Setting Up My 75 Gallon

[Acipenser]

Ok so i bought a bare 75 gallon tank off craigs list and picked up brand new aqua clear 110 today. I am going to transfer all my fish from my 25 gallon and use my aqua clear 30 from that to help establish this tank. I figured if I did 2 or 3 water changes over the next few days using the water from my 25 gallon that I could efectivley have an " instantly" cycled tank ? and then use my ac 30 to help this untill my new 110 is up and running ?

also I would like to add a dozen tiger barbs but worry they will pick on my gold fish I know gold fish arent recommended to be kept with other fish but i can only have one tank ( wife says ).

 

[Corleone]

I'd upgrade the filter. HOB filters never seem to keep up with the size of tank they say they can, at least not with longer tanks.

Aquaclear's are good filters, but I'm cycling a 110 on a 45 gallon tank right now, though that's a bit overkill, I'm planning on goldfish in it. Preferrably a good sized canister for a 75 gallon tank, though adding a HOB at the other end of the tank might work greatly. I ran my 55 with two Aquaclears, the next model down from the 110, for quite a while this way before getting my canister. One just couldn't handle it at all.

Anyway, you might get a minicycle, but moving all your media into the new filter will go a long way, and since you're going to tripple the volume of the tank, ammonia levels shouldn't be going up too quickly.

There's a thread in this section of the forum about fish that can be kept in unheated tanks, I'd use that as a starting point for stocking. Tiger barbs I think can go down to 68F/20C, but if you have fancy goldfish, they'll likely be nipped. Perhaps Rosey barbs, which can go cooler (64F/18C), and don't share tiger barb's nippiness.

 

[Acipenser]

Well cost is a bit of an issue but not the main one i was trying just as a point to set this up as cheaply as possible , so far I am at $160 i have been offered a used fluval 305 for $70 maybe I pick that up and use both filters together. Its looking more and more like I am going to end up with more than 1 tank if I want to keep all the fish I am interested in.

 

[OldMan47]

If you move all of your fish and filter at the same time you will mbe moving a biofilter that is already big enough for the present fish. Once the new filter starts to develop its bacteria you could then gradually increase the bioload as long as you don't go too fast. The water won't help a bit with the cycle but the existing filter is already doing the job for your fish so that wouldn't even make me nervous. After a few weeks, your new filter should be far enough along to start to take over and you could move the original back if you really wanted to run 2 tanks. Otherwise, I have found it is a good idea to always have an extra cycled filter ready for emergencies like the need for a QT.

 

[Acipenser]

thanks for the reply, I have my stand built and the tank filled the 110 is circulating water and I am waiting for the temp to come up to 20 degrees C, when that happens every body is in the new tank. I really like the water movement of the 110 I think I will pick up a second one using one as a bio filter with bio balls and one with only foam for mechanical.

I looked at the fluval 305 but I dont think I need it with my current setup I like the number of filter compartments though, but think building my own sump down the road is a better idea.

 

[Acipenser]

pics:

 

[tyyrlym]

Yeah, with the filter right at the far end like that it's unlikely it'll be able to handle your tank. A second HOB for the other end will pretty much be required or move to a canister so you can set the intake and return at opposite ends to get some flow.