Fastest setup ever - Aquarium Advice

hockeydude15 · 08-12-2005, 04:35 PM

I have had a 55 gallon tank sitting in my room and i have an aquaclear 500 filter and heater. But today my mom rold me taht her friend is giving me fish and i have to pick them up tommorrow.Meaning i need to setup the tank tonight. I have setup tanks quickly before but never within one day. THe problem is that the water needs to cycle and all that. So how can i go about doing this. (apparently these are hundreds of dollars worth of fish) . So i need to do this right. I never got to talk to the owner so im guessing they are cichlids.

Also im getting tahitian moon sand ( the black sand) and putting it in the tank but i dont have that yet. Should i fill the tank with water today and pour the sand in tommorrow or wait.

tetrin · 08-12-2005, 04:43 PM

one word - biospira.

several words - daily [acronym:05e11568a8="Partial water change"]pwc[/acronym:05e11568a8]'s (30-50%, but not if cichlids from tanganyika).

was the ac500 running on an established tank, or just sitting dry?

hockeydude15 · 08-12-2005, 04:45 PM

the ac500 is still in the box

talloulou · 08-12-2005, 04:49 PM

See if you can get some filter media and gravel from the person who is giving you the fish.

tetrin · 08-12-2005, 04:49 PM

hmm, do you have any other tanks running with some filter in them?

hockeydude15 · 08-12-2005, 04:50 PM

yes i have a tank with an ac 500 that is housing two ac500 sponges

tetrin · 08-12-2005, 04:54 PM

woo hoo...
use one sponge in the new ac500.
but i'd still advise 2pwc's in the first week to keep the wastes down.
good luck.

and great deal on the cichlids

.

hockeydude15 · 08-12-2005, 04:55 PM

ok cool

As for the sand, i always put that in first. Should i fill the tank and put that sand in after?(afterall i only have till tommorrow)

crazycat · 08-12-2005, 04:57 PM

just a note on the biospira--i tried it and was quite disappointed with it -- it did very little to "instantly" cycle my tank which was quite unstable (ammonia spikes) for about a month.

i just set up a new tank using filter media, gravel and water (from a water change) from an already established tank. i did daily water changes and monitored the water params very closely -- i had no cycling issues. it been up and running for a month and a half--and has been quite stable.

tetrin · 08-12-2005, 04:59 PM

i have put sand in a tank later. but i'd advise putting it in first. a lot less clouding that way.
the water needs to run with the heater on for about a couple of hours for the temperatures to stabilize.
run the filter on the tank, but don't put in the used sponge till you are ready to put the fish in. otherwise the bacteria will die.

i love quick setups

.

08-12-2005, 04:35 PM	#1
hockeydude15 Aquarium Advice Activist Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: NJ Posts: 139	Fastest setup ever I have had a 55 gallon tank sitting in my room and i have an aquaclear 500 filter and heater. But today my mom rold me taht her friend is giving me fish and i have to pick them up tommorrow.Meaning i need to setup the tank tonight. I have setup tanks quickly before but never within one day. THe problem is that the water needs to cycle and all that. So how can i go about doing this. (apparently these are hundreds of dollars worth of fish) . So i need to do this right. I never got to talk to the owner so im guessing they are cichlids. Also im getting tahitian moon sand ( the black sand) and putting it in the tank but i dont have that yet. Should i fill the tank with water today and pour the sand in tommorrow or wait.

08-12-2005, 04:43 PM	#2
tetrin Aquarium Advice FINatic Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: State College, PA Posts: 655 Images: 11	one word - biospira. several words - daily [acronym:05e11568a8="Partial water change"]pwc[/acronym:05e11568a8]'s (30-50%, but not if cichlids from tanganyika). was the ac500 running on an established tank, or just sitting dry? __________________ pisces - be in peace 75g : Malawi 40g breeder: Planted community 29g : SA(change of plans...again) 20g : community ("given" to a friend)

08-12-2005, 04:49 PM	#4
talloulou Aquarium Advice Addict Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Washington Posts: 2,092 Images: 17	See if you can get some filter media and gravel from the person who is giving you the fish. __________________ http://talloulou.smugmug.com/

08-12-2005, 04:49 PM	#5
tetrin Aquarium Advice FINatic Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: State College, PA Posts: 655 Images: 11	hmm, do you have any other tanks running with some filter in them? __________________ pisces - be in peace 75g : Malawi 40g breeder: Planted community 29g : SA(change of plans...again) 20g : community ("given" to a friend)

08-12-2005, 04:54 PM	#7
tetrin Aquarium Advice FINatic Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: State College, PA Posts: 655 Images: 11	woo hoo... use one sponge in the new ac500. but i'd still advise 2pwc's in the first week to keep the wastes down. good luck. and great deal on the cichlids . __________________ pisces - be in peace 75g : Malawi 40g breeder: Planted community 29g : SA(change of plans...again) 20g : community ("given" to a friend)

08-12-2005, 04:45 PM	#3
hockeydude15 Aquarium Advice Activist Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: NJ Posts: 139	the ac500 is still in the box

08-12-2005, 04:50 PM	#6
hockeydude15 Aquarium Advice Activist Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: NJ Posts: 139	yes i have a tank with an ac 500 that is housing two ac500 sponges

08-12-2005, 04:55 PM	#8
hockeydude15 Aquarium Advice Activist Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: NJ Posts: 139	ok cool As for the sand, i always put that in first. Should i fill the tank and put that sand in after?(afterall i only have till tommorrow)

08-12-2005, 04:57 PM	#9
crazycat Aquarium Advice FINatic Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: nyc Posts: 597 Images: 19	just a note on the biospira--i tried it and was quite disappointed with it -- it did very little to "instantly" cycle my tank which was quite unstable (ammonia spikes) for about a month. i just set up a new tank using filter media, gravel and water (from a water change) from an already established tank. i did daily water changes and monitored the water params very closely -- i had no cycling issues. it been up and running for a month and a half--and has been quite stable. __________________ don't turn your back on the ocean.

08-12-2005, 04:59 PM	#10
tetrin Aquarium Advice FINatic Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: State College, PA Posts: 655 Images: 11	i have put sand in a tank later. but i'd advise putting it in first. a lot less clouding that way. the water needs to run with the heater on for about a couple of hours for the temperatures to stabilize. run the filter on the tank, but don't put in the used sponge till you are ready to put the fish in. otherwise the bacteria will die. i love quick setups . __________________ pisces - be in peace 75g : Malawi 40g breeder: Planted community 29g : SA(change of plans...again) 20g : community ("given" to a friend)

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