Anything missing?

[bill]

ok, first off, hi all, i'm new to all this fish malarky, last time i had a fish it came from the fair ground and lasted all of about 2 days, time after that it came from the chippy and went even quicker!

Basically i've just been given a fish tank and some bits???? And i know nothing about keeping fish or the tanks and equipement, so i have a few questions........the tanks about 4 f long, 2 f high and around 1 and 1/2 f wide, so its quite big, how many gallon tank would this be, as i see you all talk in gallons on here?

Now i've been informed that the tank used to leak, but its since stopped, but the previous owner sealed it with some outdoor water resistant sealant just incase, but has never used it since, will this be ok to use still? or would i be better off starting with a new smaller tank as a begginer?

The equipement i got with it are as follows, pics included as i have no idea how they go together or what they are, or indeed if any of the parts are missing?

I'm pressume the first one is a heater!?


Is this some thing to do with the filtering, i have 2 of these, are they complete as they are or is there somethimg missing?


And finally this is the last bit i have, looks also like a filter to me, but what or how do i attach it to anything?


sorry about the size of the photo's btw, all help and advice appreciated and much needed!
Have i got all the bits to get started?

cheers

Bill

[flamingo]

I'm taking a guess here, but your tank might be in the 50-65 gallon range. Mine is about a 60 or around that, and the dimensions are similar to yours.

Is that all that came with the tank? ( First is a heater, second a powerhead, and third is a small pre-filter you attach to the bottom of the powerhead). If so, you aren't wuite readyto start just yet. A powerhead and pre-filter attachment are far from enough filtration for your tank. All a powerhead does is add more of a current, circulates more water, and adds oxygen to the water; pre-filter just sucks up tiny particles of waste that would otherwise go up in the powerhead. You need to buy at least another suitably sized HOB filter, canister filter, whatever you have the money for. HOB would be best to start out with.

IMHO, i'd replace that heater, it looks old, and might not be in the greatest condition...

Hope that helps

[Puffer Pita]

That tank sounds like a 90g tank to me, which measures 48x18x24. Personally, I'd just go get a new tank and equipment. You don't know if any of it works, or if the tank leaks. And I certainly wouldn't trust a tank that someone else fixed without knowing exactly what they used. Many silicones have chemicals that will kill fish.

You can find good used equipment on Aquabid.com, craigslist.com, in the newspaper, Ebay, etc. Make sure you read up on the nitrogen cycle and fishless cycling methods before you add get any fish, too.

[emc7]

You can start with a big tank as well as a with a small one, it just means the water changes are bigger. The heater, if submersible, needs suctions cups, and if not submersible (cant tell from pics), need a holder. boxermom is right that some sealants have additives that can harm your fish. I can't see throwing away a 90 gallon tank, though. Maybe test with feeder goldfish? If its toxic you can scrape it all off with a razor blade and reseal with aquarium sealant. Maybe skip the goldfish and just reseal. Powerheads are pumps, not filters, you use them with undergravel filters, sponges, or sumps to filter, or just use them to move water and have a separate filter.

[Damon]

If its ~a foot deep its 55 gallons. (13 inches). If its a foot and a half its a 75 gallon (18 inches). The info above about the powerhead/prefilter is right.
You will need 2 filters for the tank (i perfer 2 canisters but 1 canister and 1 HOB will work fine.) Th sealant could be a problem as it doesn't sound aquarium safe. You can always use a razorblade to remove it and reseal. If you can find out who sealed the tank and what they used, then I would put it on the porch and fill it up. If it doesn't leak after 24 hrs, the seal works.

2 heaters will also be needed. You want to shoot for 6watts per gallon (55x6=330 watts so 2 200 watt heaters will work fine.) I wouldn't use the old heater. It could have a crack or just not work at all.

[bill]

cheers for the replys guys, had a bit of a think about it and going off your advice /suggestions i'm gonna start a fresh tank with new equipement, as i think it will be less hassle in the long run,( with the possible leakage and "dodgy sealant" and i'm finding it difficult to find a space for the tank to go, its a bit big, i'll put it in the shed for the meantime, whilst i get going, just got a couple of smaller tanks off ebay to get me started,

I know where to come for help now, so you'll be hearing more from me, cheers again and thanks for the info/advice.

Bill

[Damon]

Glad we could help you out.

[JustOneMore20]

Good to hear you are getting new equipment. I don't like to use old heaters especially...because most of the time you don't know how old they are. I like to be safe and get new stuff.

For a filter (or two) definitely get atleast 1 cannister. They do a great job of keeping the water clean and are easy to maintain. I personally suggest a Rena XP3 filter. You could get 2 of them or get 1 cannister and 1 HOB (hang on back) filter.

Have you figured out by our help how big it is? Any chance you could give exact measurements?

I would definitely try to find out what kind of sealant was used. If you can't find out what kind it was, maybe it would be safer to just take off all the sealent and reseal it with Aquarium safe silicon. Just an idea....

[bill]

i'll get some exact measurements up soon, and enquire about the sealant too,

ps.what the hell do i do with the tank now!? lol

[JustOneMore20]

You could go ahead and leak test it. That way if the person did seal it with something that is fish safe, you will know if it leaks or not. Fill it with water and put it somewhere where it won't get rained on...so you can tell if it leaks. I'd put some newspaper or something under it so you can look for water spots....if it ends up leaking....but thats just me.

[girth vader]

Originally Posted by bill

cheers for the replys guys, had a bit of a think about it and going off your advice /suggestions i'm gonna start a fresh tank with new equipement, as i think it will be less hassle in the long run,( with the possible leakage and "dodgy sealant" and i'm finding it difficult to find a space for the tank to go, its a bit big, i'll put it in the shed for the meantime, whilst i get going, just got a couple of smaller tanks off ebay to get me started,

I know where to come for help now, so you'll be hearing more from me, cheers again and thanks for the info/advice.

Bill

great choice Bill that outdoor sealant remark put up the red flag for me, thats a fish killer I hope you the best of luck and success my friend with your new ( very expensive) hobby