Used 200litre Needs Setting Up Ready For Fishless Cycling

[kbod]

hi after running two 64 litres from new since nov (sorry to say started via fish in cycle as advised by lfs ), ive decided to go large and do it correctly via a fishless cycle ,

im now setting up a used 200litre mature tank i brought , its 102 cm(l) x 33cm(w) x50cm (h)

it had been running till i got it on saturday with no probs and fish in great health just moved to bigger tank, it came with a heater,small natural gravel, real rocks,artificial tree root decs ,

but no filter ,hood or light fitting,owner kept filter and prev clip on light.

ive been given a used fluvel 4+ filter needs new sponges .. but im struggling to find either a suitable lid or a light fitting ie ..clip on my lfs want £120. for clip on light ,

what i could use that maybe isnt that high in price ? plz remember talking to newbie so wont understand anything technical also i have two left feet instead of hands so not very good at building anything lol x

 

[Ludwig Venter]

You are saying a lot, but I cannot formulate a picture...... Narrow it down a bit. What I do read, is that you've set up a 200l unit with a fluval filter and the fish are healthy..... "If it ain't broke, do not fix it".... They will survive without a light and hood, (if that is your question)..... Not sure what you want to know??

 

[kbod]

soz ...
ive purchased a used 200litre thats empty so need help getting it set up. no fish gonna do fishless cycle when ready.

i have two tanks small going at moment but were set up new so never had to buy equipment ..im still newbie

 

[kbod]

where can i get a hood/lid incl light fitting made for 200litre bowfront tank ?

or whats cheapest price for a clip on light ?

 

[waterdrop]

Hi kbod,

Since nobody's mentioned any really good hood/lid ideas for you, I'll mention the more general approach it made me think about.. probably obvious but who knows, sometimes helps if somebody else just yaks, lol.

Of course the first thing one might do would be to attempt to figure out who might have manufactured the tank in the first place and whether they already have any fitted hood/lights for it. You'd just have to use any lead you had for that and perhaps as a last resort you could attempt to post sharply focused pics of the tank and its edges and perhaps some member would recognize it as a type they knew!

A completely different approach would be to attempt to have made a custom top and then put a strip light over it. On a bowfront, one type that works is to have one piece of glass that's cut with the matching curve of the front, then comes back along the sides an inch or two and then is a straight line across the length of the tank. Then you attach one of those grip hinges that holds onto the glass full length and is flexible and attaches to another piece of glass that's a rectangle which covers most of the rest of the tank except for leaving room at the back for gear. A strip hood light or two can just be placed over top this to shine throught into the tank, supported at the sides of the tank. The problem of couse is finding the hinge stuff and finding a good glass cutter service.

~~waterdrop~~

 

[kbod]

many thanks for answering waterdrop xx

i brought tank 2nd hand so unsure its make there isnt any name on it ,

non of my lfs sell bowfront lids ,but i think i will have to see if i can find someone who can make it,

ive posted thread about lid/light in equip threads so you never no.

thanks again x

 

[kbod]

thanks so far for help with tank
soz more questions
ive rinsed the sand and added it to the tank along with the decs , heater and fluvel 4+ (nothings switched on )

1) do i fill tank with just cold water or can i use some hot ?

2) is one heater enough ?

3) im gonna do fishless cycle but no lfs do amonia what do i need ? ..........and from where ?

 

[simon10]

thanks so far for help with tank
soz more questions
ive rinsed the sand and added it to the tank along with the decs , heater and fluvel 4+ (nothings switched on )

1) do i fill tank with just cold water or can i use some hot ?

2) is one heater enough ?

3) im gonna do fishless cycle but no lfs do amonia what do i need ? ..........and from where ?

Ammonia you can get from homebase

 

[simon10]

i think you may need a power head as well, im getting a 180litre tank and i have a fluval 4+ but some of the member on here have advised me that i will need a power head too, you may wanna look into this

 

[paulbr1]

Hi, look for a thread on Ammonia " to WD" to make sure you find a good batch, I have had two lots from Homebase 1st was good 2nd was cack "no good".

Good luck.

Paul.

 

[kbod]

THANKS SIMON BUT WOTS A POWER HEAD ?
ALSO MY FLUVEL 4+ DOESNT HAVE BIT TO ATTACH TO TANK CAN YOU TELL ME WOT YOU USE OR WOT I COULD TRY ?

 

[simon10]

Hi i havent received my fluval 4+ filter through yet so i wouldnt know!? if anyone could help us that would be great...about the power head search google search for a HYDOR KORALIA 1

 

[kbod]

THANKS SIMON I GOOGLED THE HYDOR KORALIA 1 (ITS A WATER MOVER/ AGITATER THEN )

ISNT THE FLUVEL 4+ ANYGOOD THEN ?

WOULDNT RUNNING ANOTHER FILTER WORK THAT WAY YOU HAVE EXTRA CLEAN WATER ALSO ?

 

[simon10]

THANKS SIMON I GOOGLED THE HYDOR KORALIA 1 (ITS A WATER MOVER/ AGITATER THEN )

ISNT THE FLUVEL 4+ ANYGOOD THEN ?

WOULDNT RUNNING ANOTHER FILTER WORK THAT WAY YOU HAVE EXTRA CLEAN WATER ALSO ?

yh all the power head does is filter more water per hour, some one on here said just the filter turns over your tank 2.5x per hour but with the power head it turns over your tank 5x per hour.

about the filter doesnt it have suckers on the side or anything?

 

[kbod]

THE PREVIOUS OWNER 1ST RAN JUST ONE FILTER THEN THEY ADDED ANOTHER AS WANTED TO GET NEW FILTER READY FOR BIGGER TANK .

about the filter doesnt it have suckers on the side or anything?
[/quote]


YEH BUT THIS WAS 2ND HAND AND NOTHING ON BACK BUT CLIP THAT COULD LEAN ON TANK SO RECKON I NEED A BRACKET AND SUCKSION CUPS NEED TO SEE WHAT THE BACK OF A FLUVEL 4 + LOOKS LIKE , AS CHECKED GOOGLE AND SHOWS MANY DIFFERENT CUPS FOR FLUVEL