cycleing/stocking new tank

[dobby968]

ok so I have a few questions I have to ask, And they have to do with a few things so I thought I would throw it in here, I hope thats ok!!Firstly about cyleing my new 90 gallon tank! the guy who gave me a tank also gave me a Eheim canaster filter with it! he said not to change any of the filters or bio rocks (Whatever there called)little white rocks that are hollowed out! he said to just fill the tank with water and let it filter through for a week or two! What I am wondering is should I buy all new filter sponges and carbon?or keep the old? I dont know how old the the stuff in the canaster is,He bought it 1 yr ago! Now I do have a 65 gallon tank that has been established already It has a mateing pair of green severums( Which he also gave me) and their 5 babys, As well as my 2 plecos and 5 zebra danios! Can I do a water change on that tank and put the water in the 90 gallon tank with the new meterials for the filter and let it cycle that way?, Also I dont know alot about cichlids, I have done some reading on the green severums and so far they seem to be pretty calm fish, Because there a breeding pair I'm Wondering if I should keep them in the 65 gallon or move them back to their old home the 90 gallon as soon as I get it up and running? also what are some sutible tank mates for them? I think I wanna get rid of the babys, Cause I dont want a tank full of the same fish! especially if these guys keep breeding The next thing ya know I'll be over populated with the little guys( although ther pretty cute)And also I have to mention I am Going to set this 90 gallon up in my upstairs liveing room, I have made sure I put it agaist a wall that has a 6 support beams under the flooring, As well as I have real hardwood floors is this tank going to be to heavy? will it damage the hard wood in any way? ok I'm going to stop here lol..... I could ask a few more questions but I will save it for another day!!

[geleen]

ok so I have a few questions I have to ask, And they have to do with a few things so I thought I would throw it in here, I hope thats ok!!Firstly about cyleing my new 90 gallon tank! the guy who gave me a tank also gave me a Eheim canaster filter with it! he said not to change any of the filters or bio rocks (Whatever there called)little white rocks that are hollowed out! he said to just fill the tank with water and let it filter through for a week or two! What I am wondering is should I buy all new filter sponges and carbon?or keep the old? I dont know how old the the stuff in the canaster is,He bought it 1 yr ago! Now I do have a 65 gallon tank that has been established already It has a mateing pair of green severums( Which he also gave me) and their 5 babys, As well as my 2 plecos and 5 zebra danios! Can I do a water change on that tank and put the water in the 90 gallon tank with the new meterials for the filter and let it cycle that way?,

I am not quite sure about your questions so here goes......If the 65 is cycled and the all the fish have been in there for a few weeks, you take the cycled filter from the 65 and hook it up to the 90 and move all the fish in there all at once. No need to move the water.

The filter for the 90 would likely need to be cycle again as it the bacteria in it have died without fish in the water.

Also I dont know alot about cichlids, I have done some reading on the green severums and so far they seem to be pretty calm fish, Because there a breeding pair I'm Wondering if I should keep them in the 65 gallon or move them back to their old home the 90 gallon as soon as I get it up and running?

They can grow very large....so in the 90 would be better. It is also very possible that the severums will eat the danio's if they are not fast enough some day.The danio's might eat any new baby's and if you add any new fish the baby's would not survive in the same tank (kinda takes care of that problem if you don't want to breed.)

also what are some sutible tank mates for them? I think I wanna get rid of the babys, Cause I dont want a tank full of the same fish! especially if these guys keep breeding The next thing ya know I'll be over populated with the little guys( although ther pretty cute)And also I have to mention I am Going to set this 90 gallon up in my upstairs liveing room, I have made sure I put it agaist a wall that has a 6 support beams under the flooring, As well as I have real hardwood floors is this tank going to be to heavy? will it damage the hard wood in any way?

No worries about the weight, but water damage when changing water etc is very real. Someone else will have good suggestions on tank mates, better wait a bit to let the tank and filter settle...say a few months.

Hope this helps

J

ok I'm going to stop here lol..... I could ask a few more questions but I will save it for another day!!

Edited April 24, 2010 by geleen

[JLake]

taking some media out of your established tank and adding it to your new filter will speed things up greatly. When I want a new tank I just put a new filter on a already established tank for a couple of weeks than just put that filter in a new tank with half new and half old water.

[dobby968]

great thank you for the advice guys, I didnt even think about putting the new filter in the old 65 gallon!! DUH..., I'm going to be picking up new rock and decorations next week, So I will set up ne filter in the 65 gallon, Let it run in there a week Then when I'm ready to fill up the 90 gallon I will let it still cycle for a few weeks, Before I move the 2 adult severums back in there, I'm sure my zebra danios will be much happier with out the big guys in there, It's just been so crazy the guy was going to get rid of them And had alrady emptied out his 90 gallon,( they were sitting in a bucket when I went over there) So thats why when I took them I just therw them in my 65 gallon,( that only had 6 Zera danios and 2 plecos) liveing in it for the past 2 years Then 3 days later he phones me asking if I wanted the 90 Galllon!!( and I sure the heck wasnt turnning down a free tank with all the equpitment, So now I'm going to get the 90 gallon up and going, emptie out the 65 gallon and move that one upstairs as well!! I think I'm going to set the 65 gallon up in my computer room, And seeing as I will literally have only the zebra danios It will be a easy move just have to eptie water out in buckets and Upstairs it goes!!