Red1313

I'm setting up a 66 gal tank in the next couple days because I really want to get it up and going before I leave so I have a question.
If I seeded with some mature sponges, added my last 3/4 bottle of TSS and the 3x 4-6" Goldies... think the cycle would take? The 3 Goldies alone should only lightly stock the tank. I'll have someone coming in ever other day while I'm gone who could keep an eye on the parameters. And I'll hopefully have the plant filter up and running as well which should help make a difference.
What do you guys think?

Red1313

Yes?/No?
...

Lucy

It depends on how mature the filter media is. I don't have experience with TSS.
If the media is well established, you should be ok.
Is your friend willing to do the water changes if necessary?

Red1313

I don't think she'll mind. If i grab a python before I leave it won't be that hard for her.

Lucy

How long will you be gone?

Red1313

awhile. 25 days I think...

Lucy

Why not hold off on getting the gold fish and put a peice of raw shrimp in a mesh bag in the tank.
There's a good chance your tank will almost be cycled by the time you get back.
I just read that Llama cycled their tank in 31 days using this method.

Shawnie

when are you leaving? I forgot lol...if you cant get a full amount of tss , I wouldnt trust it unless you can totally count on your friend to carry out the water changes if it fails....id hate to see the goldies go through that if it didnt cycle...when I get home monday, im spending the day at the post office sending out fish, tss , and java moss

prairielilly

I agree that it could easily be just fine. However, personally if it were me, I'd be really concerned about putting 3 fish in a tank that may or may not be cycled and then going out of the country and leaving it with a well-intentioned person who may not know what to do should problems arise. I don't know the exact story on these goldies but if I'm remembering right from a previous post (pls correct me if wrong) it isn't just that you want to get any 3 goldies, these are some fish you wanted to save from a bad situation at an LFS? and if so it would (for me anyway) come down to which is the better situation for the fish.

Red1313

You got the situation right prarrielilly.
Allow me to clarify the situation a little bit.
The 3 goldies will each have 22 gallons to themselves (66 gal tank). I have some seeded media, decor, etc that I can add to the tank (the other tanks won't miss them) plus I have approx. 3/4 of a bottle of TSS remaining. (not sure how big a tank that would dose hence the extra seeding as well.)
Now my friend Marla has agreed to watch the tanks for me while I'm gone but I already talked to my BF (Who is a member on here as well) and he's agreed to do the one week test to check on my cycle. I'm leaving him (and Marla) really detailed directions and I've let the BF know that my orders are if anything goes wrong with the tanks his first action is to come to you guys.
(Guide him well please if that happens)
I'll restock more fish supplies before I go, make sure that I've got a few do all meds, plenty of prime, stresscoat and garlic guard etc. on hand in case anything goes wrong.

Now each of these goldies are between 4-6 inches long and the tank will be heavily planted (I hope to have the green and growy filter setup before I leave as well).

What do you guys think?

P.S. Lucy if I decide to cycle the tank while i'm gone I'll get marla to dose it with ammonia every other day when she comes in to check on the crew. I'm paranoid about a rotting piece of shrimp growing nasties in the new tank. (It's my big baby rofl)

Red1313

If you can get it in my mail box by thursday morning I'll love you forever Shawnie I'll pay for a slightly faster then average shipping just let me know the total.

With a python it woudn't be as bad as trying to haul 30 gals of water if need be. If that happens I'll tell Marla/Bf that there's and extra $50 in it for them. I guess...(that does worry me a bit as well)

prairielilly

Well I think you've given it a ton of thought and appear to have all your bases covered.

Good luck and have fun on your trip!

Red1313

thanks I'll try to stop in once or twice here while i'm gone.

I do tend to over plan things given the right incentives.

prairielilly

no such thing as over planning I know a lot of ppl that do that (most are engineers), myself included

Red1313

rofl

well my thing is that I over plan for most anything that could happen... and then I go and play if by ear.
In this case however the plan is going to be followed.