# Deal on 75gal tank with fish



## Jim 642 (Nov 2, 2012)

Buying 75gal African Cichilds tank. Comes with canister filter lights decor complete setup off of Craigslist owner said if i want i can have about 12 fish he has in tank now. If i don't want fish he will take back to LFS. Right now I'm having trouble with my fish dieing just have some neons and 3 panda cats left. Tank i have now is 38gal i will take neons and pandas and put in a 10gal tank for now. Will clean tank & filter should i just use plain water to clean tank. My plan is to take 3 or 4 buckets to bring fish back. Going to clean 38gal tank out today & tomorrow and fill back up with tap water. I'm gone to pickup his tank & fish Next week. So here is my problem how to get 38gal tank ready for fish will they be ok in small tank while i get 75 ready. He said to put salt in water and do i need to put start up are something in water. how to setup 75 will leave same gravel he has in it & same media in canister filter will that help with cycle or use start up for that to. When i put fish in 75 do i a acclimate in a bucket he said some are 5or 6'' to big to put in bag. Hope i'm not geting in over my head Thanks for any help you can give me all any suggestions are welcome. Jim.


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## TroyVSC (Aug 29, 2012)

I ama bit confused. Why the need to use the 38 again. Why can't you transport the fish and setup the 75 and put the fish back in.

If you do use the 38 as a temporary tank I would defintely use the canister filkter from the 75 (or at least the media from it) to help with the cycling of the 38. When you do have the 75 ready just transfer the media/fliter back to the 75. I am over simplifing it because i am not quite sure what you are doing.


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## coralbandit (Jul 29, 2012)

If you're going to place new fish in 38(sounds small for them) then you DON'T want to clean it with tap.Tap will kill the bacteria.Possibly you can scub and vacumm the 38 and add new dechlorinated water to achieve same goal.Eitherway you should not touch the filter or you risk killing where most of the bacteria are.
If you use the canister from 75 on the 38 then no cycling should take place.Along with that you should then take filter from 38 and place on 10 or risk killing the rest of the neons and cories(they need cycled filter also.)
I would research the africans you will be getting as if you take them you will then be very limited as to who can be added with them(only other africans,and some of existing are 6" then even "suitable" newcomers may not survive.)
Done properly and timely ,you really could place all new fish (africans ) in buckets,while you fill the tank with very close to perfect temp water (dechlorinated) and have them in the 75 within a couple hours.If you don't disturb the existing canister that comes with them I don't think you will need to add bacteria ,as it will already be present in force in the filter.This is how I would do it,if I wanted the africans.
Vacumm and change water in your 38,leave the filter alone and leave your fish in it,those are "sensative" fish and are probably not doing well if your tank is still cycling.Cleaning the filter can only set you back to day one IMO.


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## Jim 642 (Nov 2, 2012)

TroyVSC said:


> I ama bit confused. Why the need to use the 38 again. Why can't you transport the fish and setup the 75 and put the fish back in.
> 
> If you do use the 38 as a temporary tank I would defintely use the canister filkter from the 75 (or at least the media from it) to help with the cycling of the 38. When you do have the 75 ready just transfer the media/fliter back to the 75. I am over simplifing it because i am not quite sure what you are doing.


Took your advice had sand and rock ready for the 75. Set tank up same day i got it came with 2 filters a 2217 Eheim canister and a hob filter. Set it all up put Prime in added fish. Fish has been in tank for a week now they are doing OK so far. Thanks for your help. Jim Will get some pictures as soon as i learn how to do it.


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## Jim 642 (Nov 2, 2012)

coralbandit said:


> If you're going to place new fish in 38(sounds small for them) then you DON'T want to clean it with tap.Tap will kill the bacteria.Possibly you can scub and vacumm the 38 and add new dechlorinated water to achieve same goal.Eitherway you should not touch the filter or you risk killing where most of the bacteria are.
> If you use the canister from 75 on the 38 then no cycling should take place.Along with that you should then take filter from 38 and place on 10 or risk killing the rest of the neons and cories(they need cycled filter also.)
> I would research the africans you will be getting as if you take them you will then be very limited as to who can be added with them(only other africans,and some of existing are 6" then even "suitable" newcomers may not survive.)
> Done properly and timely ,you really could place all new fish (africans ) in buckets,while you fill the tank with very close to perfect temp water (dechlorinated) and have them in the 75 within a couple hours.If you don't disturb the existing canister that comes with them I don't think you will need to add bacteria ,as it will already be present in force in the filter.This is how I would do it,if I wanted the africans.
> Vacumm and change water in your 38,leave the filter alone and leave your fish in it,those are "sensative" fish and are probably not doing well if your tank is still cycling.Cleaning the filter can only set you back to day one IMO.


Hi Tom I had a filter on the 10gal water was cycled. set the 75 up same day i got it. Had sand and rocks ready. It came with 2 filters canister & hob. Put water fish & prime in. Fish are doing ok so far. Thanks for your help.Jim


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## coralbandit (Jul 29, 2012)

Sounds good!Enjoy your upgrade,big tanks are like a piece of art ,always a pleasure to view.What kind of africans came with it?


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## Jim 642 (Nov 2, 2012)

Hey Tom So far i have 2 Yellow Labs. 2 Albino straw berry Peacocks. 2 Demasoni. 1Fuscus. 2 Light blue fish with black fins about 3.5 or 4 in. 1 Reddish orange color 4 or 5in.Small fish about 3in blue with black vertical stripes. And one more don't no were to start. I don't know how to use camera to up load to forum yet. Think they are Mbuna. Jim


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## coralbandit (Jul 29, 2012)

hope this helps
Posting Pictures Tutorial - AquariumForum.com


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## Guyin (Feb 5, 2013)

Quick tip on salt, only use as a last resort for treatment for disease. Water changes are better, use Prime and keep the temperature around 80+. Unknown death can happen from many reasons, 50% water change is the best 1st step. Using Prime for tap water is one of the best products for chlorine/nitrites/nitrates. A sponge filter is one of the most important items in a tank, helps to keep the good bacteria doing the job of water stabilizing. 
Good luck with the new tank. I've made every mistake anyone can possibly make, I've learned the hard way.

Guyin


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## coralbandit (Jul 29, 2012)

african cichlids DO get salt in their water.Most LFS carry "rift lake salts".I'm not really sure if it is any different than aquarium salt.Possibly it would have a buffer in it to help keep pH up.


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## Jim 642 (Nov 2, 2012)

Guyin said:


> Quick tip on salt, only use as a last resort for treatment for disease. Water changes are better, use Prime and keep the temperature around 80+. Unknown death can happen from many reasons, 50% water change is the best 1st step. Using Prime for tap water is one of the best products for chlorine/nitrites/nitrates. A sponge filter is one of the most important items in a tank, helps to keep the good bacteria doing the job of water stabilizing.
> Good luck with the new tank. I've made every mistake anyone can possibly make, I've learned the hard way.
> 
> Guyin


 Thanks for your help. I have plenty of prime. My LFS sold me Cichlid Lake Salt & Malawi / Victoria Buffer to put in water. What size sponge filter to get. Jim


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## Jim 642 (Nov 2, 2012)

coralbandit said:


> african cichlids DO get salt in their water.Most LFS carry "rift lake salts".I'm not really sure if it is any different than aquarium salt.Possibly it would have a buffer in it to help keep pH up.


Thanks Tom Like i told Guyin LFS sold me Cichlid Lake Salt & Malawi / Victoria Buffer. Sure is nice to have all this help. Jim


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## coralbandit (Jul 29, 2012)

I use air driven sponges in all my breeder/fry tanks and even keep one in all my sumps(including the 3 salts).They are an incredibly effecient yet simple filter to have.I even use a power head on riser tube with one in my 75 g grow out.Almost any size sponge filter would be beneficial to your system,but what might work better is a sponge prefilter on your intake of your canister.The canister will be the most work to clean or service and a prefilter will reduce the need.As long as you only clean out the prefilter in tank water(while doing water changes) it would become and stay biological and provide you and your filter with a mechanical prefilter.That truely is the beauty of sponge filters;they are mechanical and biological and simple to maintain.Most of my fry,breeder,and growouts run completely on air driven sponges with nothing else.


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