Beth, I got a question on my QT

[hnf2k]

i added a cup of sand like you said, a week or so ago. and today i went to test my water and nitrite - 0 ammonia - 0 ph - 8.2 nitrate - 30. are you sure that adding 1 cup of sand from a relatively new tank would cycle it? my sand is 250 pounds of southdown and 40 pounds of arag-alive.

 

[beth]

Oh no, it won't. Didn't I also say to add the shrimp? You can also add frozen fish food, if you are using that to feed your fish. The sand provides a "kick-start" as well as a bit more surface area for bacteria colonies to form. Sorry if that wasn't clear. Sometimes I say the same things over and over here, I might have left off that part. If you use fresh shrimp, chop it up really fine.

 

[hnf2k]

ok, so add another cup of sand with some raw shrimp? how many shrimp for a 30 gallon tank?

 

[beth]

Use your own judgement with the shrimp. A few would probably be a good start. You want to get the ammonia going. Chop them up.

 

[hnf2k]

aight. will do. now another question. i used to have a bearded dragon. it died. i have it's tank downstairs. is it possible to convert that tank into a fish tank? it was a decent size tank. are all tanks the same?

 

[cells]

HNF2K,
I don't think the tank for the bearded dragon can withstand the water pressure. Fish tanks are built stronger to withstand the enormous water weight and pressure.
Mind if I ask you how your bearded died? I love those creatures too.

 

[hnf2k]

the bearded got mites(if thats how you spell it, the little bugs), in his tank. so i brought him to the vet. the vet gave him some sort of an injection, which he had a bad reaction to and died.

 

[reefsoe]

A vet did that to one of my turtles
You have to check the tank if you do want to use it as an aquarium... "Reptile Tanks" have thinner glass and the silicone usually isnt that strong. IF it is an aquaruim you housed the dragon in AND it is safe for water just wash it with Hot tap and table salt... works well to disinfect anything