getting a 75 gallon tank! What do I do?

[Brandon3000]

ok guys, so I know on my last post I mentioned that I was getting ready to set up my 36 gallon bowfront, but a friend of a friend is selling his aquarium set up and I just could not resist. It is a 75 gallon, with custom built stand, includes a big beautiful piece of driftwood, and an Aquaclear 110. I am picking it up later tonight and my question is, will all of his BB on his filter survive the trip to my house (40 minutes) How long would they last and are there any precautions I need to take with them to ensure their survival. This will be my first tank so having this setup is a Godsend. I am not really clear on the Nitrogen cycle, even though I have the main ideas grasped. Does anyone have any tips on what I can do in order to jumpstart my tank since he is giving me his filter with it? and what kind of fish should I put in it in order to cycle it if all of this doesn't pan out and the BB dies.

 

[threnjen]

That sounds fabulous!

You need just in order to set up the tank and make sure the BB survive:
Ammonia - do you have an Ace Hardware (do you live in the states?). You can get a bottle of ammonia for about 2 bucks.
Dechlorinator - Prime is preferred
Test kit - API Freshwater (Amazon is cheapest Amazon.com: API Freshwater Master Test Kit: Pet Supplies)

Get the tank, get it home, set it up ASAP. KEEP THE FILTER MEDIA WET WITH OLD TANK WATER. Be sure to use dechlorinator. Get the filter running. Dose the ammonia. I'm trying to remember the correct amount for a 75... you could put in 1/2 tsp safely. You can do that even without the test kit.

As soon as you can get the test kit you'll be able to find out if the tank's BB still survives or if you'll need to cycle again. Hopefully it will at least be jumpstarted even if some of it died off.

 

[tnfinfan]

Living bacteria will survive a 40-minute car ride, in their wet filter, no problem. Heck, you can then put them on an empty tank of dechlorinated water and go buy some fish to get that ammonia food started. Even if it's the next day, there will be enough left to stock gradually. But, if the tank was taken down some time ago and the filter was washed and stored? You're starting from scratch.

In that case, I'd absolutely try the fishless cycle. Ammonia in a bottle is surely quickest but finding pure ammonia and not ammonia cleaning solution (which contains surfactants) isn't easy. Shake the bottle and if you see bubbles at the top, it has additives. There are other ways of going about it and it may be easiest to just go with inexpensive fish food and patience. And, a dirty filter that is fresh is a huge help.

 

[Brandon3000]

The tank was taken apart literally an hour before the tank was picked up. Funny story though... I may end up starting from scratch. I ended up getting called into work as I was on my way to pick up the tank. So I went to work and my Wife and father in law picked up the tank for me. that was approximately 4 hours ago. I Don't get off of work for another 4.5 hours. When I get home I will fill up the tank and hope for the best. Let's just hope everything works out!

 

[tnfinfan]

Unless they are cleaning everything to help out or the filter is in freezing weather, it's fine. Bacteria aren't that fragile that they cannot withstand a few hours of still water. There was presumably a food source in the tank and if you can get them circulation tonight, you'll be fine. I'd go to the fish store first thing in the morning.

 

[Brandon3000]

Unless they are cleaning everything to help out or the filter is in freezing weather, it's fine. Bacteria aren't that fragile that they cannot withstand a few hours of still water. There was presumably a food source in the tank and if you can get them circulation tonight, you'll be fine. I'd go to the fish store first thing in the morning.

what should I pick up?

 

[molliwopp]

Living bacteria will survive a 40-minute car ride, in their wet filter, no problem. Heck, you can then put them on an empty tank of dechlorinated water and go buy some fish to get that ammonia food started. Even if it's the next day, there will be enough left to stock gradually. But, if the tank was taken down some time ago and the filter was washed and stored? You're starting from scratch.

In that case, I'd absolutely try the fishless cycle. Ammonia in a bottle is surely quickest but finding pure ammonia and not ammonia cleaning solution (which contains surfactants) isn't easy. Shake the bottle and if you see bubbles at the top, it has additives. There are other ways of going about it and it may be easiest to just go with inexpensive fish food and patience. And, a dirty filter that is fresh is a huge help.

^
+1
I would personally pick up some pure ammonia and make sure your bacteria is in the best shape for when you add the fish. It should take no longer than a week unless you are in a rush to get some fish.

Sent from my GT-N7000 using Aquarium Advice mobile app

 

[tnfinfan]

IMO, finding pure ammonia is much harder than finding fish. Get some fish in that tank and they'll feed the bacteria for you. I stocked with a seeded filter (transferred my old filter biowheel to the new canister filter) and put fish in the dechlorinated and warmed water immediately. I moved the fish from old to new with their filter media and decorations then bought a few fish at a time to gradually grow the bacterial population. Still no ammonia or nitrite weeks later but the nitrate is slowly rising. It works.

I've moved aquariums many times and have never struggled with the bacteria dying off even when the move took all day.

 

[Caliban07]

If you are going to use fish for a cycle you must ensure you understand how to maintain the quality of the water throughout the cycle. There is no room for error doing a fish in cycle. You must test the water and change when necessary. If you don't feel comfortable doing a fish in cycle then I would recommend doing a fish less. There are guides for both fish in and fishless cycles on the site written by experienced members so read them first before choosing the best cycle for you and your fish.

Also. You should ask your friend if he had any problems with his fish just incase there are any nasty bacteria living in the filter media.

 

[toddnbecka]

As long as the filter media didn't dry out completely it's fine, bacteria don't die that quickly or easily in general. If the gravel from the old setup is still in the tank there's plenty of organic matter in the system to sustain the bacteria for several days at least.