Stefernini
Aquarium Advice Freak
I will be rescuing some goldfish this weekend and am getting their entire set up in the process, and I need some advice. I have a 50 gallon tropical tank, but I've never moved an active tank before. The tank I'm getting is a 55 gallon (That's the only thing she's gotten right) with four fancy goldfish in it. Their current owner has no idea what she's doing and just wants to get rid of them rather than learn about proper care for them.
This is my plan and I would appreciate any tips or advice on it:
I'm going to fill buckets with tank water and put the fish in those. I will also be putting the gravel in some buckets with just enough water to keep it wet, and putting the media from the HOB in a bag with tank water. Then just finish emptying the remaining water and move it.
Once I get it to my house I'm not sure how to proceed properly. I would like to try and keep as much of the tank water as I can, but these guys are in terrible water conditions right now and I don't like the idea of keeping any of their gross water. Would it be best to put their water back in the tank for the sake of saving as much bacteria as possible, or to just ditch it and put in all fresh? It will be topped off with fresh either way obviously, but I also know it's really not good to replace 100% of the water. I also have a brand new canister filter to put on it in addition to the HOB, but it isn't seeded. So I need ideas for the best way to set it back up once I get them home.
Here is a pic of them in their current conditions (the internal filter will be tossed, not it's media tho) The fourth fancy isn't in this pic and she says she no longer has the little one you can barely see in the middle.
Thanks
EDIT: I'm fully expecting a mini, or full on cycle and will be doing daily tests with my API kit and water changes as needed.
This is my plan and I would appreciate any tips or advice on it:
I'm going to fill buckets with tank water and put the fish in those. I will also be putting the gravel in some buckets with just enough water to keep it wet, and putting the media from the HOB in a bag with tank water. Then just finish emptying the remaining water and move it.
Once I get it to my house I'm not sure how to proceed properly. I would like to try and keep as much of the tank water as I can, but these guys are in terrible water conditions right now and I don't like the idea of keeping any of their gross water. Would it be best to put their water back in the tank for the sake of saving as much bacteria as possible, or to just ditch it and put in all fresh? It will be topped off with fresh either way obviously, but I also know it's really not good to replace 100% of the water. I also have a brand new canister filter to put on it in addition to the HOB, but it isn't seeded. So I need ideas for the best way to set it back up once I get them home.
Here is a pic of them in their current conditions (the internal filter will be tossed, not it's media tho) The fourth fancy isn't in this pic and she says she no longer has the little one you can barely see in the middle.
Thanks
EDIT: I'm fully expecting a mini, or full on cycle and will be doing daily tests with my API kit and water changes as needed.