Cycling new 300 gallon?
- Thread starter peteagem
- Start date
Nice!. Cycling my 350gallon acrylic tank... Think about painting the background.. any suggestion on the type of paint to use gor acrylic?
yes , as i recall he thought it wise to use the old tank water based on ph variance.. i was thinking that couldn't hurt .. it seems we now have a debate going ... the safety of the fish *and * the op's comfort level are by far my largest concerns.. the debate not so much...
Hello; I guess to me it is not theory. I have been keeping freshwater tanks since 1959. I have set up lots of new tanks using material from an old tank to seed the new tank with bb. I always use new water in the new setup. This has worked for me but I can see how someone can worry about doing something they are new to. I guess if I thought a long established tank would have such strongly different water parameters than a new setup I would do one or two things. I would slowly acclimate the fish as I already described or I would try to get the old tank right.
After all we take fish home from a shop which may have wildly different water conditions than a home tank. Years ago I would visit my father in Indianapolis Indiana and buy fish from a shop on 56th or 57th Street and Keystone Ave. I would drive over seven hours to get them home. My guess is seven hours in a bag changed the water some also. I just did a slow acclimation with things being fine.
Hello; Yes to this. I will not be bothered if the OP chooses to not follow my suggestions. I was attempting to be helpful by relating personal experience that seemed on point. One of the challenges for new or inexperienced fish keepers is to figure out whose advice to follow on these forums. I first joined in 2011 but already had decades of experience behind me so was able to know who to trust.
Let me add this in hopes it may help. If the old tank water is used I cannot see a problem as long as the old tank is not infested with something or has some sort of problem. At worst I guess a series of water changes might be needed to dilute the stuff in the old water after the fish are settled in.
To the OP. Good luck. I get you are concerned. If you wish I will suggest a couple of very experienced members so you can get their viewpoint.
If this is an acrylic, you may not want to paint the back.
After a few years of algae cleaning and other normal wear, the now front panel may become a bit scratched up, and you may want to turn the tank around, and use the less scratched back panel as a viewing window. I like to use painted styrofoam panels for coloring the back of tanks, leaving the option to turn the tank around, the styrofoam then tends to protect the back panel from external forces.
To me adding old water does nothing except add nitrate, the bacteria (as stated) grows on surfaces, one of the reason why we take great pains to use porous biomedia in filters.
Of course if the tank is pH 6 and the tap is 8, it may be advisable to blend, but that kind of pH difference (unless intentional) is an indicator of a host of other issues.
But a difference of 6.8 to 7 is hardly worth worrying about, especially with riverine fish that might experience that type pH fluctuation on a daily of even diurnal basis.
If you have plants a swing of 6.5 in the early morning to 7.3 in the evening is quite normal due to the plants nightly switch to using oxygen, and daily use of carbon dioxide .
After a few years of algae cleaning and other normal wear, the now front panel may become a bit scratched up, and you may want to turn the tank around, and use the less scratched back panel as a viewing window. I like to use painted styrofoam panels for coloring the back of tanks, leaving the option to turn the tank around, the styrofoam then tends to protect the back panel from external forces.
To me adding old water does nothing except add nitrate, the bacteria (as stated) grows on surfaces, one of the reason why we take great pains to use porous biomedia in filters.
Of course if the tank is pH 6 and the tap is 8, it may be advisable to blend, but that kind of pH difference (unless intentional) is an indicator of a host of other issues.
But a difference of 6.8 to 7 is hardly worth worrying about, especially with riverine fish that might experience that type pH fluctuation on a daily of even diurnal basis.
If you have plants a swing of 6.5 in the early morning to 7.3 in the evening is quite normal due to the plants nightly switch to using oxygen, and daily use of carbon dioxide .
yep, that's my recipe .. i always "bucket acclimate" fish .. but early on i liked the thought of "it's the fish's environment "(old water) .. and i'm not sure it doesn't have merit.. face it we aren't *there* to help make sure everything works out, thus not knowing what's happening at every turn,,, the ph may be farther off than the op thinks , other factors may exist(like available water and it's temp) .. i just recently moved (twice) and lost my prized striped raphy.. i did everything right , but he died anyway.. it's hard on the fish.. i like to leave as much of the stress out of it as i can...
Hello; How about I plead no contest. Your way can work and my way can work.
To me old fish water is old fish water and I do water changes to replace some with fresh. I can measure for maybe half a dozen or so of the stuffs dissolved or mixed in the water. I figure fish secrete chemicals I cannot detect. There are decay byproducts and so on. To be sure I often see what I think of as pleasure among the fish after a water change. Usually a bit more active or colorful. Sometimes spawning behavior is triggered. I think the fish respond to the freshened water.
That said I do get your point. Changing a fish into a new setup can have extra stress from the differences in the waters. If I used your method I would start a series of WC soon after the fish are seen to be doing well in the new setup.
I think both of you are correct. If I am setting up a "new" tank for new fish that I plan to get, it's all brand new water. But if the new tank is intended to house fish I already own, I'll fill it up to maybe the 1/3 level with water from their tank, install an already-cycled filter, introduce the fish and then top up with fresh new water. This mimics the sort of water change I would normally be doing, and to which the fish are already accustomed.
I am a firm believer in minimizing stress, and catching a fish in a net to transfer it is already a significant stressor. A new location, new tank set-up/decor, different lighting...these are all changes that are inevitable. I will take pains to minimize the changes that I can, and the water is just about the easiest of these steps.
If it ain't broke...
I am a firm believer in minimizing stress, and catching a fish in a net to transfer it is already a significant stressor. A new location, new tank set-up/decor, different lighting...these are all changes that are inevitable. I will take pains to minimize the changes that I can, and the water is just about the easiest of these steps.
If it ain't broke...
i agree .. i actually think your way is as valid as mine.. as a matter of fact , i no longer use old tank water , but if i *knew* the ph / temp was going to be way off i would... i just thought given the circumstance , the system i suggested would provide better peace of mind to the op *and* he might possibly be 100% correct (not to mention he wasn't 100 % sure about *how* much different the ph is/was)...
