my (used)new fish tank

bluemeate

bluemeate

AC Members
Sep 9, 2008
323
0
16
39
my fish
9 live feeder fish and a 10th dead one (to get the cycle and stuff going)

my supplies
55gal tank - filled halfway with tap water with water conditioner in it
rena filstar pump that wont pump and is making crackling noises
aqueon 300w heater
no air pump
fake rocks and some real drift wood (previously used in another tank)
washed gravel from home depot
a desk lamp and a standing lamp for lighting

:frog:

suggestions anyone?
 
Last edited:
Ok, why only half full? I would think the filter would work correctly if the tank was full. Next in your supply list should be the API master freshwater test kit. It will let you know where in the cycle prosess you are, what your pH is ammonia, nitrites, and nitrates. This lets you know when to do water changes. The sticky above this forum cover fish in cycle as well as fishless cycle. You should read it to help you out.
 
Thermometer? Net? Gravel vac/siphon?
 
Fill that tank full and see if the pump works!... it could be that it just can't lift the water from the half-way point (that's a long way to lift water for those tiny impellers.) You may discover that your filter pump is just fine! (If not, you're gonna need a new/used one.)

Air pump is optional, but a strategically placed air-stone or two can do a lot to improve circulation in areas of the tank that might otherwise get very little movement. (And some folks think the bubbles are pretty.)
 
300 watt heater for 25 gallons of water? I agree that you should top up the tank or you may risk boiling your fish.
 
water heater has a little gauge on it, so its all good.
also theres a thermometer sticket thing, but its at the top of the tank
went and bought a net tooo

as for the pump, turns out that the propeller just became disconnected from the spinning pat and it works fine

also i bought one those strip testing kits, opened it and used it only to find out it doesnt test for the main thing, amonia



also i have idea i want my tank to be like on a slope, so the back of the tank is on higher ground then the front of the tank, and i was thinking of using waterbottles to fill the space in the back, good idea or bad?

also i want to put in natural plants, but use low light ones? any cheap plants you all could recomend?
 
not having the tank level puts undue stress onthe seems. Not a good idea. glad you worked out the other problem. Liquid tests are much more aquarate than strip test kits. Try API freshwater master kit. It has ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, high and low pH tests and is very reliable.
 
Yes, not having the tank itself level is bad, but you can slope your substrate *in* the tank from front to back so it looks slanty.

Good low light plants are anubias, sword plants, java fern...probably some others too.

From your 1st post -- are you keeping a dead fish in the tank for cycling? If you decide to stay with doing a fish-in cycle (versus the fishless, which might be better!) you don't need to have any dead fish in the tank.

Good luck!
 
my tank is bowing outwards. regular looking long narrow 55gal. as i fill it with more water it bows out more and its about 2/3rds full. Also i noticed that the plastic along the top rim seems tp have break marks around the middle on both sides from what seems to be a broken off cross brace or something... it bows out so much (bout 1/4in or so im guessing becuase it was enough for the top cover (which was centered round middle of tank) to fall in when i put my hand down on it earlier. luckily it wasnt plugged in cuase theres no bulb in it.

if it had been plugged in with a bulb what kind of damage would it have cuase for the thing to fall in?
 
Um, blumeate, CANCEL PREVIOUS SUGGESTIONS and get that added water back OUT of the tank. Back down to half or wherever you had it before. More suggestions momentarily but DO IT NOW.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
AquariaCentral.com
Top Bottom