Have A Cracked 29Gal, Upgrading To 90Gal Right Now, Need Advice!

[Jackiee]

I found my new tank on Craigslist from a man wanting to sell it for some quick cash before he went on a trip.
I went to go see the new tank and bought it, get this..
90 gallon aquarium with stand, glass lids, light, gravel, driftwood, decor, two fluval 300 filters, gravel siphon, large fish net, and water conditioner for $200.


I'm an extremely happy camper right now, but I need to get my fish moved as soon as possible.

I need some advice on how to do this easily and properly.

The tank was out in the cold van, so it's been sitting in the house for about an hour
so far so it gets back up to room temperature before I start wiping it down and moving
it around (EXTREMELY HEAVY).

I was just going to use the gravel that the guy gave me, should I rinse it first? or not since it has bacteria from his tank?

Also, I was just going to move ONLY my decor and filters over from the old tank to this new tank.
No old water from the aquarium since my water paramters are bad anyways. 100% new water treated with Seachem Prime.

How should I go about his Fluvals he gave me? He told me I should probably rinse them out good.. should I do this?
I know that the chlorine from my tap water would kill beneficial bacteria in his filter cannisters,
but my old filters would replenish this bacteria over the course of a few weeks.

Also, the piece of driftwood, should I rinse that off, soak it? or would the chlorine from the tap soak into the wood
and release into my tank water once it was in there?

Any help please?

 

[rhyukinfin]

I found my new tank on Craigslist from a man wanting to sell it for some quick cash before he went on a trip.
I went to go see the new tank and bought it, get this..
90 gallon aquarium with stand, glass lids, light, gravel, driftwood, decor, two fluval 300 filters, gravel siphon, large fish net, and water conditioner for $200.


I'm an extremely happy camper right now, but I need to get my fish moved as soon as possible.

I need some advice on how to do this easily and properly.

The tank was out in the cold van, so it's been sitting in the house for about an hour
so far so it gets back up to room temperature before I start wiping it down and moving
it around (EXTREMELY HEAVY).

I was just going to use the gravel that the guy gave me, should I rinse it first? or not since it has bacteria from his tank?

Also, I was just going to move ONLY my decor and filters over from the old tank to this new tank.
No old water from the aquarium since my water paramters are bad anyways. 100% new water treated with Seachem Prime.

How should I go about his Fluvals he gave me? He told me I should probably rinse them out good.. should I do this?
I know that the chlorine from my tap water would kill beneficial bacteria in his filter cannisters,
but my old filters would replenish this bacteria over the course of a few weeks.

Also, the piece of driftwood, should I rinse that off, soak it? or would the chlorine from the tap soak into the wood
and release into my tank water once it was in there?

Any help please?

if you rinse the fluvals with your old aquarium water that is ok but dont do it with tap water also you could try putting your old filters in tank . Have your filters been off for any amount of time if yes your beneficial bacteria could be dead depending on amount of time with out oxygen .However if they have been on use them with the fluvals /or cut your filter sponges and place them in the fluvals with the fluval sponges if you could get any bacteria from your local fish shop eg tetrabactazym or bactinetts to help with maturing your filters .Rinse your new gravel or boil it .THE DRIFTWOOD I WOULD SOAK IT WELL !.Also sterilize nets etc allow tank to come to room temp then clean it well you dont know if his fish died or were given away YoU SAID YOUR PARAMETERS WERE BAD HOW BAD? YOU COULD USE YOUR WATER FROM OLD TANK AND TOP UP WITH NEW PRIME TREATED WATER WHICH I WOULD DO ALSO TRY TO USE YOUR GRAVEL AS WELL .If poss use your old tank water hope this helps.MAKE SURE THAT YOUR NEW TANK IS SOUND /not leaking seals good . HAS YOUR TANK BEEN DISCONNECTED OR IS IT STILL RUNNING IF RUNNING USE YOUR OLD WATER

 

[Jackiee]

My tank is still up and running, it has 3 fish in it,
and unfortunately my water paramters are pretty bad, the only reason my fish are probably okay right now is because of Prime detoxifying the bad stuff.
My ammonia is through the roof 4.0ppm and nitrites are slightly high 0.25ppm, nitrates were 40ppm.
My filters have been running the whole time. I have Stress Zyme with bacteria in it, would that work? or help?

What should I soak the driftwood in? Would tap water be okay?

How do I sterilize the nets?

And his fish were actually just moved to a different tank in his basement.

Thanks for the info!

 

[rhyukinfin]

My tank is still up and running, it has 3 fish in it,
and unfortunately my water paramters are pretty bad, the only reason my fish are probably okay right now is because of Prime detoxifying the bad stuff.
My ammonia is through the roof 4.0ppm and nitrites are slightly high 0.25ppm, nitrates were 40ppm.
My filters have been running the whole time. I have Stress Zyme with bacteria in it, would that work? or help?

What should I soak the driftwood in? Would tap water be okay?

How do I sterilize the nets?

And his fish were actually just moved to a different tank in his basement.

Thanks for the info!

JACKIEE STILL USE YOUR WATER BECAUSE IT HAS BENEFICIAL BACTERIA IN IT DUE TO LOWER LEVELS OF NITRITE 3 FISH COULD HAVE BEEN TOO MANY FOR A TANK THAT IS QUITE SMALL SO IF YOU PUT ALL YOUR OLD AQUARIUM WATER IN TO YOUR NEW TANK THEN ADD FRESH PRIME TREATED WATER THAT WILL BE LIKE A VERY LARGE WATER CHANGE THAT WILL BE FINE JUST READ UP ON STRESS ZYME AND IT S BACTERIA ARENT GOOD ENOUGH TAP WATER TREATED WITH THE CORRECT AMOUNT OF PRIME TO SOAK DRIFTWOOD YOU CAN USE PRIME ACTUALLY NEUTRALISE AMMONIA AND DE TOXIFIES NITRITE AND NITRATE SO JUST USE THAT BUT IF YOU CAN GET BACTERIA FROM YOUR LOCAL FISH SHOP .I WOULDNT USE THE STRESS ZYME AT ALL PRIME DOES EVERYTHING THAT YOU NEED YOUR BACTERIA WILL GROW DUE TO INCREASE IN TANK SIZE BUT KEEP CHECK ON PARAMETERS ALSO IS YOUR PH OK? TO STERILIZE NETS SOAK THEM WITH SALT OR A BLEACH SOLUTION 1-20 PARTS WATER THEN RINSE THEM REALLY WELL THEN PUT A LITTLE OF PRIME INTO A CONTAINER/BUCKET PLACE NET IN AND THEN THATS STERILIZED . YOUR FILTERS WHAT ARE THEY?BRAND NAME /DO YOU KNOW HOW MANY GALLONS AN HOUR ITS FLOW RATE ARE?

 

[rhyukinfin]

My tank is still up and running, it has 3 fish in it,
and unfortunately my water paramters are pretty bad, the only reason my fish are probably okay right now is because of Prime detoxifying the bad stuff.
My ammonia is through the roof 4.0ppm and nitrites are slightly high 0.25ppm, nitrates were 40ppm.
My filters have been running the whole time. I have Stress Zyme with bacteria in it, would that work? or help?

What should I soak the driftwood in? Would tap water be okay?

How do I sterilize the nets?

And his fish were actually just moved to a different tank in his basement.

Thanks for the info!

JACKIEE STILL USE YOUR WATER BECAUSE IT HAS BENEFICIAL BACTERIA IN IT DUE TO LOWER LEVELS OF NITRITE 3 FISH COULD HAVE BEEN TOO MANY FOR A TANK THAT IS QUITE SMALL SO IF YOU PUT ALL YOUR OLD AQUARIUM WATER IN TO YOUR NEW TANK THEN ADD FRESH PRIME TREATED WATER THAT WILL BE LIKE A VERY LARGE WATER CHANGE THAT WILL BE FINE JUST READ UP ON STRESS ZYME AND IT S BACTERIA ARENT GOOD ENOUGH TAP WATER TREATED WITH THE CORRECT AMOUNT OF PRIME TO SOAK DRIFTWOOD YOU CAN USE PRIME ACTUALLY NEUTRALISE AMMONIA AND DE TOXIFIES NITRITE AND NITRATE SO JUST USE THAT BUT IF YOU CAN GET BACTERIA FROM YOUR LOCAL FISH SHOP .I WOULDNT USE THE STRESS ZYME AT ALL PRIME DOES EVERYTHING THAT YOU NEED YOUR BACTERIA WILL GROW DUE TO INCREASE IN TANK SIZE BUT KEEP CHECK ON PARAMETERS ALSO IS YOUR PH OK? TO STERILIZE NETS SOAK THEM WITH SALT OR A BLEACH SOLUTION 1-20 PARTS WATER THEN RINSE THEM REALLY WELL THEN PUT A LITTLE OF PRIME INTO A CONTAINER/BUCKET PLACE NET IN AND THEN THATS STERILIZED . YOUR FILTERS WHAT ARE THEY?BRAND NAME /DO YOU KNOW HOW MANY GALLONS AN HOUR ITS FLOW RATE ARE?

ME AGAIN JULIE/JACKIEE JUST LOOKED UP FLUVAL IS IT A FLUVAL 305 IF IT IS THEY ARE NO GOOD FOR YOUR SIZE TANK THERE FLOW RATE IS 28 GALLONS AN HOUR

 

[Jackiee]

It is a Fluval 304, and I have 2 of them, the guy that sold them to me said it filters plenty of gallons per hour for the 90 gallon, I can't remember exactly how many he said.

How long do I need to soak the driftwood? he had it in his tank already before, but is there a reason I should soak it?
is it in case he had bad bacteria in his tank or something?

And thank you!



If I do all of this tonight, and start running my filters, could I put my fish in tonight? as long as my water parameters in the new tank are okay?

And also, do you have any idea of how to start/run the fluvals? they didnt come with an instruction manual and I couldn't find anything telling me how to online, either.
I know you have to pump the lever on the top or something to start suction?, but I'm clueless.. there is also a straight hose, and a curved/bent hose that almost looks
as if it just sits over the top of the tank to release the water.

I posted another forum asking about the fluval in tropical discussion..



**EDIT: I googled it, and it said the Fluval 304's filter 260 GPH.

 

[Jackiee]

If I only run my penquin bio-wheel 170 filter
and my marineland h.o.t. magnum filter
after getting everything set up, would it be okay to put my fish in the tank until tomorrow, when my uncle
can come over and start the fluvals for me?

 

[Jackiee]

I just looked online, my Penguin filter, filters 170 GPH, and my Marineland H.O.T. Magnum filters 250 GPH.
That's 4 and a half times filtration in my 90 gallon so I think It would be okay for a day or two.

 

[rhyukinfin]

I just looked online, my Penguin filter, filters 170 GPH, and my Marineland H.O.T. Magnum filters 250 GPH.
That's 4 and a half times filtration in my 90 gallon so I think It would be okay for a day or two.

JACKIEE THAT GPH IS GOOD TO USE FOR A LONG TIME YOU COULD USE THEM UNTIL YOUR OTHER FILTERS MATURE. IF YOU CAN GET HOLD OF SOME BACTERIA THAT WOULD HELP AND YOU CAN JUST KEEP CHECKING YOUR PARAMETERS GOOD LUCK I DONT USE EXTERNAL FILTERS BUT IN MY TANK I HAVE A TURN OVER RATE OF 4X TIMES THE TANK SO YOURS SHOULD BE FINE IF YOU DONT WANT TO USE THE FLUVAL EXTERNALS .

 

[Jackiee]

I have my Penguin 170 and my h.o.t. Magnum 250 filters both running right now, along with one of the Fluval 304's. I figured out how to get it running (took me an hour!)
I discovered that on my other Fluval 304, there was a piece broken off on the side of the actual container that holds the baskets/sponges. It's the piece that allows the
clamps to lock the lid on the canister, and i figured this out after I filled the filter, turned it on, and boom, the lid pops off on one side and water starts running all over my floor!

so I won't be able to use that one until my Uncle gives me a replacement canister container from a 304 that he's not using anymore.

Then I'll have all four of them puppies running!

Also, when I did actually get the Fluval 304 running, it started spewing brown muck into my water and now my water is extremely cloudy/brown/dingy.. I rinsed the filter out best I could (IT WAS FILTHY) every piece that I dipped into dechlorinated tap water isntantly turn the water
black and I had to keep dumping it out, adding fresh water. The brown junk that It shot out when it first started won't hurt my fish will it?


Also discovered last night.. before even adding water into my new tank, I tested the water from my old tank, parameters were still bad..
An ammonia of 4.0 and a nitrite of .50ppm..

Then, I tested the bucket of water that I had filled with my tap water that I was about to pour into the new tank..
MY TAP WATER IS BAD!
The tap water alone, had 2.0ppm of ammonia and 0.25ppm of nitrite!
So, with that being said, I siphoned out the water from my old tank and put it in the new tank since
the parameters weren't going to improve either way..

What the heck am I supposed to do about that?
It's not like I can go out and buy THAT much spring water from the grocery store every time I need to do a water change,
that's way too expensive and a huge hassel..


Advice?

 

[Jackiee]

Here's the tank set up and running
Need a few adjustments in the decor cause I'm not quite satisfied, but don't want to stress the fishies out right now.

 

[Dodders]

Hi Jackie, don't know if it's any help now but there are online manuals for the various Fluval 304s on this page

 

[Jackiee]

Thank you!
But I already figured out how to get one of them going,
couldn't get the pump lever to work, so I just manually filled it up myself with a cup and water from the tank, then got it going.
I discovered the other fluval was broken, so I have to wait to get a replacement part.

 

[rhyukinfin]

I have my Penguin 170 and my h.o.t. Magnum 250 filters both running right now, along with one of the Fluval 304's. I figured out how to get it running (took me an hour!)
I discovered that on my other Fluval 304, there was a piece broken off on the side of the actual container that holds the baskets/sponges. It's the piece that allows the
clamps to lock the lid on the canister, and i figured this out after I filled the filter, turned it on, and boom, the lid pops off on one side and water starts running all over my floor!

so I won't be able to use that one until my Uncle gives me a replacement canister container from a 304 that he's not using anymore.

Then I'll have all four of them puppies running!

Also, when I did actually get the Fluval 304 running, it started spewing brown muck into my water and now my water is extremely cloudy/brown/dingy.. I rinsed the filter out best I could (IT WAS FILTHY) every piece that I dipped into dechlorinated tap water isntantly turn the water
black and I had to keep dumping it out, adding fresh water. The brown junk that It shot out when it first started won't hurt my fish will it?


Also discovered last night.. before even adding water into my new tank, I tested the water from my old tank, parameters were still bad..
An ammonia of 4.0 and a nitrite of .50ppm..

Then, I tested the bucket of water that I had filled with my tap water that I was about to pour into the new tank..
MY TAP WATER IS BAD!
The tap water alone, had 2.0ppm of ammonia and 0.25ppm of nitrite!
So, with that being said, I siphoned out the water from my old tank and put it in the new tank since
the parameters weren't going to improve either way..

What the heck am I supposed to do about that?
It's not like I can go out and buy THAT much spring water from the grocery store every time I need to do a water change,
that's way too expensive and a huge hassel..


Advice?

jackiee you can use seachem stability for your tank just think of it as new tank syndrome with the parameters that you have if your uncle has the same type of fish ask him for some old water/sponge that has bacteria on but never rinse your filter medium out in tap water only use old aquarium water in your tank all you need is bacteria just do a water change then put bacteria in your tank you really need bacteria just do maybe 10 gallons fresh then put bacteria in glad to see it up and running though good luck have a look at this link http/www.seachem.com/Products/product_pages/Stability.html

 

[rhyukinfin]

I have my Penguin 170 and my h.o.t. Magnum 250 filters both running right now, along with one of the Fluval 304's. I figured out how to get it running (took me an hour!)
I discovered that on my other Fluval 304, there was a piece broken off on the side of the actual container that holds the baskets/sponges. It's the piece that allows the
clamps to lock the lid on the canister, and i figured this out after I filled the filter, turned it on, and boom, the lid pops off on one side and water starts running all over my floor!

so I won't be able to use that one until my Uncle gives me a replacement canister container from a 304 that he's not using anymore.

Then I'll have all four of them puppies running!

Also, when I did actually get the Fluval 304 running, it started spewing brown muck into my water and now my water is extremely cloudy/brown/dingy.. I rinsed the filter out best I could (IT WAS FILTHY) every piece that I dipped into dechlorinated tap water isntantly turn the water
black and I had to keep dumping it out, adding fresh water. The brown junk that It shot out when it first started won't hurt my fish will it?


Also discovered last night.. before even adding water into my new tank, I tested the water from my old tank, parameters were still bad..
An ammonia of 4.0 and a nitrite of .50ppm..

Then, I tested the bucket of water that I had filled with my tap water that I was about to pour into the new tank..
MY TAP WATER IS BAD!
The tap water alone, had 2.0ppm of ammonia and 0.25ppm of nitrite!
So, with that being said, I siphoned out the water from my old tank and put it in the new tank since
the parameters weren't going to improve either way..

What the heck am I supposed to do about that?
It's not like I can go out and buy THAT much spring water from the grocery store every time I need to do a water change,
that's way too expensive and a huge hassel..


Advice?

I have my Penguin 170 and my h.o.t. Magnum 250 filters both running right now, along with one of the Fluval 304's. I figured out how to get it running (took me an hour!)
I discovered that on my other Fluval 304, there was a piece broken off on the side of the actual container that holds the baskets/sponges. It's the piece that allows the
clamps to lock the lid on the canister, and i figured this out after I filled the filter, turned it on, and boom, the lid pops off on one side and water starts running all over my floor!

so I won't be able to use that one until my Uncle gives me a replacement canister container from a 304 that he's not using anymore.

Then I'll have all four of them puppies running!

Also, when I did actually get the Fluval 304 running, it started spewing brown muck into my water and now my water is extremely cloudy/brown/dingy.. I rinsed the filter out best I could (IT WAS FILTHY) every piece that I dipped into dechlorinated tap water isntantly turn the water
black and I had to keep dumping it out, adding fresh water. The brown junk that It shot out when it first started won't hurt my fish will it?


Also discovered last night.. before even adding water into my new tank, I tested the water from my old tank, parameters were still bad..
An ammonia of 4.0 and a nitrite of .50ppm..

Then, I tested the bucket of water that I had filled with my tap water that I was about to pour into the new tank..
MY TAP WATER IS BAD!
The tap water alone, had 2.0ppm of ammonia and 0.25ppm of nitrite!
So, with that being said, I siphoned out the water from my old tank and put it in the new tank since
the parameters weren't going to improve either way..

What the heck am I supposed to do about that?
It's not like I can go out and buy THAT much spring water from the grocery store every time I need to do a water change,
that's way too expensive and a huge hassel..


Advice?

jackiee me again julie) here is a link u may find useful http/happycichlids.com/Home.html