125 G tank project

[MonsieurLaGrenuoille]

What for me could be the best idea is to fill the new 120 g tank with a great amount of water from your old tanks, as much as you can, to take gravel and whatever you can from the old tanks to the new, together with the prepared filters, it should work very fast and the new tank could be used practically immediatelly (that's my idea, perhaps are some people here that have other opinions). You can make big water changes in the old tanks, 50% or so, it would be no problem.

 

[Colin_T]

If you are moving fish from an old established tank that may have different water chemistry to your home water, then take the new fish home in their old water. Use their old water to set up the tank and then do small water changes to dilute anything bad out of the tank, and to slowly acclimatise the fish to your water supply.

I have met plenty of people who bought a neglected secondhand tank with fish, took it home and put the fish into clean dechlorinated water. The fish are all dead within 24 hours due to the sudden change in water chemistry (pH, GH, KH) and water quality (ammonia, nitrite and NITRATE). I emphasise nitrate because neglected tanks regularly have high nitrate levels and a low pH. When the fish get put in water with no nitrates and a different pH, they die.

By keeping the fish in their old water for a few more weeks, and doing small (10-20%) regular (daily) water changes, you gradually improve their water quality and make it better for the fish. You do this for a few weeks and there will be less stress on the fish when you start doing bigger water changes.

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Old aquarium water does not contain beneficial filter bacteria so is pointless for setting up a new tank and hoping the old water will help with the filter cycling process.

Old aquarium water will contain a huge number and variety of harmful microscopic organisms that can harm the fish. So old water is not good if you want healthy fish.

However, for the aforementioned section about sudden changes in water quality and chemistry, old water is safer to use with a neglected tank.

 

[MonsieurLaGrenuoille]

I'm sorry but I don't fully understand what Collin T is saying, I think his explanation should be well known to all aquarists and Jenny surely does know it, for instance I can't understand this: "Use their old water to set up the tank and then do small water changes to dilute anything bad out of the tank". I would say, if there is something bad (living) in the tank or in the water you cannot dilute this by any means. I don't believe in Jenny's tanks are any deseases or bad things and in order to take the fishes in the new tank it could be useful to put old water from the other tanks. It is absolutely impossible to have a tank in which there are no fish deseases and other undesirable things (that's nature), if fishes get ill it's because of bad housing conditions (with the exception of some very bad deseases and parasites that normaly aren't in the tanks) most deseases and parasites are already there and they break out first by bad conditions and polluted water. In old aquaruim water there are a lot of good things that can help to acclimatize a new tank, there are not only a lot of beneficial bacteria but microorganisms, even fungus, that should still exist in aquariums. If you put old aquarium water in a bowl and wait for a couple of hours you will see this form very quickly a biofilm in its interior and become slimy, that's because the old water is full of life and good life.

 

[Colin_T]

took your advice as gospel & the tank was filled with 50% old water & 50% conditioned tap water.

That's fine for fish. You take some of their old water and top it up with new water. If you can take more than 50%, then do or don't, it doesn't matter too much as long as they don't come from really dirty water with a major difference in chemistry.

 

[Stan510]

I'm not sure on what the situation is. Are you going to filter a 125 gallon with hang on back filters? 125 gallons is a large amount of water for those. It's why Collen mentioned canisters even though those are much more expensive.
You mentioned a sump. That's the way to go if you can. Plus with a sump you can use a Home Depot fountain pump for much less than most sold at aquarium stores. Lots of GPH moved.
Filtration can even be minimal if you have small fish and lots of plants and lighting. On youtube there is a 2,000 gallon or so aquarium that is filtered by two ridiculously small filters..but the water is clear and the largest fish are Angelfish,followed by Rainbows and then many, many, tetra species. Larger types like Black Skirts. So..for that a small filter works. Keep a Pacu..and lol..you need horsepower pumps.

 

[Colin_T]

If you have a concrete floor in the basement, why not set that up as a fish room?

 

[Stan510]

You could try and use a hose system that can be attached to your sink faucet where you can mix the hot and cold to a perfect 78f or so. I do that and add dechlor conditioner at the same time. Works fine.
Python has something like that. Mine is jury rigged. All I had to do is buy a threaded fitting for the sink to fit my garden hose I only use for the aquariums.
I've been told that you can't add the dec-chlors to raw water. But they are totally wrong as I've been doing it for years and for all types of freshwater fish.
For draining? Any Home Depot pond pump or even sump pump again,attached to a hose and that water can be pumped out to the yard.
I know,I'm not going to use buckets or my bad back.

 

[Ellie11]

That is a very big tank. I could bath in there. I think much longer than our tub.

 

[MonsieurLaGrenuoille]

Here the photos from the hexagonal tank (who knows what kind of aquarium (brand, year) is that?). 117L.

 

[Stan510]

Just don't use fishtank water all the time on houseplants. I can tell you with 100% for certainty that it will burn roots soon. Once in great while is ok..but salts build up fast compared to tap water.
For those with big dirty fish...its even a faster burn.

 

[FF_Member146894]

Since the Tom, the 6” Synodontis E. is my favorite fish, I‘m looking into buying 3 or so small Toms. Do you that’s advisable?

Synodontis eupterus comes from West Africa where soft water with acidic pH is regular - cichlids are the opposite, coming from waters with high pH and very high GH, so I don't know if they were a good mix from the start

 

[Ellie11]

That is a very big tank. I could bath in there. I think much longer than our tub.

Yes! But it’s only 18” wide. Maybe i could lay on my side.

 

[Ellie11]

You save a lot of money!

 

[itiwhetu]

Thanks for that tip! I will cease & desist.
Back to tap water.

You should study "aquaponics" before dismissing feeding your plants' tank water.

 

[Oblio]

I saw some awesome things at Lowe’s. One, a 72” workbench on sale for $250. It would make one mighty fine tank stand. It’s red metal and shiny butcher block, says it can support 1450 pds & the 4 legs can be adjusted for uneven floors. gorgeous!

If using something like that, I would consider cross bracing the back either with stiff plywood or cabling/turnbuckles (in an X across the back). Think about those cheap metal shelves when they have a bit of weight on them, most of the wiggles are due to lack of bracing. If the workbench ever starts to form a parallelogram with a tank on it you will have a crisis.