Where to go from here?

MyPrettyFish · 11-19-2006, 02:32 PM

Hi all, I just started my first big tank and I have learned about cycling a little too late I'm afraid. I just got a 50 gallon tank, and knew that the water in an existing tank is better than fresh water, so I used about 30-35 gallons from existing tanks that I have that are crystal clear and get water changes per week.

My worry now. I have fish in this tank that I can't remove and I want to make sure they survive my error in waiting for the tank. I am running two filters that were from a former 30 gallon tank I had up, so from what I've read they should have the bacteria in them and the bio-wheel should help. I don't have a test kit and can't make it in to town until Tuesday. I can keep up with as many water changes that are needed, but am afraid of it removing what bacteria I have in there now. What is the word?

My next question is, how do I make this arrow point down at me?

locojay · 11-19-2006, 02:41 PM

Well you'll definitely need to get that test kit when you get to town and you should look for some bio spira to help speed up your cycle.

Other than that it's hard to say much without a little more info. What type of fish are you keeping in that tank? How many?

How big is your existing tank and what's in there? Any chance you can move a couple fish from the new 50g to the existing tank to reduce the bioload until your bacteria population increases?

MyPrettyFish · 11-19-2006, 02:48 PM

Well right now I have a full grown oscar (I know, right) and a couple feeder fish for him. I have some corys and a blue guorami. I put in 50 ml of 'cycle' to try to speed it up. Would it be wise to do 3-6 gallons worth of water change per day until I can test or should I just leave it be ?

Puffer Pita · 11-19-2006, 03:01 PM

Cycle is worthless, doesn't do anything to cycle a tank. Just do daily water changes of a significant amount (I'd do at least 50% - 3-6 gallons won't do much) and use Prime or similar declorinator that detoxifies ammonia and nitrites.

MyPrettyFish · 11-19-2006, 03:07 PM

Okay so maintaining water changes will help, I'll be sure to do so. Thanks

**Cichlid Man** · 11-19-2006, 03:30 PM

You shouldn't have any problems if you carry out regular water changes and underfeed/stock the tank.

**JustOneMore20** · 11-19-2006, 05:59 PM

Quote:

You shouldn't have any problems....

Well...except the oscar eating the cories....

That isn't a good combo...small cory+big oscar=problems.

Ringo · 11-20-2006, 10:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JustOneMore20

That isn't a good combo...small cory+big oscar=problems.

You mean, small cory+big oscar= Happy Oscar, or full oscar...

MyPrettyFish · 11-21-2006, 04:08 PM

Well everything looks great in there, I still need to upgrade to a bigger size. I am overstocked, but nobody looks crowded by any means. Even though some of the fish are of different aggression levels, there is a lot of cover and they are well hidden. Here is what I have in the tank:

1 10 inch oscar
1 4 inch oscar
2 Blue Gourami's
1 Small dinosaur bichir
1 3.5 inch Jack Dempsey
2 Corys
1 3.5 inch pleco

I know this is too much and I need a MUCH bigger tank, but outside of my one large oscar, they're not too big at all. What's the damage folks?

Gourami Swami · 11-23-2006, 07:52 AM

10 inch isnt full grown, IMO oscars need at least a 75 gallon tank EACH. They can easily grow another 4-5 inches after 10. Return one, if not both (better) oscars. Also, return the bichir or JD. If you want to keep an oscar in this tank, it should be the only fish in there. 50 gallons is pretty small when it comes to big fish. If it were me, I would return both oscars, the bichir, the cory's, and one gourami. Then the tank would have a chance of working, but at the moment it is horribly overstcked. But thats if you arent willing to upgrade within the next few months, and by few I mean 4-5.

Since you seem willing to upgrade, I would get a 120 gallon tank for the oscars, JD, and senegal bichir,and leave everything else in the 50.

11-19-2006, 02:32 PM	#1
MyPrettyFish Junior Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 8	Where to go from here? Hi all, I just started my first big tank and I have learned about cycling a little too late I'm afraid. I just got a 50 gallon tank, and knew that the water in an existing tank is better than fresh water, so I used about 30-35 gallons from existing tanks that I have that are crystal clear and get water changes per week. My worry now. I have fish in this tank that I can't remove and I want to make sure they survive my error in waiting for the tank. I am running two filters that were from a former 30 gallon tank I had up, so from what I've read they should have the bacteria in them and the bio-wheel should help. I don't have a test kit and can't make it in to town until Tuesday. I can keep up with as many water changes that are needed, but am afraid of it removing what bacteria I have in there now. What is the word? My next question is, how do I make this arrow point down at me? Last edited by MyPrettyFish; 11-19-2006 at 02:34 PM.

11-19-2006, 02:41 PM	#2
locojay Senior Member Join Date: May 2006 Age: 31 Posts: 320	Well you'll definitely need to get that test kit when you get to town and you should look for some bio spira to help speed up your cycle. Other than that it's hard to say much without a little more info. What type of fish are you keeping in that tank? How many? How big is your existing tank and what's in there? Any chance you can move a couple fish from the new 50g to the existing tank to reduce the bioload until your bacteria population increases? __________________ Jay 55g: 1 pearl gourami 12 harlequin rasbora 4 neon dwarf rainbow 6 peppered cory 4 albino cory 4 upside down catfish 2 clown pleco 1 red tail albino shark 40g: 4 boesemani rainbow 6 long fin zebra danio 10 neon tetra 3 yoyo loach 2 amano shrimp 7 otto

11-19-2006, 03:01 PM	#4
Puffer Pita Puffer Enthusiast Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 1,677	Cycle is worthless, doesn't do anything to cycle a tank. Just do daily water changes of a significant amount (I'd do at least 50% - 3-6 gallons won't do much) and use Prime or similar declorinator that detoxifies ammonia and nitrites. __________________ Tina Puffers: Auriglobus silus x2 Colomesus asellus x1 Tetraodon travancoricus x1 Tetraodon biocellatus x2 Tetraodon nigroviridis x1 Tetraodon baileyi x2 Tetraodon lineatus x1 Tetraodon palembangensis x1 The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way in which its animals are treated. - Mohandas Gandhi

11-19-2006, 03:30 PM	#6
Cichlid Man Super moderator Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 2,100	You shouldn't have any problems if you carry out regular water changes and underfeed/stock the tank. __________________ If you have a big enough tank with enough hiding places, pH of around 7, you can keep virtually any fish together as long as all the fish are around the same size and these two groups of fish are avioded: Serrasalmus Tetradon(figure eights and dwarfs are the exception). I keep a successful community of fish in a 4 foot tank including the following families: Cichlids, tetras, loaches, gouramis, barbs, rainbows, livebearers, killiefish, catfish, puffers.

11-23-2006, 07:52 AM	#10
Gourami Swami Supreme Dictator For Life Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Somewhere out Yonder... Posts: 1,106	10 inch isnt full grown, IMO oscars need at least a 75 gallon tank EACH. They can easily grow another 4-5 inches after 10. Return one, if not both (better) oscars. Also, return the bichir or JD. If you want to keep an oscar in this tank, it should be the only fish in there. 50 gallons is pretty small when it comes to big fish. If it were me, I would return both oscars, the bichir, the cory's, and one gourami. Then the tank would have a chance of working, but at the moment it is horribly overstcked. But thats if you arent willing to upgrade within the next few months, and by few I mean 4-5. Since you seem willing to upgrade, I would get a 120 gallon tank for the oscars, JD, and senegal bichir,and leave everything else in the 50. __________________

Members currently in the Chat:0
	Users In Chat Room: There are several users in chat now! Don't Be Shy - click here and come on in!

11-19-2006, 02:48 PM	#3
MyPrettyFish Junior Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 8	Well right now I have a full grown oscar (I know, right) and a couple feeder fish for him. I have some corys and a blue guorami. I put in 50 ml of 'cycle' to try to speed it up. Would it be wise to do 3-6 gallons worth of water change per day until I can test or should I just leave it be ?

11-19-2006, 03:07 PM	#5
MyPrettyFish Junior Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 8	Okay so maintaining water changes will help, I'll be sure to do so. Thanks

11-21-2006, 04:08 PM	#9
MyPrettyFish Junior Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 8	Well everything looks great in there, I still need to upgrade to a bigger size. I am overstocked, but nobody looks crowded by any means. Even though some of the fish are of different aggression levels, there is a lot of cover and they are well hidden. Here is what I have in the tank: 1 10 inch oscar 1 4 inch oscar 2 Blue Gourami's 1 Small dinosaur bichir 1 3.5 inch Jack Dempsey 2 Corys 1 3.5 inch pleco I know this is too much and I need a MUCH bigger tank, but outside of my one large oscar, they're not too big at all. What's the damage folks?

Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode