Frustrated with setting up a new tank *

[bill109]

hello to all
i am so frustrated with setting up a new tank.. this time it isnt the waiting part.
it is almost filled with water (nothing els but R/O in the tank )but by the time i put lr and ls it will be filled.
so heres the problem
it has got all this debris in the tank from different things (not toxic) so i have a filter form a old 12 gallon tank on a 90 gallon... yes a 90 gallon
it isnt fitering it and tht well and i cant use anyother filters.. is this going to work for the night so it will be clear in a day so i can add the right heater.lr,ls.
the only way to get what needs to happen is to take the display tanks equipment and pu it on or from the 20 gallon freshwater tank.. i just want the water clear.
the heater isnt heating (this was an experimet to se if it would warm the tank
but isnt)
so do i buy new temperary equipment for it? or use other tanks equip (fresh 20 or 30 salt?)
i bought sand because i had this heater tht would work for the 90 but its old and dosent work so i have ls in a bag tht cant go in the 90 gallon 65 degree water. so do i put it in the 30 if it has cyano?
i have this sand tht has been washed a few times with fresh becayse it was dead form sitting in a bucket for a week and had algea covering it. so it smellls like rotten eggs when ther is no water in it but with no problem.. can i add tht to a cold tank to start a cycle or will i not because th wtr is too cold?
thts it !

HELP me please :help: :help:
thanx any advice would be awesome
-Bill109

 

[ryanhayes9]

im sorry byt im really confused. wha display tank are you taking equipment from?

 

[bill109]

Originally Posted by ryanhayes9
im sorry byt im really confused. wha display tank are you taking equipment from?
tht sis my delema.. wheather to take form the 30 salt or the 20 fresh or buy new stuff for the 90 and keep it as backup.
? :help:

 

[fbm]

Can you use a fish to get scoop the debris out yourself? I wouldn't use freshwater stuff because the salt will probably hurt the bacteria for freshwater then the freshwater tank may cycle.

 

[bill109]

Originally Posted by fbm
Can you use a fish to get scoop the debris out yourself? I wouldn't use freshwater stuff because the salt will probably hurt the bacteria for freshwater then the freshwater tank may cycle.
no it is too smll.. ive already tried with a fish net.

 

[bill109]

bump

 

[bill109]

bump

 

[sign guy]

list all tanks and all equippment (brand and size) you have know there is a simple soulition

 

[ophiura]

Originally Posted by sign guy
list all tanks and all equippment (brand and size) you have know there is a simple soulition
I'm really confused as well. :notsure:
So listing this is the best way.
Generally speaking, much of the equipment for your smaller tanks will be of little use on the 90 if that is what you are getting at. The heater for a 30g is typically in the 150W range which wouldn't do much at all for the 90 alone. Ditto for many filters for that size range. Realistically, you will need equipment that will be suitable for the 90g.

 

[bill109]

Originally Posted by ophiura
I'm really confused as well. :notsure:
So listing this is the best way.
Generally speaking, much of the equipment for your smaller tanks will be of little use on the 90 if that is what you are getting at. The heater for a 30g is typically in the 150W range which wouldn't do much at all for the 90 alone. Ditto for many filters for that size range. Realistically, you will need equipment that will be suitable for the 90g.
yes is tht what i should do.. buy new stuff till i can use the old stuff from my other sw tank or am i missing something..
does you tank need to be warm to be cycling.?
does my tank (90) need to have a sump? can i use the penguin 280?
is my sand oing to die if i dont put it into a tank tht is the appropriat temp or can it stay in the bag till i can get a heater?
i bought it to cycle my tank.
im so sorry for the confusion but tht is th only way to explain it was to tell you my problem and hear what you would do..
my lfs said put in my chromis and clown in a watch levels.. but i didnt wanna do tht so i didnt and have them all in the other tank with the equip.
any better?

 

[snookedsteve]

In my limited experience it does not pay to try and skimp on things. You will always end up spending the money sometime. I personally would not put any fish in the tank until it is cycled. You do not HAVE to have a sump. A sump is just to hide equipment under the tank and hold a little more water. The LS stays in the bag until you buy it from the store so I don't think leaving it in the bag at your house is going to hurt it. If I were you I would just buy the appropriate pump and not have to worry about it anymore.

 

[ophiura]

I would not put any livestock in the tank if it is 65 degrees. You can get heaters at least at the local petstore or even Walmart - 2 that are around 300w.
I probably wouldn't have added water until I had the equipment ready for it - it is hard to get it to work quite right this way. Figure the penguin 280 cycles approx 280g per hour. So it barely does that tank 3 times if it is working totally well.
Buy equipment that FITS a 90g tank. If your previous tanks are in the 30 g range, there is very little realistically that you can use, equipment wise, on the 90 except for powerheads.

 

[bill109]

Originally Posted by ophiura
I would not put any livestock in the tank if it is 65 degrees. You can get heaters at least at the local petstore or even Walmart - 2 that are around 300w.
I probably wouldn't have added water until I had the equipment ready for it - it is hard to get it to work quite right this way. Figure the penguin 280 cycles approx 280g per hour. So it barely does that tank 3 times if it is working totally well.
Buy equipment that FITS a 90g tank. If your previous tanks are in the 30 g range, there is very little realistically that you can use, equipment wise, on the 90 except for powerheads.
ive heard of ppl using a filter like tht and have the lr as the rest of their filtration..
i have a skimmer as well
aqua c Urchin pro with a rio 1400 pump
so is tht enough.. if it isnt then its not to big of a deal i think tht it will work though (whats your thoughts.?)
well if i added water now i wouldnt have to do it later. its not a big deal not like its going to go bad lol
so a 300 watt heater will do?
i think i have a 150 now so maybe another 150. its a acura 15 inch i believe 150 watt
wgat about lghts i have a total of 170 watts

 

[ophiura]

I would get two 300w heaters. Not two 150w heaters, personally.
Also, just because you have LR, does not mean that you don't need circulation. You need powerheads for circulation.
Lighting depends on what you want to keep. I would do a lot more research as to what you need, what you want, and how to get there.

 

[daninct]

Bill, if you just need to filter the debris from the tank overnight then any mechanical filter will help. Not knowing what was on the 12 gal I can't guess how long it would take to clear the tank but it would be better than nothing at all and by some time while you figure out what to do long term.

 

[bill109]

Originally Posted by ophiura
I would get two 300w heaters. Not two 150w heaters, personally.
Also, just because you have LR, does not mean that you don't need circulation. You need powerheads for circulation.
Lighting depends on what you want to keep. I would do a lot more research as to what you need, what you want, and how to get there.
yeah i have come to realize lol
but i know i need atleas one or 2 more 122 maxi jet PH but what is the real purpose of a biowheel pengion 280 in a 90 gal like mine.. for surface agitation? if so then ill keep it in there

 

[sepulatian]

Originally Posted by bill109
yeah i have come to realize lol
but i know i need atleas one or 2 more 122 maxi jet PH but what is the real purpose of a biowheel pengion 280 in a 90 gal like mine.. for surface agitation? if so then ill keep it in there
Bill, when upgrading a tank you also need to upgrade the equipment. You can't take 4 filters from 4 different small tanks to do the job. You need equipment that is the right size for your tank. Always go bigger. For example for a 90 gallon tank, don't buy a 30 gallon filter and a 60 gallon filter, go for two 60's. You will need two powerheads for the 90 gallon. Don't get frustrated, just get the correct equipment.

 

[bill109]

Originally Posted by sepulatian
Bill, when upgrading a tank you also need to upgrade the equipment. You can't take 4 filters from 4 different small tanks to do the job. You need equipment that is the right size for your tank. Always go bigger. For example for a 90 gallon tank, don't buy a 30 gallon filter and a 60 gallon filter, go for two 60's. You will need two powerheads for the 90 gallon. Don't get frustrated, just get the correct equipment.
right i understand but i hear all these things like you dont need the penguin or what ever it is for a filter and use lr.. but i thought tht it could only help?
maybe im wrong and tht is where the confusion is commming from.. as far as the heaer it was an experiment there is nothing live in the tank.
is the skimmer all seT?

 

[sepulatian]

Originally Posted by bill109
right i understand but i hear all these things like you dont need the penguin or what ever it is for a filter and use lr.. but i thought tht it could only help?
maybe im wrong and tht is where the confusion is commming from.. as far as the heaer it was an experiment there is nothing live in the tank.
is the skimmer all seT?
The LR is a must IMO it is a natural biological filter. You still need mechanical and chemical filtration. Biowheel filters work well for all three. Mechanical filtration is the removal of debris like fish poop, excess food etc. Chemical filtration is your carbon that will remove any meds or chemicals that you put in your tank (you don't use carbon all of the time, only when you need to remove something) Biological filtration is the breakdown of ammonia into nitrite into nitrate. Biological and mechanical filtration needs to be sufficient enough to handle the bioload of your fish. If you are stocking messy fish then you need better filtration.

 

[bill109]

Originally Posted by sepulatian
The LR is a must IMO it is a natural biological filter. You still need mechanical and chemical filtration. Biowheel filters work well for all three. Mechanical filtration is the removal of debris like fish poop, excess food etc. Chemical filtration is your carbon that will remove any meds or chemicals that you put in your tank (you don't use carbon all of the time, only when you need to remove something) Biological filtration is the breakdown of ammonia into nitrite into nitrate. Biological and mechanical filtration needs to be sufficient enough to handle the bioload of your fish. If you are stocking messy fish then you need better filtration.
a hah.. got it. so what kind of filter this tome do i need for a 90.. wow this is gonna be a boat load of money.. th 30 gal was 100 for a filter.