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August 1st, 2008
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Fish Newbie
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help me!!
ok i found an aquarium at my apartment complex and it already had some gravel and a decoration thing in it....it was pretty nasty so i cleaned it up and decided to start it over...should i go ahead and use the old gravel to help the cycle start or get brand new gravel.....or a combination of the 2? also....it has a filter in it that is not "new" but its not filthy either......should i use that to start the cycle as well since it has some bacteria i guess already on it??
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August 1st, 2008
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Fish Helper
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Hi and welcome.
You could use the old stuff as long as it is cleaned properly. If the gravel and filter ect.. have been standing dry for sometime, you will have to start your cycle again, because then your bacteria has probably died. Rather safe than sorry. Hope this helps.  |
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August 1st, 2008
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Fish Mentor
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Whichever you want. The bacteria would have died a while ago so take your pick!
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August 1st, 2008
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Moderator
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Quote:
Originally Posted by charleston.kevin
ok i found an aquarium at my apartment complex and it already had some gravel and a decoration thing in it....it was pretty nasty so i cleaned it up and decided to start it over...should i go ahead and use the old gravel to help the cycle start or get brand new gravel.....or a combination of the 2? also....it has a filter in it that is not "new" but its not filthy either......should i use that to start the cycle as well since it has some bacteria i guess already on it??
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Congrats on the great find! 
If it were me, I would not use the old gravel for the simple reason that I have no idea of the conditions of the fish that were in the tank. they may have died from a disease that I would not want to introduce to any fish that I may buy. BUT you can wash and even boil the gravel to a hot temperature to kill any bad bacteria that may be left over. I would scrub down the filter box as well and buy new filter media. Make sure that after you really cleaned out that tank, that there is no soap residue left over.
Using cycled gravel only works if the gravel and filter media has been kept wet and did not have a chance to dry out first. Once its dried out and exposed to the air, you pretty much loose any beneficial bacteria it may have had.
Using the filter that you found is great, hopefully it is still in working order, you can check to see if it is by using a bucket of water. But as I mentioned I would not use any of the old filter media that you found with it.
You will have to go through the cycle, unless you buy some Tetra Safe Start or Bio Spira. Also, I would fill up the tank in a tub and make sure there are no cracks or leaks first before I went out and bought any new supplies for it. There is no way to know why it was left at the curb.
I hope that it works out for you...  btw what size is the tank? |
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August 1st, 2008
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Moderator
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When cleaning the tank, do not use soap at all. There are four (I've doubled my list!) chemicals that I would use (not in conjunction, though, only use one) when cleaning a tank: Bleach, Ammonia, Peroxide, and vinegar. Bleach will kill nearly anything in the tank, and can easily be neutralized by rinsing with a triple dose of dechlorinator. Ammonia will likely kill anything in the tank, and anything left will just feed the cycle (be sure to do this one outside, as ammonia mixed with organic material can create chlorine gas). Peroxide works like bleach, and dissolves into oxygen over time. Vinegar is a mild antiseptic and is great for getting rid of lime scale. Simple rinsing will get rid of it.
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August 1st, 2008
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Moderator
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Quote:
Originally Posted by sirdarksol
When cleaning the tank, do not use soap at all. There are four (I've doubled my list!) chemicals that I would use (not in conjunction, though, only use one) when cleaning a tank: Bleach, Ammonia, Peroxide, and vinegar. Bleach will kill nearly anything in the tank, and can easily be neutralized by rinsing with a triple dose of dechlorinator. Ammonia will likely kill anything in the tank, and anything left will just feed the cycle (be sure to do this one outside, as ammonia mixed with organic material can create chlorine gas). Peroxide works like bleach, and dissolves into oxygen over time. Vinegar is a mild antiseptic and is great for getting rid of lime scale. Simple rinsing will get rid of it.
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Very correct there SDS.
I should have re worded 'soap' for any chemicals that are used to clean the tank.(in my post above) I would never use 'soap'. guess I was using the generic term for 'cleaning' the tank and glad that you corrected that. I wouldnt want to confuse anyone. 
thanks, ~ kate |
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August 1st, 2008
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Fish Keeper
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And just a reminder, as SirDark mentions Chlorine gas is leathal. It is otherwise know as Mustard Gas
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August 1st, 2008
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Moderator
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I'm sorry, I just realized that I had my bleach and ammonia confused. So, I am amending my statement to "if you use bleach or ammonia, do it outside." Ammonia gas is just bad for you. It's bleach that, when mixed with organic matter, will produce chlorine gas. As jdhef says, it's a chemical weapon. It causes your lungs to fill with water.
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August 1st, 2008
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Fish Newbie
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lol are u guys trying to kill me here? thanks for the advice....I will definetly post pictures of me getting it ready and then the finished tank...its a 10 gal btw you guys are awesome.....is it ok to use the decorations in it? |
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August 1st, 2008
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Fish Keeper
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i would boil the decoration for about a minute to make sure its disinfected |
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August 1st, 2008
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Fish Newbie
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lol even if it has plastic? that doesnt sound like a great combination.....plastic....boiling water?
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August 1st, 2008
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Moderator
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Quote:
Originally Posted by charleston.kevin
lol are u guys trying to kill me here? t
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Nope. If I was doing that, I'd tell you to clean it with bleach and ammonia.
For those who don't know: NEVER mix bleach and ammonia. It will kill you. My cousin and I are extremely lucky that we survived doing so in a basement. |
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August 1st, 2008
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Fish Newbie
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ha ha ha!! i know better than that one...
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August 1st, 2008
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Fish Keeper
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I dont think a quick boil would melt them.
I would go with the peroxide, since it evaporates into oxygen. But if you want to be 100 percent then go with the bleach and a HUGE dose of dechlorinator when rinsing...
Whatever you do DONT mix ammonia and chlorine. this combination will produce chlorine gas and many more bad things you dont want to get! Like mentioned before, stick to one cleaning agent.
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August 1st, 2008
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Fish Keeper
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Welcome, glad to see another from SC on the boards!
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August 1st, 2008
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Moderator
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Don't mix vinegar and bleach either. Don't know what kind of gas it forms but it takes your breath away.
On another note if you use ammonia check to make sure it's pure ammonia not one with sudsing agent and other goodies 
carol |
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August 1st, 2008
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Fish Keeper
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Quote:
Originally Posted by charleston.kevin
lol are u guys trying to kill me here? thanks for the advice....I will definetly post pictures of me getting it ready and then the finished tank...its a 10 gal btw you guys are awesome.....is it ok to use the decorations in it? |
LOL... this is why you wait for a few more people to post so they have a chance to tell you "NONO!! STOP!!" if someone gives you bad instructions before running out and doing what the first person tells you... 
As long as you aren't mixing cleaning agents of any kind, then you're golden. It's just a dirty fish tank, not a chemistry experiment! |
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