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Hi everyone! Just to let everyone in on this...Calilasseia posed a question (back in the Water Quality" section, about the hypothetical setting up of a new, much larger tank, using some of the existing stuff from an existing tank...and seeing how much of a cycle we go through. Well, that's just what I'm trying to do...going from a community 35 gallon, to a new 110 stocked with African Cichlids. Since I'm a relative newbie (ok, so I've had a tank for many YEARS, but am just this past year a "reformed" fishkeeper, doing the RIGHT things!) I thought I'd sort of keep a log as I go, for those who might be interested....and hopefully, glean what information I need from all you great folks as I go along.:%)
Glitch #1: When dismantling your old tank, with plans for using your existing bio-filter to "seed" your new tank...make sure you have something to keep the filter going in while setting up the new tank (which in my case, is going to take a couple of days at least, since I want to take my time with the decorating etc.). Having failed to do this, I found myself scrambling to try to set up the filter in a large bucket before my bacteria started to die off. Sorry to say I could not find a bucket large enough to hang the filter on...so I think I'm outa luck Best I could do was remove the filter pads and the bio wheels and put them in a large bucket of water, which I'll change frequently...hopeflly some of my bacteria will survive.
Glitch #2: When purchasing a new tank...they say the bigger the better. Uummm...thats dandy, and I've had my eye on this tank for a couple of years. It measures 48" long, 18" wide and 30" tall. Just what I wanted for a great visual dispay. Problem? I'm 5'4" and have a maximum armreach, if I stretch, of ~24". The tank will sit on a stand that's 28" high and I have it elevated a further 8". See what I'm getting at here? I can't reach the bottom of the tank (by several inches) and I'm going to have to use a step ladder to work on the thing!!! Over a romantic dinner last night (it WAS New Year's Eve after all), hubby and I were discussing this. Now, he's 6'4" and has a 36" reach, and he's the one who got me the tank...specifically the one I wanted...but last night smilingly tells me that, hey, I'm on my own for the maintenance of this thing. I asked if he'd at least fish me out if I fell in...and I was told (also smilingly, of course)..."better wear a lifejacket!". Sheesh!

ANYWAY...today I begin the new set up...and I have to ask THE most BASIC of questions Just how much cleaning/rinsing does a brand new tank require. The silicon smells kinda strong, although I'm know its fully cured. Help?

Hi,
I'm sorry, I just had to laugh... I'd have teased you too.
I'm sure with a little persuasion, he would help with the
setup and perhaps some of the chores as well.
Just don't time the chores to match something that he likes
on the TV.

As far as the silicone smell, that is normal. Most folks
that I know (including me) will set the tank into its
permanent position, then completely fill it with water and
let it stand for a week. This way you can see if there are
any leaks and how it will set in the room. Then drain it
and rub down the inside surfaces with a clean, dry cloth,
and begin the true setup by adding washed gravel, plants,
filter, etc. By the way, the initial week would be a good
time to add the heater(s) and thermometer and get the
temperature set for where you want it to be. If you do,
DON'T forget to unplug the heater before you drain
the tank. Running a heater without water can destroy the
heater.

Frank


Last edited by FRANK at 01-Jan-2006 13:38

-->>> The Confidence of Amateurs, is the Envy of Professionals <<<--

When ever I bought a new tank, I would simply vacuum it and then wipe it with a damp cloth (water+vinegar). Then I'd fill it and start right away. By this, I mean, start the filter, the heater, the whatever you have going in there.

Too bad you got a tank 30" tall... such a waste of good water that could have been spent on more surface area then height. Anyway, now it's too late.

Good luck !

Sponge
PS : I had a good laugh too.

Well Sponge Bob...I guess I'm a woman/decorator before I'm a true fish afficianado:%) I loved the look of the tank and it fits perfectly in the spot in my rec room. The 'long' style tank simply wouldn't do. Anyway, we (yes, we) got it well rinsed, up on the stand, egg crate cut and put in and my piece of driftwood put it, although its position may change as I add the rest of the decor. I hope to start putting up a couple of pics soon. FRANK!!!!...you scared the wits out of my hubby with the suggestion that this tank may LEAK!!! If it does, there goes our new floor we just installed in the basement!! Lets keep notions like that a secret, shall we?

Just going to try to attach pic - hope this works...
http://photobucket.com/albums/c162/Questor1/?sc=4

Great piece of driftwood, it looks like you have some concern as to whether it will sink...

Couple of suggestions on setting up the tank -
o Do a rough drawing or layout before you begin, you may not follow the plan to the letter but it will give you an impression of what you want.
o Place your substrate into the tank then your hardscape, or vice versa if you have stones attached to the driftwood. The substrate should be damp but not underwater. If you are using live plants, they can withstand the exposure to air on the leaves as you plant as long as the feet are wet.
o Take a long time to fill the tank, the slower the better. If you use a Python or a hose, trickle the water onto a shallow plate so you do not disturb the gravel or roil up any unrinsed dust or clay particles.

Have a great time!

__________
"To steal ideas from one person is plagiarism; to steal from many is research."
researched from Steven Wright

Thanks for the advice Bob. I had a pretty good idea of what I wanted, but I did as you suggested...made a sort of blueprint...and came up with a couple of minor changes already...good advice! So, my driftwood is in place, and unfortunately drying out (it's a little floaty now as it is), my substrate has all been washed and installed. In the next day or two, I'm on the hunt for rocks...no easy feat in Ontario in January! All the landscape places are closed for the winter, there's two feet of snow on the ground in my area and the LFS is gonna want $2.00/lb for their stuff. Had enough trouble convincing hubby about this tank...:%) if I tell him I gotta spend $200-$300 on rocks, when they completely litter our beach in the summer, he'll think I'm (and I'd have to agree). So, put a minimum in and add more in the summer????

So I've been rock hunting. Checked out BA's first - a fist sized lava rock, which is kinda what I had in mind was ~$4 + 15% tax. At that rate, it'd probably cost me $300 at least, since I want a nice high stack for my 30" tall tank...forget it! Anyway, found a brick/masonery/landscaping place that had TONS (no pun intended) of all kinds of rock (although not lava or Texas holey rock...although they did have some plain boulder style limestone). To start with, and for a cost of $16, I picked up about 75 pounds of some terrific looking BLACK slate. I think the color will look great, and because its so flat, should be great to work with to create all kinds of caves etc. Won't do anything about raising the PH, but I'll hide a few pieces of limestone later. Will get it scrubbed today and start placing in the tank. Hopefully will have some pics by tomorrow! One question...one of the guys at Big Al's overheard my hubby and I discussing whether or not to silicone the stack for stability (as has been suggested on acouple of sites), and he said...oh no, can't do that...you have to remove all your rock once a month to do a proper gravel vac. Does everyone here who has 200 pounds of rock in the tank really remove it all once a month????? If that's the case, I may have bitten off a lot more than I can chew

Hi,
When you are doing that kind of extensive rock work
you should lay the rock on the glass bottom and build
the assembly from that point up. I would encourage you
to glue it together as well. Perhaps not making it all one
piece, but several sections that will join together and be
stable as one. There have been a series of comments on
this that included the best "glue" and what, if anything
to place between the glass and the supporting rocks.
If you were to use a piece of smooth slate as the basis
that would distribute the weight of the load across the
glass bottom. Don't let any points, or edges, or grains
of gravel get between the rock and the glass as that will
bear the brunt of the weight and could start cracks.

One should never put the sand/gravel in the tank first and
then start building a rock scape. Time, vacuuming, and
fish, all tend to cause the substrate to shift and if
the assembly is not "glued" together, the rocks can
fall sometimes into the glass cracking it, and sometimes
on to slow moving fish.
Frank


-->>> The Confidence of Amateurs, is the Envy of Professionals <<<--

Thanks Frank. I have put down the "egg crate" stuff and though I've put in my gravel already, I left the side of the tank where the rocks will be devoid of gravel as yet...(its all piled on the other side). I had planned to put the rock directly on the egg crate and then move the gravel over to go around it...starting with a fairly broad base and slowly building up. I played around with the rocks this morning (OUTside the tank) and realize that my 75 pounds is probably only 1/4 to 1/3 of what I'll need. I have one pretty large piece, complete with a 45 degree corner (which I think I'll chip the edge of to make it a little more natural looking) that will go very close to the back corner of my tank. I plan to build up from that, sort of platform style, creating caves and holes. I could silicone somed of the platforms together for stability...but my question was basically unanswered...will I have to remove all the rocks every month to do a gravel vac, or since, there won't be much (if any) gravel under my rock base, can I just vac around it???

No, you should not have to remove all the rock to do your gravel vac, I never have and it has never caused any problems that I'm aware of.

There are numerous sizes of vac tubes available and with both small and larger you should be able to sufficiently work around the rocks to adequately vacuum the gravel.

Because of your problem of the tank height just make sure you get some that can extend or are extra long to reach those far back corners, etc..

Jim

---

Water, taken in moderation, cannot hurt anybody. -- Mark Twain

Thanks O.T. I have a couple of those vacs...though I might have to get my arm a little wet, I can reach pretty much everywhere I think. The rock stacking is going well so far. Need some more rock, but what I have seems very stable. I doubt if a fish could move any of it, there's no gravel to "undermine" it, and what I've set up so far is in such a way that even if I bump (i.e. while vac'ing) nothing should slide. Taking longer than I thought though...it'll probably be a couple of more days' work just doing the rock. Has anyone "made" a rock mountain out of that expandable foam and concrete...like I've read about for backgrounds??? Seems to me that would be an awsome project.