Newly set up 200 litre (55gallon)

[Oli]

Hi guys; hopefully some of you have seen my recent posts and I’m not too worried but just wandering how you guys would go about this situation.

-Just got my 200 litre filled with water and my first canister filter successfully running.
-The filter has old media from an established tank.
-The new tank had a piece of unsoaked, aquaone azalea root in, held down without much trouble.
-I added a tiny bit of fish food today to “feed the bacteria” that are present from the old media.
-I am looking to stock with 5 Electric Blue Acaras, but my lfs cannot source them for another 2+ weeks.

The filter and water only got added last night, as I expected, the water is crazy cloudy (have added pics of before and then today when I’ve got home.)

The question is how would you go about over the next couple weeks preparing the tank for these Acaras. Do I need to continue to “feed” the tank and it’s beneficial bacteria. If so, with what? Do I need to add anything or do anything. Or do I simply leave it to run its course until the fish are ready to add?

Thanks guys!

 

[Colin_T]

Put a fish pellet or some raw/ cooked prawn or fish in the tank for 15-30 minutes, then remove it. Do that once or twice a week and the bacteria can survive on that. Then check the ammonia, nitrite & nitrate levels the day before you get fish and do a huge water change the day before you get the fish.
Make sure any new water is free of chlorine/ chloramine before it's added to the tank.

 

[Oli]

Okay, how long is this bacteria bloom/cloudiness likely to last?

 

[Colin_T]

it can last a day or a couple of weeks. If it hasn't cleared in a few days, drain the tank and refill it with dechlorinated water.

 

[Oli]

Hi guys, quick update.

The wood has started to develop a white mould/algae and is obviously still cloudy.
Not too worried about things, I am mostly wanting to let nature run it’s course and have a perfectly clear, algae free tank before adding my Electric blue Acaras. From what I’ve read, this cloudiness and developing mould/algae may take longer than a few weeks to resolve.

What would you guys do in the time being. Is it worth adding any plants for the time being to help with things. The thing is I don’t want to fully plant and aquascape the tank and then have to ruin it all scrubbing the driftwood and moving things around before its ready to go. I also want to ensure the existing media/bacteria in the filter is fed and continues to stay cycled.

I am thinking about doing the following….

-Add a few Java fern, Amazon sword etc. A very lightly planted tank, and when the time comes, I will take it all out and then aquascape properly.

- Add a small number of fish to maintain the cycle. Maybe a school of cardinal tetras or something. These will then be removed and returned to the store when the tank and driftwood is clear, and ready to be aquascaped/prepped for blue Acara.

Thanks!

 

[Oli]

Pic

 

[Colin_T]

Take the wood outside and hose it off before putting it back in the tank. Drain and refill the tank. When the wood stops making mould, add some plants.

 

[Oli]

Unfortunately I live in a 16th floor apartment and have no access to a hose or anywhere to do this? I’ve read this will resolve itself? In the mean time; is it worth adding temporary plants and fish to sustain the cycle??

 

[Essjay]

That's what happened when I bought some Aqua One azalea root. I soaked mine in an old tank in the garden. After about 6 weeks, the wood was still producing white goo and making the water cloudy so I gave up and got some different wood.

I would take the wood out for now and drain and refill the tank as Colin suggested. Can you put the wood in a bath full of water overnight to see if that is what's making the water cloudy?

 

[Oli]

I don’t think the wood is making the water cloudy. I soaked it in the bath for 2 days before putting it in and it had no effect. It certainly looks like a bacteria bloom and is getting better already. Was more curious about whether or not I should add some temporary plants and fish to maintain the tanks cycle and if so, what kind?

 

[Essjay]

I think I've become paranoid about wood in fish tanks after my experience