150g for flowerhorn

[jdpeters87]

just rehomed my fish in my 150. Went to bare bottom and put 100% new water in it. Running two aq 110s and a xl sponge filter. I plan on having a lone flowerhorn in it.
How long til it’s safe to add a small juvenile? Should I add a bacterial starter?

 

[Backfromthedead]

If the tank, filters were already fully cycled, i would say just test your water and if its all clear go for it. Essentially all you did was a large water change.

 

[jdpeters87]

If the tank, filters were already fully cycled, i would say just test your water and if its all clear go for it. Essentially all you did was a large water change.

I haven’t started a new tank in years. I cleaned the aqs out too

 

[Backfromthedead]

I haven’t started a new tank in years. I cleaned the aqs out too

You're still using the old, seasoned filter media though, right? How thorough of a clean? When i clean mine i typically just shake the media off in tank water then put it back in. I never really take the filter apart or wipe it out unless it gets jammed with sand or something. A lot of your beneficial bacteria reside in the film that collects on the inner walls of the filter.

 

[jdpeters87]

You're still using the old, seasoned filter media though, right? How thorough of a clean? When i clean mine i typically just shake the media off in tank water then put it back in. I never really take the filter apart or wipe it out unless it gets jammed with sand or something. A lot of your beneficial bacteria reside in the film that collects on the inner walls of the filter.

I scrubbed. I planned on letting it run fallow for weeks to cycle but now I’m impatient

 

[TheWolfman]

I scrubbed. I planned on letting it run fallow for weeks to cycle but now I’m impatient

What you did is the worst thing you could ever do to a cycled tank.. I would definitely add a bacteria supplement to get the cycle started again, and wait till you start seeing nitrates again. It’s going to take about a month before it’s safe for fish again.

 

[Backfromthedead]

Well as long as you have the old media in you should still be in half decent shape....

You do, uh, still have the old media right?

 

[Gourami Swami]

Sounds like there is no old media, or if there was it was cleaned.
You will have to complete the nitrogen cycle on the new tank. You should ready about it, something every aquarist needs to get comfortable with
Here, read this: https://www.fishlore.com/NitrogenCycle.htm

Now, if you want to skip the nitrogen cycle, I would get some Dr. Tim's one and only. It's the only one I have used that worked (and the old bio-spira, but they changed it now)

You will need fish in the tank for the bacteria supplement to work. I would get some zebra danios, get the Dr. Tim's and add both at same time. Then test your water; will probably go thru mini-cycle while bacteria population adjusts to ammonia level in tank. Should take about a week to stabilize. Then do a small water change and you can add FH