My Trip To The Local Fish Store 55 Gallon Tank

Ok, so I just got back from the lfs right by my house. I know I am lucky right? The owner was very busy. Which is always great to see. He came over and asked if there was anything he could help with. I explained my situation with buying my new 55 gallon aquarium. And wanting to buy my glow fish from him. I also told him I wanted to buy just 3-4 at a time and put them in QT for a month to watch. He asked why. I said so I could watch them before putting them in with the others. In case of disease. He said I could put all of them at once in with the quick cycle stuff he had. Which is equal to tetra safe start plus. I said what about amonia spike. He said no way. That won’t happen. I stood firm. We talked more. He had a sponge filter in each of his tanks in the store. Which was 50-75 easy. So he was using air filtration with sponge filter. See I’m learning. He showed me how to work the sponge filter which was very nice of him. I bought the Large size he recommended and he said 1 would be all I need. $19.99. I also told him I wanted an air pump for the sponge filter. He had one for 55 gallon so I bought it. $21.00. I also bought a little mercury thermometer for one of my 10 gallons that broke last cleaning. $4.99. Then I said I really want to just buy 3-4 fish at a time and put them in QT for a month. He ok and then said that’s the right way to do it. I felt that I got to know him. And he me. I also bought the quick cycle stuff he had recommended. $13.99. Total bill. $59.00 or so. I felt good building a relationship with the owner. And buying from the little guy. He has a lot more stock than the last time I was there. Which is also a great sign. I felt like I held my own with the big boys. Well kinda sorta. He is very nice.

 

Always stay in tp the good graces of local fish store owners. I've been able to get to Facebook friend and first name basis status with the owner of my LPS, he even wants me to work there. Its still a work in progress store as they are relatively new but they have spacious tanks but they are in definite need of cleaning. They seem to focus more on their birds and rodents (I was introduced to a new litter of hairless guinea pigs last time). I've given them a fair amount of African cichlid fry, a few bettas I've raised and several plants. They hooked me up with someone who needed plants and cherry shrimp and I made off with 30$ from that transaction as well as a tentative promise to get some blue shrimp in the future.

I've gotten several discounts and good deals from them. I feel happy to support a new pet store and have the opportunity to work with them.

 

I agree, it's good to build a relationship with him!

Take his advice with a grain of salt though - he still is trying to sell you things. He has to to keep his business alive. You can of course use the bacterial supplement, but you'll still get ammonia and nitrite spikes, so monitor your water closely and do water changes whenever parameters get bad.

You don't need to QT your first additions, by the way. Since there's nothing in the main tank to infect anyway

 

I don’t really have a relationship with my LFS. I just go in knowing what I want already. They’ll ask me about the tank and blah blah blah.

I do email mine just to see if they have any particular fish I need. If they don’t they’ll go check at their holding tanks and bag them for me and I just drop by and take them. Good to have a good LFS to trust.

 

TP stands for?

 

Yes, I will transfer the firs two Zebras into tank while adding safe start of his brand. And transfer old filter media from their tank as well. Then buy 3-4 or even 5 since they are small and tank is big. And put them in QT tank. Repeat until I have all fish in tank. 24 all together. 12 each Zebras and tiger barbs

 

You might need more than 2 danios to cycle the tank with. The use of TSS+ and old media will likely be overkill, and a waste for one of them (since you're only starting with 2 danios).

 

That's what I was talking to the store owner about yesterday. I was wondering if I should buy the 12 Danios from the LFS and put them in to cycle the tank? And keep the ten gallons the way they are. Then I could watch them in the 55 gallon? The store owner said he has stuff to treat the water with if a problem arises. I was thinking that the two Danios might not be enough if I QT the new 3-4 for a month. Please your advice?

 

scratch the above idea. I had a brain thing. I am going to do what my original plan was. I will use my danios filter media to put in the new tank. And use prime and starter cycle from LFS. And it says on bottle for maintenance to add more starter every week or month depending on my api master test kit for fresh water results. This should give me time to QT my LFS danios. Just 3-4 at a time for a month in QT. That way if I have a problem I don't lose more fish, the QT tank doesn't get too crowded and stress fish out, and I can watch fish more closely. I really appreciate all you guys. Thank you

 

i would be care full with his advice its all ways better to qt new fish if u do it his way u run a big risk if i was in your shoes i would qt all fish every time

 

Yes indeed, Thank you

 

You could do that. 12 danios in a 55 gal would be better for cycling than just two.

Agreed with the above, I'd be wary of that guy suggesting products - he's out to sell things. I would consult here before buying anything to treat the water with.

I still think the two danios in a 55 gal won't produce enough ammonia to cycle the tank.

You don't need to add any bacteria once the tank is fully cycled. Maintenance bacteria is unnecessary and another way to get you to spend money. I haven't added any bottled bacteria products to my tanks in years, since they were cycling.

Adding only 3-4 danios to a 55 gal a month will take forever, and is slower than necessary, in my opinion.

 

Thank you, I will use my cycled filter media from soon to be QT tank and buy 12-14 Zebra danios to add. Then keep an eye on water with api master test kit for fresh water. I’m still in the waiting for equipment to arrive stage. And in June I’m going out of town for 2 weeks. So I plan on putting everything together. And testing new aquarium outside for leaks. Then after I come back from vacation I can concentrate on 55 g build. I don’t want to rush it. And have something go wrong. And have 3 tanks going.

 

Ok, I was wondering if since it’s a 55 gallon. I could use my cycled filter media and add all 24 fish at once. 12 danios and 12 barbs. And do water changes as frequently as needed. This way I can keep my original fish in their tanks. And watch new ones. If needed I can watch for 2 months. Then add my old fish after that. If all is well.

 

your welcome mate

 

You could do that, but I think there is more room for water parameters to go wrong by starting with all of those fish. It can be done, just keep up with testing and water changes - I'd test daily (unless you use something like TSS+, then don't test or do water changes for two weeks).

Two weeks being out of town is nothing. Your fish will be fine when you go out of town that long, as long as the tank is cycled before then (and there is time to cycle it before then), so don't let that change your plans.

 

Ok thanks

 

Thanks TexasDomer! I hope to have 55 set up and cycled before vacation. And have neighbor kid across the street feed them each day. I’ll offer her $50.00 for the two weeks of her time. It’s well worth it to me. And her being in 8th grade. Will be more inclined to keep up on it.

 

The fish will probably be fine for two weeks without eating. You'll be running the risk of her overfeeding and causing an ammonia spike, which is way more deadly than a few weeks without food.

 

Ok, I made a mistake. I’ll be off work for two weeks. But only out of town for a week. So that’s even better. I will do research on how long my fish can go without food. But appreciate your advice. I guess that the fish will scrounge around the tank for food if they’re not fed.