I got my first fish tank when I about 14. It was just a little 10 gallon set up. My first fish were Zebra Danios. They sure were tough! It didn't take long before I wanted something more. Thats when I got a used 30 long mirror back tank that I found in the local paper. It had a pair of 4" Oscars in it. Yeah I didn't know exactly what I was getting into at the time but it cemented my love for Oscars. Thankfully I have learned a lot since then. I ended up getting rid of those tanks and have been out of keeping an aquarium for many years.
About a month ago I was offered to take a couple 55 gallon set ups. One had been in used when I got it, the other sat dry for some time.
Tank 1:
The old light was in bad shape. The hood that came with it was one of the plastic kinds but the glass was missing on both sides. I tried to clean and fix the light up and replaced the missing glass. It worked fine for awhile but one day the light caught fire. I caught it pretty fast but not fast enough to save the hood or light. I ended up replacing the hood with a new one and even bought a new Fluval M series 300 Heater and an AquaClear 70 to Assist the old Whisper 30-60. Its been running pretty good and holding the Ammonia, Nitrite, to under .25 ppm and Nitrates below 10-20 between water changes. Its currently stocked with 2 2.5" Oscars, a 2" pleco, and a 2" Bichir Senegalas.
Tank 2:
I added a Marineland C-220 canister filter and bought a new Fluval M 300 Heater for it. It was the dry one so I got some new gravel and I'm still in the process of cycling it. Its only been up and running for about a week. I let the C-220 run on the other tank for about a week to try and help seed it. The AQ 70 replaced another Whisper 30-60 which was added with old media to this new 55. In another week I will probably add the pleco to it. He should produce more than enough waste to help cycle it. When cycled the Bichir will go in here and the pleco back with the Oscars.
In my off time I've been building a new double 55 gallon tank stand. I'm sure it won't win any awards for craftsmanship but it definitely strong! Hopefully I'll be able to post pictures of it later.
Down the road I want to upgrade both 55s to 125s and use the 55s as sumps as the my current stock out grows the 55s.
About a month ago I was offered to take a couple 55 gallon set ups. One had been in used when I got it, the other sat dry for some time.
Tank 1:
The old light was in bad shape. The hood that came with it was one of the plastic kinds but the glass was missing on both sides. I tried to clean and fix the light up and replaced the missing glass. It worked fine for awhile but one day the light caught fire. I caught it pretty fast but not fast enough to save the hood or light. I ended up replacing the hood with a new one and even bought a new Fluval M series 300 Heater and an AquaClear 70 to Assist the old Whisper 30-60. Its been running pretty good and holding the Ammonia, Nitrite, to under .25 ppm and Nitrates below 10-20 between water changes. Its currently stocked with 2 2.5" Oscars, a 2" pleco, and a 2" Bichir Senegalas.
Tank 2:
I added a Marineland C-220 canister filter and bought a new Fluval M 300 Heater for it. It was the dry one so I got some new gravel and I'm still in the process of cycling it. Its only been up and running for about a week. I let the C-220 run on the other tank for about a week to try and help seed it. The AQ 70 replaced another Whisper 30-60 which was added with old media to this new 55. In another week I will probably add the pleco to it. He should produce more than enough waste to help cycle it. When cycled the Bichir will go in here and the pleco back with the Oscars.
In my off time I've been building a new double 55 gallon tank stand. I'm sure it won't win any awards for craftsmanship but it definitely strong! Hopefully I'll be able to post pictures of it later.
Down the road I want to upgrade both 55s to 125s and use the 55s as sumps as the my current stock out grows the 55s.
