I just picked up a used aquarium from marketplace, and have a few questions about how to get it set up and cycled the best way.
-tank measures out to just over 22 gallons
-my plan is to have a small school of neon tetras and small school of panda Cory’s.
-I’d also like to do the plenty of live plants, maybe a piece of driftwood in the middle.
-I’ve already got 2 30gallon tanks established and thriving, one with an HOB, and one with HOB and sponge filter.
I’m in no rush, want to be certain the tank is cycled properly and ready to go before i get the fish.
Can I take some things from my other tanks to introduce beneficial bacteria? Or am I better off starting a new colony for this tank?
Also, I’ve never quarantined my fish before adding them… doing a lot of research that says I should. Is this true even on a fresh tank, where the fish going in will be the only ones in it? Or should I put them in a different temporary tank before introducing them to this tank?
Any advice would be great!
pic of my black moor for fish tax
Posted by IguanaMan_
1 Comment
Ok, so first off, I’m that asshole that suggests nothing you’re looking for. For starters, consider cardinal tetras over neons for the same look but overall better health. Consider pygmy corys over pandas for the substrate space and because I’ve seen a rash of posts lately about pandas being unhealthy. I do not have personal experience with them so take that last bit with a grain of salt.
Adding some used filter media or other elements from currently cycled tanks is a great idea to jumpstart the new cycle, but it’s rarely enough to instantly cycle a new aquarium. You’ll still want some source of ammonia and all the water tests to be 100% sure your cycle is established in your new tank.
Here are my thoughts about quarantine. If God forbid your new fish have pre-existing infections or parasites, you do not want to introduce that into your brand new, fully cycled, planted and beautiful tank. Some meds will stain parts of your tank. Other meds will kill plants and other meds will kill snails which can cause ammonia spikes. If my quarantine tank is being used as a hospital tank then I will just use a bucket with an air stone for new fish. No need to go crazy and buy additional tanks. I also don’t treat them prophylactically. I just keep a close eye on them for two weeks. If I see anything alarming, I will treat them then, but in my opinion, the fewer meds the better.