and stayed on here till around 1:30 am. and decided everyone else was offline but me and ill wake up and check on everyone in the morning.
|
|
|
Post by corycatwoman on Feb 13, 2009 10:47:17 GMT -5
also cant afford any test kits other then ph test shaker. pull out 5ml water. do 2 drops of the testing solution shake and compare to the chart. it reads off the chart soo im pretty sure its no use to me. but im roughly guessing my ph is a lil under or a lil over 8.0
i keep my water warm around 76 degrees
and i woke up this morning both the ruby reds were alive. calm and i placed alot of food in there. 2 pinches hopefully most of it doesnt get aten soo that the bacteria can clean it up for me.
in the overcrowded community tank this morning. my new iddy biddy cory cats were swiming like crazy. guppies dont look happy at all being stuck in isolation. gourami was chasing the young cory cats. and my dojo was just being a dojo. glass cats are confused cuz i took there plants away. i really need to transfer the dojo and gourami soo i dont have to worry about my glass cats getting beat up or dying and i can get the guppies out of isolation and start breeding.
|
|
|
Post by babygeige on Feb 13, 2009 10:48:42 GMT -5
I would give the feeders a week or so in the 28 by themselves before putting your 10 gallon fish in. This will give your tank a chance to cycle and it will also give you a chance to observe the feeders in isolation to make sure that they aren't sick.
Sounds like you are well on your way! Good luck!
|
|
|
Post by corycatwoman on Feb 13, 2009 13:42:15 GMT -5
|
|
|
Post by murdock6701 on Feb 13, 2009 13:52:10 GMT -5
way to go girl - am working on getting you added on to the members pictures section as promised
|
|
|
Post by eve on Feb 13, 2009 14:56:28 GMT -5
will add you to the member picture section once i'm done reading everything here
to your tank you say your fish are pretty stressed out, that could be because of too many other fish
since you don't have a test kit, you have to go with your fish's behavior, which sounds like stress at the moment
i would put in some prime as directed to keep the ammonia down in that tank
|
|
|
Post by babygeige on Feb 13, 2009 15:11:19 GMT -5
If you live near a Petsmart, they can test your water for you, which is pretty nice. They use the strips, which aren't quite as accurate as drops, but it's definitely better than nothing!
|
|
|
Post by corycatwoman on Feb 13, 2009 15:17:11 GMT -5
ya. im just going to tough it out until i can transfer my cory cats into the newer big tank.
ill also add prime to the big tank for the 2nd time about 10 minutes before the transfers.
im going to waite to transfer the gourami and dojo considering they were both expensive compared to the cory cats and ghost cats and guppies. they would be the only ones i really would not like to lose out of all the fish.
then once i have the cory cats and gourami in the big tank. ill finish the cycling process with them in there. then transfer my dojo. and let the guppies and ghost cats have the 10 gallon. eventually moving glass cats to big tank aswell.
|
|
|
Post by corycatwoman on Feb 13, 2009 15:32:11 GMT -5
still concerned about moving them in.
the ruby reds seem to be very calm and normal. wonder if its safe since they survived the night. if any left over chemicals from the works was still in the tank would you think they would have died or gotten a noticable change in color or anything?
|
|
|
Post by eve on Feb 13, 2009 15:36:09 GMT -5
i wouldnt' transfer them until you have had some kind of ammonia spike which takes a few days to happen
it's better to add prime in the 10 gallon at the moment, and see how it goes in the 28
cory's are very sensitive and are more likely to die in a cycling tank then your test fish
|
|
|
Post by goldenpuon on Feb 13, 2009 15:56:59 GMT -5
I just type a long post for this only to see that it was lcoked on the other mesage board. Oh well, there's my message again.
I would strongly recommend getting test strips because otherwise it is hard to know what is wrong if your fish act stressed during the cycle especially since you are working with sensitive fish like cories. Also, some fish like a certian PH (which is connected to KH and GH). In order fro you to know, you will have to test sometime. Otherwise you might be keeping a fish that likes hard water in soft water which would not be good for them. Also with the tank cycling, I consider having test strips, even if you don't use them much, a good thing.
I'm not familar with the term rosy reds. Are they feeder goldfish or feeder minnows? Personally, I would not recommend feeders for cycling. Some feeders, like say a feeder goldfish can live 10+ years and grow over 8 inches each. That means that eventually, you'd need to get a whole other tank for them unless you are dealing with a large tank and the fish are compatible which in this case, a 28 gallon wouldn't be enough. Good luck with your fish. Hope everything turns out well.
Renee
|
|
|
Post by corycatwoman on Feb 13, 2009 15:59:08 GMT -5
thanks for all the help! i just added prime to my 10 gallon tank
|
|
|
Post by corycatwoman on Feb 13, 2009 16:03:52 GMT -5
renee, i was only puttin them in there because of how cheap they were. i use to feed them to my oscar all the time. not sure if they are minnows or if they are goldfish. but when the tank is cycled all the way im going to get rid of them, im not keeping them in the tank.
|
|