Just Picked up Used 30 Gal. Tonight...

[poppatello]

I've been doing a bit of research the last two days. I am very surprise @ what I've found out so far. Some of it is starting to sink in and I will need to re-read other stuff. My baby girls won five gold fish @ a local fair. They gave them to us in bags. I told the wife we had to get a tank for them. They had a 2.5 gal's there we purchased. On the way home I told the wife that I know this tank would not hold them. When we got home I added water to the tank and used the drops that came with it. The next day I had the wife pick up a 5 gal wally mart tank complete with light and filter system. I got on the PC and found out that even up to a 10 gal for five gold fish would be to small. So I started looking on line for a use set up and found a buddy on my jeep forum selling his 30 gal complete with filter and all. Here is what I know of the tank set up.



It had water in it until I picked it up today (rocks were still covered in water). Has 30-80 gal Taira whisper filter. Tank heater, looks like T8 lamp, real dead coral, some totem poles and blue and read rocks, air pump with two outlets.

I have seen threads on cycling the tank. Do I need to do this now? The rocks were covered in water (PO stated this would keep the bacteria alive). I added more water when I got home to get the filter running again. Filter is suppose to be a month or less old. I do plan to replace it. Water from the rocks was supper dirty.

I plan to head to the Just Fish store near my house in the morning to get the needed supplies to get the tank up to par. Should I take a water sample with me?

I had a 10 gal when I was younger and had plants, algae eaters and neon's and such. I never took care of the tank as I've read I should have tonight. I am very cautious to how I take care of animals. To me and my daughters they are not pets but family members.

The main plan is to provide a great home for the five gold fish. I do however want to add maybe two or three more different types of fish. One will be an algae eater and I also hope to add a live grass and small plant.

Any advice would be welcomed. Have ideas on what I should look @ the store or ask the fish fella? The store I am going to is suppose to be highly respectable and won numerous awards. I feel pretty confident going there...

 

[Thyra]

I think everyone will say the tank isn't big enough for 5 goldfish, but you don't really know if they will all live because of where they came from so I think you are doing the best you can for now. They are cold water fish, so you do not need the heater. You should have a test kit so you will be able to tell if or when the tank is cycled and if its not, you are doing a fish in cycle so you need to do frequent water changes to keep the ammonia level as near zero as possible. You will need some sort of suction for removing debris and water changes. Do not add any more fish. The tanks is marginal for that many goldfish and you don't want to add tropical fish in with gold fish. The 5g tank might be used for a betta in the future.

 

[lauraf]

Unless you know that this guy had a healthy tank and it was left sitting without fish or filtration for less than 48 hours, I'd say start as though there is no beneficial bacteria in the tank. Give everything a thorough scrub down. Soak the coral, if you are going to keep it, in super hot water.
Buy your own liquid test kit for ammonia, nitrite and nitrate. You will use this through the fish-in cycle and after, so it's a worthwhile investment.
Please keep us posted.
Cheers,
Laura

 

[poppatello]

Went to Just Fish and was really surprise with the visit. @ first I was very skeptical but the place is family owned and run. Boy they sure were very knowledgeable, patience and nice. I took water samples of both the 5 gal and 30 gal. As you all stated, the ammonia level in the 5 gal tank was peaked. Funny thing is I have a good sense of smell and couldn't tell. As I've read on here and you all stated the tank was just starting to cycle. They advised me to do a 50% water change, add some de-chlorinate @ a rate of 1 table spoon today and tom. The 30 gal tank had an elevated ammonia level and some what low but ok nitrate level. They told me to add live bacterial for a 50 gal tank. I am to run the system until Thursday and take a sample back to them for testing. The 30 gal tank should be ready Thursday night to transfer the fish over. I plan to wait five days from that to add another fish. My goal is to add one to two plants and two extra fish with a total of seven all together. They will let me know when that time comes which fish I can add as I have to watch my fish size vs tank size ratio. I have to say that after the water change the fish seem to be much happier. Funny I should say that as they are fish but they seem to have feelings lol. I am really excited and can't wait to get the tank to my goal. It's even nice to sit there adn watch the water bubble and filter dump water even with nothing in it. Wait til I add fish. I'll be up all night watching them. Not sure who is having more fun, me or my babies...