125 G tank project

[FishHobby99]

deleted

 

[Colin_T]

If you get sponges for an external filter (say an AquaClear sponge), you can put the new sponges in your current filters and leave them there to cycle. They will develop faster because they will be in an established tank and filter, and the good bacteria will be able to transfer from the old media onto the new media.

You can also take half the old established media ad put it in the new filter and this gives you an instant cycled tank.

I prefer AquaClear HOB filters but there are plenty of brands out there. Look for one with a decent warranty, easy to clean, easy to get parts for, and one that uses sponges (not filter pads). Sponges last longer, are easier to clean, and don't need replacing until they fall apart after 10+ years.

 

[wgoldfarb]

Glad to see you settled on a filter. I don't have much experience with that filter (mine is an Eheim Canister) but you can't go wrong following Colin's advice.

Just a heads up on using your established filter to cycle new media: I've never done it, but just from common sense, I would think that when you remove media from your established filter you might be removing a large part of your colony, and might experience somewhat of a mini cycle while the colony recovers. The same might happen again on both tanks when you move the newly cycled media to the new tank. More experienced people should chime in, but you might want to monitor your water closely for the first few days.

 

[wgoldfarb]

yep, been reading about exactly what you describe. Dang, you’re good! I may wind up leaving the new filter in an established tank for two or so weeks & cycle without borrowing inserts from cycled filters. TLF has no idea when the 125 will be here. Could be next week and could be next year. My needs to transfer the fish are not urgent.

I had concerns about placing a 1000+ pound tank next to another of approximate equal weight. They are above a finished basement used as a gym. The husband believes all would be well, but picked up 6 posts (4x4) at Lowe’s that will support the joist that runs below the tanks to humor me. He tends to overbuild, so probably a herd of elephants could dance around the tanks.

Yikes. 2000 lbs is a lot, I would share your concern! If you don't reinforce, it would be better if the tank runs across the joists (i.e. perpendicular to the joists) rather than along them, so that the weight is supported by several joists instead of just one or two. Even better is the tanks are near a load bearing wall.

Having said that, however, I'm glad you are reinforcing with 4x4s. An 8 foot 4x4 can support several thousand pounds (I don't remember exactly, but I think it's over 5,000 lbs) so with 6 of them spaced evenly and uniformly under the joists your tanks will be well supported.

 

[Colin_T]

Glad to see you settled on a filter. I don't have much experience with that filter (mine is an Eheim Canister) but you can't go wrong following Colin's advice.

Eheim are good filters too.

 

[MonsieurLaGrenuoille]

For me these are gigantic dimensions in terms of aquariums, but I would tend to build a sump for it. The canister- and other filters wont be enough for that size, you will need to have several of them or a very big Eheim classic 1500XL or something similar (this monster swallows 65W !!!) for only 2400 l/h, so for me is the sump the much better solution, with a pump that produce 4000 or 6000 l/h for less power, but don't trust me too much I'm not expert in giant tanks. And besides, for the couple of poor fish you want to save of their misery should be such an expenditure necessary? If it's makeable for you..., no problem, but there are also other possibilities.

 

[MonsieurLaGrenuoille]

Last Friday (it was the famous "black" one that is now a big event also in Germany, like halloween etc) I have found a very beautifull tank left in the middle of the street, and I took it to me at home, it is an hexagonal one with a net content of 105 l of water, the bottom is entirely made of thick plastic and also the top, it seems to be an antique aquarium from the last century, well I'm happy to have get it!

 

[MonsieurLaGrenuoille]

Pas de quoi madame, toujours avec plaisir! I believe your idea with these 2 filters will work well, as you say the tank has not a big biolad. In most cases the L/h declared by the producers aren't the real performance but always a little over-estimated, I've heard that in several forums, I don't know the brand you're speaking of but surely they are of good quality. You should have enough water movement in the tank, you know that's important for the bacteria in it and in the soil. I'll be doing a photo of my brand new couriosity-tank soon, I could only put it where I have already a 60 L, but not all at once, perhaps next year, my apartment is a very tiny size "à la japonaise" and is already overstuffed.

 

[itiwhetu]

Pas de quoi madame, toujours avec plaisir! I believe your idea with these 2 filters will work well, as you say the tank has not a big biolad. In most cases the L/h declared by the producers aren't the real performance but always a little over-estimated, I've heard that in several forums, I don't know the brand you're speaking of but surely they are of good quality. You should have enough water movement in the tank, you know that's important for the bacteria in it and in the soil. I'll be doing a photo of my brand new couriosity-tank soon, I could only put it where I have already a 60 L, but not all at once, perhaps next year, my apartment is a very tiny size "à la japonaise" and is already overstuffed.

I love that " overstuffed " description of your apartment.

 

[FF_Member146894]

I would get a canister filter or two
if not then I would build another sump
1 aquaclear is hardly going to be enough

are you going to make this a proper cichlid biotope?

with cichlid tanks I would go for heavy rockwork and a tan sand or very fine grey/tan gravel

you can just do a hanging light or two like in the photo above and it will look much better and save a lot of money since you don't actually need to be doing any heavy plant growing

and you can probably get away with some shell dwellers in the bottom of the tank
I would also add more frontosa, the same size as the one you have, but then you would probably not have space for the bullied cichlids in the 125
I wonder if you could reintroduce the bullied cichlids into the 90 gallon alongside a bunch of newly bought cichlids, so the aggression will be more spread and not targeted

 

[MonsieurLaGrenuoille]

I love the decor, pictures and antique furnishing I've seen in your home! This affair with the air bubbles was funny, don't be fooled next time. I'll be here to follow your advances, and hopefully I can give you some advice, I'm still waiting for a bit of sunshine to make some photos of my antique tank (it's really amazing, problably from the eighties), have a nice day Jenny.

 

[wgoldfarb]

Soaking in conditioned water for a few hours did indeed remove air from the 3 filter cartridges. It bubbled briefly. The AquaClear 110 is resting comfortably in the goldfish tank, hopefully breeding beneficial bacteria. I continue to be unable to discern how long this process takes, meaning to fully cycle a filter. View attachment 149105

The AC 110 is the biggest ugliest filter I‘ve ever seen! It’s facing directly at me right now. Suppose the pair will be less unsightly when positioned left & right on the new tank.

You left the goldfish filter in place with all it's media, right? If so it's hard to tell how much it will take the new filter to develop a good bacteria colony. It depends on the bioload of the tank and the colony of the existing filter. They new filter will develop some bacteria, but since you already have a cycled filter, the "pressure" on the new filter to develop a full colony is lower. The good news is that goldfish, iirc, are fish with a high bioload, which is good for this. In any case, I think it should take 3 weeks or less (a brand new tank takes ~5-6 weeks, but you are starting with a well established filter providing a good source of bacteria).

Still, when you finally transfer this new filter into the 125 you might still experience a mini cycle while the filter adapts to handling a full bioload on its own, but it should be very short (as you will already have base colonies of both types of bacteria).

Another thing you could do, about a week before your fish arrive you could transfer the new filter to its tank and give it a single ammonia snack (perhaps 1-2ppm) to get a head start on this mini cycle. Unless others more experienced have better ideas

 

[wgoldfarb]

Very eager to see this set up! I won't be able to get a big tank any time soon, so I'm enjoying your 125 vicariously!

 

[MonsieurLaGrenuoille]

I think to get this 120 G cycled will take at least 5-6 weeks, no matter if you have these filters cycled or not (only a very little difference). Perhaps by putting some gravel etc from established tanks you will have acceptable results but you should still be cautious (I have no idea of cycling tanks with fish but that should be the solution!). I believe these fish can wait till the tank is fine, isn't it?

 

[Colin_T]

Would frequent massive water changes compensate for less than fully cycled filters ?

Yes it helps to dilute ammonia and nitrite and this means there is significantly less stress on the fish.

Ammonia is extremely toxic to all animals, birds, fish, reptiles and people so the less they are exposed to, the safer it is for them.