# Setting Up another 55g



## Jbaas558 (Nov 19, 2015)

So I've got a 55g tank that I'm wanting to set up to take some load off of my show 55g by putting taking a couple of fish out and placing them in this new tank. I've got the HOB marineland 350 with some filters but my friend who I got the filters from threw the biowheels away. Would I be okay to start cycling the tank without the biowheels? I was going to take some sand substrate from my show tank and put it in some pantyhose and place those in the HOB filters. So, I was just wondering if I could start running the filter without the biowheels. Biowheels are scheduled to get here on 12-2.


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## Deeda (Oct 12, 2012)

You don't need the bio-wheels to start running the filters. Are you planning on doing a fishless cycle on the new tank?


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## Jbaas558 (Nov 19, 2015)

Yeah. I'm planning on doing a fishless cycle. Didn't know if I needed the bio-wheels to get things going or not.


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## tanker3 (May 18, 2015)

You do not need the BIO Wheel at all. Nice to have one, but not needed. I took my BIO wheel off my Magnum, and never put it back.


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## Jbaas558 (Nov 19, 2015)

Okay. I had a sponge filter that has been in my show tank for roughly a month, maybe a month and a half. I put that in the new tank. Figured it would help with getting things going.


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## Roger That (Aug 12, 2015)

Don't place the established substrate in the pantyhose inside the HOB filter.....
Anything that you put in the filter that the water will run through can be considered filter media, gravel, rock, foam pad, etc.. Sand however is not a good media as the water has a difficult time flowing through it causing it to back up. Place the pouch of established sand substrate right under the new filter's intake tube, the filter will draw up any established bacteria in the sand up into the filter's bio media or filter pad that you have and it will colonize there in the new filter. With the established sponge filter, some established substrate, and any used filter pad or media that you can temporarily put in the new filter will have your tank ready in just a few days.

With the established sponge filter you are already cycled to a certain extent. The thing you don't know yet is to what bio load level your new tank is ready for. Once you setup the tank with the established sponge filter, new filter and media with established sand pouch and everything up and running for a few hours test the water. If you don't already have it, get an API Freshwater Test kit. Test for PH, KH and GH....both the tank water and water straight from the tap that you put in a clean bucket and let air out for a few hours.

Then test the tank for ammonia, record all of your tests and date. Dose the tank with clear ammonia to 2-4 ppm, start with one drop per gallon of water in the tank...wait 20 minutes and test for ammonia. If low, add a little more ammonia and wait another 20 minutes and test for ammonia again until you reach between 2-4 ppm. When you do, write down the time, ammonia level and amount of drops of ammonia added to the tank in total to reach that level.

Wait exactly 24 hours, test the water for ammonia. If you have a zero ammonia level within 24 hours after adding it to 2-4 ppm...that's the bio load level your newly established tank's bacteria colony can handle. If you are wanting to load the tank up all at once I would dose the tank to 4 ppm. Then check the nitrite level. If it also tests at a zero level, your tank is fully converting the ammonia dose to nitrate within 24 hours which is what you want. If it has not yet reached a zero ammonia level within 24 hours your tank is not yet ready for it to be loaded to full capacity with fish yet. Just wait for the ammonia level to reach zero completely then add 2-4 ppm of ammonia every other day until your nitrite level drops to zero within 24 hours after dosing with ammonia. If you are not already there with your established sponge filter and substrate, you will be in just a few days.


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## Jbaas558 (Nov 19, 2015)

Thanks Roger That! Great advice. I will definitely give all that information a try. I just dosed the tank with 2 drops per gallon of ammonia. Thanks for the advice about not putting the sand in the back of the filter.


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## Jbaas558 (Nov 19, 2015)

So, my ammonia levels were 0 yesterday. So I added the amount of ammonia I did when I first put it in. I rechecked my levels today and they were not at 0 but close to 0.25-0.5. Now is this a bad thing since my ammonia levels didn't return to 0? Cause I'm at the stage where I'm adding my ammonia every 2-3 days. So, when I add my next dose of ammonia instead of using 3 tsp, should I just do 2 since my levels didn't go back to 0 in 24hrs?


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## tanker3 (May 18, 2015)

Not a bad thing, just not 100% finished yet. A cycle can take as long as 5+ weeks. You are almost there. You are doing fine.


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## Roger That (Aug 12, 2015)

Roger That! If you don't quite reach zero after a full 24 hours....it just means that your bacteria colony isn't quite finished growing to the size it needs to. No worries...it will grow to what it needs to so it converts it all within 24 hours in just a short time. Don't worry too much about the ammonia level in the exact amount of time now...focus only on the nitrite level for now. The goal for now is to reach a zero nitrite level in the tank while continuing to dose consistantly (every two days or three days) with the same ammonia dose that you having been adding to the tank.

Read up on this particular section of the fishless cycling article....it instructs to start performing small partial water changes daily, 10% - 20% to help with this phase of the cycle. Some suggest to not worry about the partial water changes yet, but you may want to if you are dosing above 2 ppm of ammonia. It may help to speed the process up a little. If you have any established media from another tank in there this phase should only take a few days, if not...it may take a little while before the nitrite level fully reaches zero. Be patient and you will be ready to handle a large bio-load of a fully stocked tank of fish.


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## Jbaas558 (Nov 19, 2015)

Okay, well very good then. I do have a sponge filter in there from my show tank. So I will check my nitrite level tomorrow and see where its at. Then perform a small water change and add some ammonia and then go from there. Thanks.


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## Jbaas558 (Nov 19, 2015)

So went to check the nitrite and ammonia levels in the tank today. And both are reading 0s =). Now I'm not planning on putting any fish in, but thats got to be a good sign that if I just dosed the tank yesterday with ammonia and both levels are 0. So next I plan on dosing the tank tomorrow, but I will again check for nitrite levels, do a partial water change and then dose with the ammonia correct?


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## Roger That (Aug 12, 2015)

Dont get too far ahead yet...thats great news that you also have a zero nitrite reading. If both the ammonia and nitrite levels are reading zero 24 hours after dosing with the same ammonia dose....you are cycled. Congratulations!!

But now you want to work on getting your nitrate level below 10 - 20 ppm. Now you want to check your nitrate level, if above 5 ppm do small (20%-25%) partial water changes and recheck the nitrate level. At this point you want to dose the tank with the same ammonia dose every other day until you add fish, meaning once every 48 hours. Check your nitrate level every day and perform small partial water changes until you reach 5-10 ppm. Keep dosing with ammonia until 48 hours before your fish are to arrive and be added to the tank. You can arrange to add your group of little monsters when you get the nitrate level to 10 ppm or below. You want to make sure your bacteria colony has a full 48 hours to convert all of the pure ammonia to nitrite and then fully to nitrate. You are now ready to add a full group of fish that can produce up to 3-4 ppm of ammonia. Once you add fish, they will produce all of the ammonia into the tank. The bacteria colonies will quickly adjust to the bio-load of the group you add to the tank and stabilize.

Now you just need to feed the fish and keep up with weekly partial water changes. For the first couple of weeks limit the PWC's to 25% as your bacteria colony will be delicate for a little while still, then I like to increase it to weekly 50% PWC's to keep the water crystal clear and good quality levels so the fish will thrive.


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## Jbaas558 (Nov 19, 2015)

Okay, so dose the tank tomorrow and recheck both levels in 48hrs and if they're both 0 then I'm ready to check my nitrate levels correct?


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## Roger That (Aug 12, 2015)

You are ready to check your nitrate levels right now if you have a zero nitrite reading, and ready to start small partial water changes if you have above 10 ppm of nitrate. Once you read a zero nitrite level...and ammonia level within 24 hours, you have a sufficient bacteria colony to complete the "cycle". If today was the first day that you read a zero nitrite level, wait 24 hours before dosing again....then every 48 hours until 48 hours prior to your fish being added to the tank.


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## Jbaas558 (Nov 19, 2015)

Alright, and if my nitrate level is above 10ppm then do a partial water change and recheck in 24hrs? Cause I guess the nitrate level is really kinda where I start getting confused. Cause I know it isn't as toxic as the other two and to have some isn't necessarily "bad" but you don't want it to get to high.


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## tanker3 (May 18, 2015)

Your previous 3 post are all correct. You can add fish now, 24hr after last "0" Ammonia/ Nitrite reading. I would always do a WC before adding fish, but your 10ppm of Nitrate is a very good reading.


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## Jbaas558 (Nov 19, 2015)

I've not yet checked my nitrate levels Tanker. I will probably give them a check tomorrow after the 24hrs has passed since me dosing it today with 3 tsp of ammonia.


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## Roger That (Aug 12, 2015)

Start checking your nitrates right now since you have fully converted ammonia and nitrite to zero. The nitrate level will likely be pretty high right now....being that you have been dosing to 3-4 ppm of ammonia. You don't want the nitrate level to get too high, try to keep it below 20 ppm.


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## Roger That (Aug 12, 2015)

After you check your nitrate level tomorrow, start doing your 15-20% small partial water changes. You may need to repeat every day until you get your nitrate to 20 ppm or below.


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## Jbaas558 (Nov 19, 2015)

Yeah I checked it today and it was 40-80ppm lol. But I was like well thats good since it means that the nitrogen cycle is happening. So yeah, I'll check it tomorrow and go from there is guess. Thanks.


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## Jbaas558 (Nov 19, 2015)

And to think I'm doing this all for a lethrinops intermedius, ndiwe fire hap, taiwan reef and electric blue alhi (all measuring roughly from 1.75"-2.5") for a new grow out tank.


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## Jbaas558 (Nov 19, 2015)

So, after I do the water change, wait what 24hrs to recheck nitrate levels?


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## Jbaas558 (Nov 19, 2015)

So what does it mean if I check my levels and my nitrites are 0 but my ammonia is 0.25ppm? Is it still safe to add fish?


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## Roger That (Aug 12, 2015)

Jbaas558 said:


> So what does it mean if I check my levels and my nitrites are 0 but my ammonia is 0.25ppm? Is it still safe to add fish?


Did you wait the full 24 hours after dosing before checking the ammonia? If not, check again at 24 hours. Small partial water changes will also lower the ammonia level. Do your PWC's every day 15-20% until you reach 10 ppm. Dose with ammonia every other day until ready to add fish....don't add fish until 48 hours after last ammonia dose. Lower your ammonia dose a little bit from now on to keep the ammonia level in the tank a little lower. Just work on lowering the nitrate and you're ready for your fish! Congrats!!


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## Jbaas558 (Nov 19, 2015)

It was not a full 24 hours no, it was maybe 20 hrs that I had waited. Just checked the ammonia right now, which is after 24hrs of dosing and it is at zero =). And okay, so I will check my nitrate level right now then do a 20% water change today and then tomorrow is a dosing day for ammonia. I will dose after checking nitrates and doing the water change again correct?


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## zimmy (Aug 13, 2010)

It sounds like you're cycled. When are you going to add fish?

You can do larger water changes now that you're cycled. The small water changes are mainly recommended while the cycling process is being completed. If you're between 40-80ppm for nitrates, I would do two or three 40-50% water changes over a day and add the fish.


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## Roger That (Aug 12, 2015)

+1 on Zimmy's advice. That's why you check after the full 24 hours. Your just doing the water changes now to get your nitrate level below 20 ppm then you can add your fish whenever you are ready. Keep dosing with ammonia every 48 hours until you're ready to add the fish. This is to feed your bacteria colony.

Example...you dosed with ammonia yesterday. Today and again tomorrow you are going to do some water changes. Tomorrow your nitrate is reading 10-20 ppm. Tomorrow would be 48 hours after you last dosed with ammonia....you could add your fish tomorrow. Wait 24 hours before feeding them for the first time.


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## Jbaas558 (Nov 19, 2015)

Okay. Yeah I got a reading of somewhere between 40-80ppm for nitrates, did a 15% water change today. Will check nitrate levels tomorrow, then do a 20% water change, then dose with ammonia. I'm hoping that come Friday I'll be putting my little buddies in the tank. I'm almost kind of considering taking all of my fish out of my show tank and doing the cycle process right for that tank. But gosh, I don't know. Seems like a lot of work. And really the only problem I'm having with that tank is my driftwood is still stinking leaching into my water, and its been in there a good solid month.


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## Jbaas558 (Nov 19, 2015)

Are there any plants that I could just kind of leave in my tank without planting them? Kind of like just floating on the top of the tank?


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## Roger That (Aug 12, 2015)

Do a 40-50% water change tomorrow, don't forget the dechlorinator, then check your nitrate level. Dose with ammonia on the lower side of your scale (a little less) tomorrow if this will be your last dose... say 2 ppm. Check the nitrate level Thursday...do another water change 40-50%. Friday check all of your water levels again....add your fish.


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## zimmy (Aug 13, 2010)

Jbaas558 said:


> Are there any plants that I could just kind of leave in my tank without planting them? Kind of like just floating on the top of the tank?


If you plan on keeping mbuna, there's not much you can use. Otherwise, anacharis can be used as a floating plant. It does a great job of lowering nitrates in your water two.

Another option is some golden pothos with just its roots in the water and the rest of the plant on top of the lid.


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## Jbaas558 (Nov 19, 2015)

Thanks a lot guys. Really glad I joined this site. Best thing I've done to expand my fish/aquarium knowledge. Um, zimmy I keep more of haps and peacocks then I do mbuna. I've got three right now but one is a female and I'm going to be giving her to my local fish store as well as my bumblebee. But my acei is going to be staying with me. Yeah, those little buggers like to dig thats for sure. OKay, just trying to think of what I could do to lower the nitrates. But again, thanks for all the help. I'll have to figure out how to put up a picture when I've got the little ones in there. Also thinking about putting my mloto in there. He seems to be getting picked on a little in the big tank. Not sure if I will or not. But my local fish store has some star sapphires and I had lost mine a while back so I might be getting one of those to put in this new 55.


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## zimmy (Aug 13, 2010)

This is what I mean regarding the golden pothos. I set them up on all my tanks and they grow like crazy. 

Mbuna will tend to eat plants, especially anything that grows fast and which will make a difference to your nitrate levels. Vallisneria is a great plant to use for that purpose.


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## Jbaas558 (Nov 19, 2015)

Okay, yeah I just need to figure out whats going on and control it


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## Roger That (Aug 12, 2015)

Figure out what's going on?? Do you mean why your nitrates are high? If so....that's easy!

You are adding 4 ppm of ammonia....every two days
Beneficial bacteria converts 4 ppm of ammonia to nitrite in 24 hours....every two days
Beneficial bacteria converts nitrite to nitrate in 24 hours....every two days
So...you are converting 4 ppm of ammonia to nitrate every two days, thus increasing the nitrate level daily. This will also occur when you have fish in the tank.

The solution....water changes. Theoretically when performing a 50% water change the nitrate level should be reduced by 50%. You are removing the nitrate in the water when changing....as long as you're not putting in water that also contains nitrates. It's a good idea to check the water coming out of your tap to know what the parameters are.

There are things you can do to help reduce the nitrate level, but the fish are always adding ammonia to the tank which ultimately turns into nitrates. So just keep doing water changes, without forgetting dechlorinator, to get the nitrate level where you want it to be.


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## Jbaas558 (Nov 19, 2015)

Yeah I understand how I've got them. But I did a 50% water change in my show tank and in five hours my nitrate level was 40-80 ppm. I did purchase the seachems purigen. So with the next water change ill add that in. I also messed up. Remember how I was going to do that water change today then dose with the ammonia, yeahh lol I accidentally dosed the tank with ammonia first. So I do perform the water change later tonight, or do I wait till tomorrow to do it, and then perform one more on Friday before adding the fish? Let me know, Thanks.


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## Roger That (Aug 12, 2015)

Don't worry about it too much. I would go ahead and do the water change later tonight. Do a large 40-50%...you don't want 80 ppm. Do another tomorrow and then another Friday before adding your fish. Make sure and use Prime or another dechlorinator each water change.


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## Jbaas558 (Nov 19, 2015)

Right. Thanks Roger.


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## Jbaas558 (Nov 19, 2015)

So for the seachem purigen. I wont want to add that tonight right? Cause I will only be cutting down my level in half, or do I? And then tomorrow when I do that water change again, it will keep it at half of whatever tomorrows water change is right?


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## Jbaas558 (Nov 19, 2015)

Well good news, got the nitrates down to 10-20ppm in the grow out tank. Things are looking good. I've got the seachem purigen in the HOB filter. So you think I should do one more 40-50% water change tomorrow before adding the fish?


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## Roger That (Aug 12, 2015)

Check your nitrate level again tomorrow before adding anything. If you have a 10-20 ppm level you are good to go! Chuck 'em in there.


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## Jbaas558 (Nov 19, 2015)

Awesome, thanks. I picked up two more little guys at the fish store yesterday. Picked up a red empress and a star sapphire. I couldn't help myself. I had a star that died before I got to see what they can really turn into, and I've always wanted a red empress. I'll have to post a photo once they're all in there.


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

In a 55g?


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## Jbaas558 (Nov 19, 2015)

Yeah, the red empress is mayb 1.5-2" and the star is around 2-2.5"


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## Roger That (Aug 12, 2015)

Well......

How is everything going? What's the nitrate level today? Did you add the fish?


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## Jbaas558 (Nov 19, 2015)

Everything is great! Ammonia and nitrite both 0, and drumroll...... nitrates are 10-20ppm =). Went and did a little DIY LED light strip on top. So, stocking list- 1 Star sapphire 2-2.5" 1 Lethrinops Intermedius 2-2.5" 1 Ndiwe fire hap 2-2.5" 1 Taiwan reef 1.5-2" and 1 Red empress 1-1.5"


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## Roger That (Aug 12, 2015)

Congratulations!


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## Jbaas558 (Nov 19, 2015)

I appreciate all the help from all of you guys. Wouldn't have been able to do it without you.


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## Roger That (Aug 12, 2015)

That's why we're here! We were all in the same boat needing advice at some point too....pass it forward!

Good luck!


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## Jbaas558 (Nov 19, 2015)

Definitely will. Thanks.


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