tank set up
- Thread starter cqu1g
- Start date
um ok your going to want to fill it with water in the desired location start evreything up, add dechlorinate or prime to it, then add a hardy fish, only one, and wait till all ur params are good, thats it in a nutshell, I am sure someone else would give a better description.
you dont have to add just one hardy fish. you can do like 4 to 6 zebra danios. but if you dont want them in your final setup, you can either have fish that will eat them once the tank is cycled, or talk to your LFS about using them for only cycling, plus one hardy fish isnt going to cycle the tank enough if you replace one small fish with an oscar IMO, but a small school of zebra danios would prepare the tank more for an oncoming bioload of a larger fish or even a medium sized one.
Step one: put the tank on a level surface where it wont matter if it gets wet and fill the tank to check for leaks. You don't want to have it set up in a nice room of your house on a nice stand only to find that water is slowly leaking out of a seam.
Your really don't need to clean it off, but it will look better. It will probably help to use some strong vinegar or a diluted stronger acid to get the buildup off. Just make sure the parts that will touch the tank water are rinsed very well.cqu1g;2111973; said:
if i were you, id setup the tank where you want it, fill it with water and your substrate etc., wait a few days with the filter running (you bought a nice filter btw, good setup, overfiltered = happy fish), and then add a small school of zebra danios like i mentioned above. you should talk to your lfs (local fish store), about either borrowing them for cycling, or having them in your final setup, unless you get some stock in your tank that would eat the danios and all is happy. places like petsmart wont let you borrow for cycling, and you cant return fish unless they are dead, but the danios will be fine in your tank. after you fill the tank and go to your lfs for some zebra danios, your next move should be to buy a book that will explain the nitrogen cycle, how to stock your tank and maintain it easily. you will have plenty of time to do research from either a purchased book or online while your tank is cycling. but places like petsmart will lead you in the right direction in regards to cleaning your tank, feeding the fish, and some general stuff. but it would be better if you were informed by a book as to stocking your tank and general tips to the upkeep of the tank.
this will be a learning experience for you, as even people who have had 100's of fish tanks for possibly half a century are still learning new things about the hobby. but the best advice i can give you is to ask questions, and to find a good lfs, and talk to them.
this will be a learning experience for you, as even people who have had 100's of fish tanks for possibly half a century are still learning new things about the hobby. but the best advice i can give you is to ask questions, and to find a good lfs, and talk to them.
Search fishless cycling it will save on the suffering of fish you don't wan't in the first place . Second buy a test kit test for ammonia, nitrite and nitrate.When the ammonia and nitrite read 0 and the nitrates start to level 30-50mg/l you can start to stock your tank. But start to stock slowly or your tank will go through another cycle. Good luck
I 2nd the fishless cycling bit. I've been doing it for the past several years and it works great. For your ammonia source, visit a hardware store and finding cleaning ammonia that is nothing but ammonia and water (no soaps/surfactants)
you shouldnt need to add ammonia to the water if you use fish to cycle the tank. id add the school of danios and use a bacterial supplement, its not ammonia, but its helps the growth of bacteria in the tank. the danios can take the amount of ammonia that they produce, so you shouldnt need to add any ammonia to the tank, just let the cycle take its course.