OMGOMGOMGOMG!

[rufioman]

Score, duder! Right on!

Merry xmas :cheers: all around!

 

[Goldiefinn]

thanks everyone Yeah I`m totally sworn off Craigslist now cuz I`m afraid I`ll see a bigger one I want

 

[Goldiefinn]

Ya, a 75 gallon tank is a nice size, I loved my first one. Gives you considerably more stocking options than the smaller ones, even a 55 for that matter.
I was sort of happy to find a good deal on a used 125 (6'x18") right after Christmas last year, finally had a decent size tank for my growing severums and silver dollars that had just about filled a 75.
Finding the 220 a few months ago was the kicker though, 7'x2'x2' is actually big enough to satisfy me. I no longer search craiglist for more tanks.
One of the good things about having multiple tanks is that setting up a new one is much faster. I just swapped filter media from a couple of 75's and added fish.

Wow! 7ft tank.... i wouldn`t have room for that in my house! Well, maybe when my kids move out

 

[Goldiefinn]

Update: I've been doing "fishless cycling" with pure ammonia for 18 days now..... I won't bore you with the details, but I had Nitrites at Day 7, and it's been climbing ever since. Ammonia is at zero every night when I test -- I add 5 capfuls of the stuff to bring it back up to 3-4ppm but it's back at zero the next day...
Today (Day 18) I checked NitrAtes for the first time, and I'm getting a reading of 10ppm! So, I guess I'm just waiting until nitrites are zero each day as well.... then I do a big water change to bring nitrates down to a safe level, then I get fishies!!

This is my first time doing a proper fishless cycling and I'm glad I'm doing it this way... I felt so bad last time I rushed my cycling and put fish in too soon (=6 dead cherry barbs).

One question for you pros out there --- once the nitrites are zero (24 hours after adding Ammonia)....and I do the big water change... how long do i have to add the fish before I lose the cycle?

 

[Jannika]

Adding ammonia every few days should keep the fishless cycle going indefinitely. This is what I do for my quarantine/hospital tank.

 

[discuspaul]

Adding ammonia every few days should keep the fishless cycle going indefinitely. This is what I do for my quarantine/hospital tank.

Yes, absolutely, that's the way to go if you're not intending, or in a position, to add fish immediately, for whatever reason. And nice thing about it, you don't need to just start off with a couple of fish and add others slowly - that cycle and the resulting level of BB colonization that will have been produced will enable you to add a reasonable number of fish all at once.

 

[Goldiefinn]

Yeah, I'm glad I was patient enough to give this a try. I'd rather stare at an empty tank than a tank full of dying fish

I have another question -- this is also my first time running a Cannister filter (EHEIM 2217). How often do I need to open it up and rinse the filter media? I've heard conflicting advice (some people say they only open it once a year!).

 

[LiveMermaid07]

Wow! 7ft tank.... i wouldn`t have room for that in my house! Well, maybe when my kids move out

So you've got some time to plan on how and with what you're going to stock their rooms with, huh? lmao!

 

[Goldiefinn]

So you've got some time to plan on how and with what you're going to stock their rooms with, huh? lmao!

yep, gotta few years to plan... heh heh heh

 

[finsNfur]

That's awesome! I can't wait to see pics. I hear you on the kids moving out, I've got one graduating college this summer and another one next summer. I'll definitely be getting a larger tank for one of their rooms. Or both.