New/old Tank

So I just took in a 20 gallon tank that my sister neglected/stop taking care of when she moved out. Right now I've got is a the 20 gallon tank with about 30 pounds of gravel I think and some with a fake plant . Its got a Tetra Whisper EX30 power filter that needs a new filter with a 100 watt heater. I was wondering if all that caked on dried on grime; which I worry about it rotting producing excess about of ammonia. Fish wise it has only has 2 Tiger Barbs right now; the rest when to the big fish bowl in the sky. I wish I could add a betta fish but of course the Tiger barbs (especially in small numbers) are fin nippers. Right now the first things I need is a water test kit, a five gallon bucket, and a filter. I could use some feed back on what the next step is?

 

Welcome to the Forum!

Our first tank was a 20 gallon also that we got back this past February.

Looks like you're on the right track.

How deep is the gravel in the tank now? You mentioned there was 30lbs in there.

On my 20 gallon I originally added about double the amount of gravel I should have. After a few months I took about half out. It was getting ridiculous doing a gravel vac.

I have about 1.5 - 2" of gravel in there now. Makes it a lot easier to vac the substrate.

Is there a Petsmart where you live? I will get to that further down....

On your to-do list, add a good siphon gravel vac that has the priming bulb you squeeze. Some don't have them and you have to start the suction by mouth.

-thermometer
-dechlorinator (Seachem Prime is what I ise and what others mostly use, it's effective and very concentrated)
-net
-API Freswater Master Test Kit
-PolyFill (small bag avail at craft stores and WalMart)

Except for the Polyfil, online will be the best place to get supplies for prices. I use Amazon and Dr. Foster and Smith mainly. If I use Petsmart locally, I look up the item on my phone on their website and have the cashier price match it. Their in-store prices are usually more.

As for your filter, I would take it out of the tank and completely take it apart. Scrub it down, including the inside of the intake tube, impeller and impeller shaft.

For about $10, there are some very easy DIY mods to the filter to add some media that will make it filter the water a lot better both mechanically and biologically, and also extend the time between changing the cartridge.

The Polyfill can be stuffed before the cartridge to help catch the muck in the water. This prolongs the life of the cartridge.

You can also omit the cartridge, and insert a sponge that is cut to fit the shape of the reservoir. Aquaclear sells a 3-pack of sponges for $3-5 made for their Aquaclear 30, 50 and 70 filter models. Depending on the size of the reservoir on your EX30 (I am not familiar with them) select the sponge and cut it to fit so you can insert it in place of the cartridge. You can still use some Polyfill to fill void spaces to help catch muck.

The Polyfil is replaceable while the foam sponge block is simply cleaned in a bucket of tank water.

You can also use a sponge as a prefilter on the intake tube of your Tetra. Petsmart sells a 2-pack for a few $ that is perfect. A zip tie or rubber band secures it to the intake tube. This service the purpose to catch the large muck before it enters the filter, keeping both the impeller and main media cleaner.

Both sponges I mentioned will also harbor all of your colonized beneficial bacteria.






I wouldn't add any fish, until you can verify the water parameters.

I would start with a good vac of the substrate with the siphon and a large water change.

Let us know what the ammonia/nitrite/nitrate levels are when you're able to.

 

at 1 pound per gallon to make 1" of gravel you have 3" of gravel for a 20 gallon tank.. makes for bad bacteria colony buildups.. take an inch or 2 off itll be easier to clean and won't have as bad of spikes.

the filter isn't bad, but personally id probly look to upgrade. overfiltration will not hurt but if your at the line and get more fish then its a problem, also as suggested, break it down and scrub it.. toothbrush it all over.

that 100w might be too high. get a thermo and if it is either ajust it down, or get an ajustable heater... tiger barbs like 70 to 78F waters, so id suggest a nice medium of about 75ish.. not cold enough to chill em but not warm enough where there is less o2,

other than that as suggested clean the tank, check the parameters and when all is consistently stable add fish, double check then recheck and go from there.

 

Thank you for rescuing these fish! Sounds like they've had it rough, but things are looking up now that they're in your hands.

I was wondering if all that caked on dried on grime; which I worry about it rotting producing excess about of ammonia.

I don't quite understand the question... Caked on where? Generally speaking, I think it's probably good to clean things up, as long as you don't disturb the filter media too much. (Rinsing in old tank water would probably be fine. Replacing or bleaching would dramatically reduce your beneficial bacteria and possibly cause an ammonia spike.)

 

Frankly tiger barbs are pretty aggressive, should be kept in group of 6 or more and we’ Talking a 20 gallon tank.

So I would recommend you clean as well as possible without destroying the beneficial bacteria in your filter.

Rinsing the filter media/cartridge out in old tank water while doing a water change is the preferred method.

A couple of 30-50% water changes in the next week. Then add 4-5 more tiger barbs and do a species only tank.

You could add 1/2 dozen corys but would be overstocked which means your maintenance (water changes) would increase to 2Xs a week.

First investment should be the API master test kit so you can accurately test your water parameters.

 

I found a camera here are some pictures...




Hears a close-up picture of one of those tiger barbs


Here's the tank from a distance

I found a camera here are some pictures...




Hears a close-up picture of one of those tiger barbs


Here's the tank from a distance

 

Dude,

You’ve got room to put the 20T in the lower space and put a 36bf on top! j/k.

Those tiger barbs won’t be hiding if you up the school to 6-7.

 

Nice looking tank. If it were me I wouldn't do a great deal other than water changes until I got a test kit to see where this tank is in its cycle. If it is cycled you don't want to over clean and remove too much of the bacteria. It will save you a lot of headaches if it is already cycled.

 

So I just setup a tank up that I have had use in the past. So how long should I wait; I believe it's over night but I might be wrong which is why I am asking.

 

An old tank that's been unused for a while?

If so...its technically a new tank.

Are you familiar with the nitrogen cycle?

 

An old tank that's been unused for a while?

If so...its technically a new tank.

Are you familiar with the nitrogen cycle?

Yes I know about the nitrogen cycle. I just would like to know how long to wait to add fish to a set up aquarium?

 

Yes I know about the nitrogen cycle. I just would like to know how long to wait to add fish to a set up aquarium?

Ok. Then again I ask...has this old tank been unused for a while?

If it's been unused, or without fish for a while, you are starting from scratch.

So you need to decide if you want to do a fish-in cycle, or a fishless cycle. Do you know how each of those are done?

 

Well itt

Ok. Then again I ask...has this old tank been unused for a while?

If it's been unused, or without fish for a while, you are starting from scratch.

So you need to decide if you want to do a fish-in cycle, or a fishless cycle. Do you know how each of those are done?

Yeah of the different ways to cycle an aquarium.

 

Well itt

Yeah of the different ways to cycle an aquarium.

Will you fish-in cycle or fishless?

 

Will you fish-in cycle or fishless?

I was planning on getting 7 Neon Tetras, and 3 neon tetra2s from my 5.5 gallon tank. What I really want to know is this too fish much to add at once for a 20 gallon tank. Tell me if I am wrong but how long should I wait when the tank is completely set up to add fish?

 

I was planning on getting 7 Neon Tetras, and 3 neon tetra2s from my 5.5 gallon tank. What I really want to know is this too fish much to add at once for a 20 gallon tank. Tell me if I am wrong but how long should I wait when the tank is completely set up to add fish?

If it has been a while since the tank was last used, then probably set it up outside full of water for a couple days and watch for leaks. 20 gallons is a small tank, but it's a lot of water to end up on the floor. Then if it passes, set it up inside. Technically, you can add fish immediately, but you will have to do a fish-in cycle.

 

There was fish in the tank a couple of days ago. But I empty out the aquarium and put the gravel in a bucket; the fish in a 5.5 gallon aquarium. The tank stayed completely empty for a day or so.

 

When can you add fish?
Like I said...it depends on if you are doing a fish in cycle or fishless cycle.

I'm afraid you may not truly understand the cycling process since you keep asking when you can add the fish. But are not acknowledging the questions about how you plan to cycle it. The answer to that question determines the answer to your question.

The answer is one of two things...fish can go in immediately if you are going to use fish to cycle it. But it takes a lot of work and hardy fish to cycle a tank with them and not lose any. They have to tolerate toxic spikes in ammonia and nitrites for weeks until the cycle completes. If you truly understand the nitrogen cycle, I don't need to tell you that. There are ways to move the cycle along faster with fish, like using seeded media or bottled bacteria. If you don't take necessary precautions and make sure you fully understand the cycling process, there is a very good chance you will lose sensitive fish like neon tetras pretty quickly.

The other option is a fishless cycle which requires the use of pure ammonia and many weeks of patience. But will allow the fish to be placed in an already cycled tank and avoid having to survive temporarily toxic conditions. There are a lot of great people on this forum that can walk you through a fishless cycle.

 

So yeah I got some of that beneficial bacteria in a bottle, I've got some moss balls, also got some filter media from my 5.5 gallon. adding a filter from my 5.5.gallon.

Please look below.

But yeah I would like to know more about doing a fishless cycle a tank.

 

So yeah I got some of that beneficial bacteria in a bottle, I've got some moss balls, also got some filter media from my 5.5 gallon. adding a filter from my 5.5.gallon.

Beneficial bacteria feeds on ammonia and nitrites. So if that is the route you are going, you need to add fish relatively quickly so you don't lose the bacteria you added.

 

Neons are one of the worst fish to do a fish in cycle with. Their very sensitive to poor water quality. Just keep in mind without adding live bacteria it takes weeks to cycle even a small tank.