I recently got a 125 gallon tank. I won't receive the filter and heaters for it for a few days since I ordered them online to save a few hundred $. I was anxious to see how it would look filled up. I also needed to see if my sand would cloud or not. As well as have a place to sink my driftwood (it doesn't fit in any other container). I figure this water will be fine to use when I get my filter and start to cycle the tank. Am I right? And would you believe that my driftwood still won't sink even with a 10# rock on it. Yes it floats my little boulder.
old water?
- Thread starter xander
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William
Aquarium Advice Addict
You don't have ANY old filters or powerheads you could stick in the tank?
Standing water has a tendancy to go stagnant, atleast get SOME water movement going..
Standing water has a tendancy to go stagnant, atleast get SOME water movement going..
Well as long as you are planning on a fishless cycle then it is fine to leave that water in the tank. In fact you can start the cycle with some pure ammonia right now. Obviously things will be much beter and faster once you get the filter and the water temp into the mid 70's but a head start won't hurt.
I wouldn't add fish to that water though, as William mentioned. If you are planning on a fishy cycle thne you will need to do a massive water change once you get your new equipment.
I wouldn't add fish to that water though, as William mentioned. If you are planning on a fishy cycle thne you will need to do a massive water change once you get your new equipment.
aqua_guy
Aquarium Advice Apprentice
IMO your driftwood needs be treated first. the reason why it floats is it is not water logged. You need to remove the tannic acid first in the wood before it will sink. i have mine treated for about a month before it sank. the boulders wont work. believe me i've tried that before. you need to soak your wood on water in a seperate container first because you need to get the acid out. some fishes wont like the acidity of the wood so you better get rid of it.
I actually want the tannic acid in the water. I am planning on having a blackwater tank. Besides its too big to boil. I am planning on putting Uarus and other fish from that blackwater biotope. I am also relying on the tannic acid to bring down the pH a bit. The pieces I found submerged will readily sink but this large piece was only partially under. Although it lost a lot of weight when it dried out. I thought of loading my new filter with media from a couple of filters in use now.
I just took my Fluval 203 from my 30 and replaced it with a sponge filter. No worries I have an Emperor 280 on it as well. I put that 203 on my 125. I also took my little lame Second Nature Whisper Power Filter 2 from my other 30 on my 125. I know its not enough for a tank that size but should it be enough to put a few fish in? I don't have heat fo it yet so I was thinking of putting in a handfull of minnows. Just to feed the bacteria. I use them to feed my sunfish and bullhead anyway. I figure if I use most of the media from the 203 in my eheim 2028 that I am expecting, then things should be honkey-dory right? Or will it be another week or so before I can start stocking it?
