HELP......I don't know what to do

[borgatagal]

:help: Hi everyone,,,
Well, I just returned home from purchasing a 4tank from someone on ---- and boy am I disappointed! The tank hasn't been taken care of in a very long time! Although it has three healthy, active fish. I went through the process of saving the water into a huge trashcan, as everyone said to do, saved the crushed rock, etc... Broke down the tank and gagged the entire time at these people's house. But, I am totally disappointed and realize the tank really needs some major work. The smell alone is enough to make you lose your lunch.
So... all you wonderful experts... what the heck do I do now?????? Should I just say heck with it.. Tanki my time this week cleaning up the 40 gallong, start the tank (which could be very nice with some elbow grease) from scratch-- purchase the live rock, live sand and let it cycle?? In the mean time, can I still keep these fish alive in a q- tank and use the water that I hauled for an hour in the back of a truck to get home?
What would you folks do?? Help...........................................

 

[borgatagal]

bump.... Anyone out there in reef heaven???

 

[turningtim]

Hey Gal! OK, deep breath......... Tell me what you got. Whats the QT tank story? Whats the substrate. If we can get the QT up and running then I think thats the best bet. Clean out the DT and add new sand. We'll see if we can cheat the cycle a bit with what you have. Have you tested the old water yet? Don't just put the fish in new water, to much stress........
This does happen when buying a used tank, no worries though it can be fixed.
Give me an update........
Tim

 

[logen32]

i had the same probleam with my cc. It stunk all sorts of nasties. Um you have two options.
1. stick with the cc and add a bunch of carbon which will with time take care of the smell. It might take some time.
2. Change the cc to sand wich i would do. It makes the tank look alot more appealing.
you dont nessecarly have to re cycle your tank, get a pantie hoes or a something mesh like and put the crushed coral in there.
change it to sand and leave the cc in the pantie hoes and with time (2-3 weeks) start to take it out.
Good luck

 

[borgatagal]

:happyfish Tim,
You have stopped me from going down to the local bar and drinking till dawn!
Ok... here is the situation......
The hexagon tank is a nice tank, lid, light, etc.... It just needs some TLC. The stand, has a lot to be desired,, they hand made it and it is junk, so I know I need to go out tomorrow and get a new stand. I didn't realize the stand was 'handmade.' lol
Since I have 40 gallons, give or take, of the wonderful salt water in my clean and dandy new trashcan, I figured I should go ahead and set up the q tank with some of this water. So, on the kichen counter I have the ten gallon tank running. I put some of the stones in the bottom, I didn't rinse them, for fear of our local drinking water. The hanging filter is running, although the filter stinks to high heaven,,, it will have to do for the night. After an hour it is clearing up nicely and the temp is coming up.
Check with kit to find:
ph 8.0
very low alkalinity
What do you think>>>

 

[turningtim]

Where are the fish? What is the nitrate readings on the old water? What stinks in the hob? Just algea? If you put the fish in the QT with new water it maybe to much stress on they. If the tank was in bad shape they probably don't know what good water is.......
You're good! Do your thing to the main tank tomoorrow and as suggested on the other thread keep the substrate so you can seed the sand.
Get your stand and a bag of LS don't know the footprint of the tank but one (maybe 2) bags should do it. I would find a LFS that has some cured LR and put at least some in the tank (10lbs). All this will kick things up a little. Then you can order other LR if you want.
What kind of fish are they?
Lets stay on this thread b/c I answered the other too.
Tim

 

[borgatagal]

The fish are still in a bag,,, with air pocket.
I filled the ten gallon tank with the old water from the 40 gallon that was broke down and used the same hanging filter that was also on that tank. I filled it with some of the stones too. The temp of the water is coming up finally. It has been running for about two hours now.
What other tests should I check? I have ten bottles of test solution in this box and just checked so far the ph and the alk.
There are three fish... one orange/white clown fish and I believe the other two are both damsels. Positive one is a damsel, but the otherone isn't really blue more grey round like an angel. Will have to study it later.

 

[borgatagal]

I just put the bag with the fish in the tank... it is floating and boy are they looking around in that bag! I was getting concerned because it is getting cold and they have been out of the big tank since 5pm. Although they appear healthy and entergetic,,,, more so than me! I am stressed! This has been worse than the final table at a poker tourneyment!

 

[borgatagal]

Which bottle should I use to check the nitrates? I have NO2, NO3, NH3/NH4 bottles of solution. What are the differences?

 

[turningtim]

NO2 is NitrIte, NO3 is NitrAte, NH3/4 is ammonia. What kind of test kits are they? Glass vials and lids? instructions? color cards?
No Stress, it will be fine!
Tim
BTW You can take a gallon of the QT water out and put in you new water. Lets try and get some readings first!