Gold Fin
12-09-2009, 3:00 AM
Hello,
I had tropical fish many many years ago, using an under gravel filter when they were pretty new on the market, and prior to that, the hang on the back filter powered by an air pump and stuffed with charcoal and fiberglass. (I think that probably dates me pretty accurately.) With grandkids here during the early summer months, I ended up with two small feeder goldfish. One thing lead to another, and I ended up with two smaller temporary tanks until my dear hubby finishes the stand for a new 80 gallon tank. All because of those two small feeder goldfish.
When I bought the big tank, I bought a Filstar XP3 filter for it. I put it on the smaller tank the goldfish are in, along with running the small HOB filter that had come with that tank. I had no problems getting it cycling, completely by mistake. I purchased another filter... same type... and started it on another small tank, that I needed to use as an isolation tank. I had read all the information I could find on doing this, but, until I stumbled upon this site, I did not have complete enough information to know what the process really entailed. I really appreciate finding the information here. This gave me more patience, and, helped me understand what I was doing, and why. It helped me to keep doing those water changes that I was getting so very sick of doing. So... a huge Thank You to all who have gone before me. I will say I was getting pretty frustrated with the nitrites and ammonia levels that kept creeping up, and I was truly wondering if I had done something wrong. I was running water tests two and three times a day, and changing water at least every other day, but usually more often. There was one evening that I did an almost complete water change. :o The only water I didn't change was the water in the filter, and I did another 50% the following day. It was getting really old packing water too and from the kitchen sink. Looking back, after reading posts, there were a lot of things I could have done to speed this up. DUH... live and learn!
TAAA DAAA.... I think I am now at the successful point. I've had no ammonia and no nitrites for three days in a row. :thumbsup: I'm still going to test for ammonia and nitrites every day for another week or so to be sure.
Setting up the big tank will be easy now. All I will have to do is put in water and add a filter that is already cycling. I am planning on cleaning the filter at least three days before moving it. Should it be longer? Am I thinking on the right path? :feedback:
What are some of the ways of dealing with nitrates? I realize plants should help... will water changes and vacuuming once a week basically handle that problem?
Thanks so very very much for all that you fish masters do... our fish love yah for it. Yes, I have added more goldies... fancy ones. The feeder fish are keeping the isolation tank cycling until they can move outdoors this next spring or find another suitable home.
Gold Fin
I had tropical fish many many years ago, using an under gravel filter when they were pretty new on the market, and prior to that, the hang on the back filter powered by an air pump and stuffed with charcoal and fiberglass. (I think that probably dates me pretty accurately.) With grandkids here during the early summer months, I ended up with two small feeder goldfish. One thing lead to another, and I ended up with two smaller temporary tanks until my dear hubby finishes the stand for a new 80 gallon tank. All because of those two small feeder goldfish.
When I bought the big tank, I bought a Filstar XP3 filter for it. I put it on the smaller tank the goldfish are in, along with running the small HOB filter that had come with that tank. I had no problems getting it cycling, completely by mistake. I purchased another filter... same type... and started it on another small tank, that I needed to use as an isolation tank. I had read all the information I could find on doing this, but, until I stumbled upon this site, I did not have complete enough information to know what the process really entailed. I really appreciate finding the information here. This gave me more patience, and, helped me understand what I was doing, and why. It helped me to keep doing those water changes that I was getting so very sick of doing. So... a huge Thank You to all who have gone before me. I will say I was getting pretty frustrated with the nitrites and ammonia levels that kept creeping up, and I was truly wondering if I had done something wrong. I was running water tests two and three times a day, and changing water at least every other day, but usually more often. There was one evening that I did an almost complete water change. :o The only water I didn't change was the water in the filter, and I did another 50% the following day. It was getting really old packing water too and from the kitchen sink. Looking back, after reading posts, there were a lot of things I could have done to speed this up. DUH... live and learn!
TAAA DAAA.... I think I am now at the successful point. I've had no ammonia and no nitrites for three days in a row. :thumbsup: I'm still going to test for ammonia and nitrites every day for another week or so to be sure.
Setting up the big tank will be easy now. All I will have to do is put in water and add a filter that is already cycling. I am planning on cleaning the filter at least three days before moving it. Should it be longer? Am I thinking on the right path? :feedback:
What are some of the ways of dealing with nitrates? I realize plants should help... will water changes and vacuuming once a week basically handle that problem?
Thanks so very very much for all that you fish masters do... our fish love yah for it. Yes, I have added more goldies... fancy ones. The feeder fish are keeping the isolation tank cycling until they can move outdoors this next spring or find another suitable home.
Gold Fin