Retirement and forum shutdown (17 Jan 2022)

Hi,

John Howell who has managed the forum for years is getting on and wishes to retire from the role of managing it.
Over the years, he has managed the forum through good days and bad days and he has always been fair.
He has managed to bring his passion for fish keeping to the forum and keep it going for so long.

I wish to thank John for his hard work in keeping the forum going.

With John wishing to "retire" from the role of managing the forum and the forum receiving very little traffic, I think we must agree that forum has come to a natural conclusion and it's time to put it to rest.

I am proposing that the forum be made read-only from March 2022 onwards and that no new users or content be created. The website is still registered for several more years, so the content will still be accessible but no new topics or replies will be allowed.

If there is interest from the ITFS or other fish keeping clubs, we may redirect traffic to them or to a Facebook group but will not actively manage it.

I'd like to thank everyone over the years who helped with forum, posted a reply, started a new topic, ask a question and helped a newbie in fish keeping. And thank you to the sponsors who helped us along the away. Hopefully it made the hobby stronger.

I'd especially like to thank John Howell and Valerie Rousseau for all of their contributions, without them the forum would have never been has successful.

Thank you
Darragh Sherwin

start up

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tippstar (colm norris)
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20 Jan 2010 08:43 #1 by tippstar (colm norris)

start up was created by tippstar (colm norris)

hi all

is this the correct procedure to do. i know it may have been asked tons of times before but want to be careful.

1) filled up my tank with substrate and water and let it rest for a few days to get rid of the chlorine
2) introduce my external filter which has been running in a tank for 3 months
3)then i suppose wait a few days and introduce my fish slowly over a few days

does this sound ok.is there is a need to cycle if using an used external?

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MaxiZoo Leopardstown (MaxiZoo Leopardstown)
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20 Jan 2010 17:01 #2 by MaxiZoo Leopardstown (MaxiZoo Leopardstown)

Replied by MaxiZoo Leopardstown (MaxiZoo Leopardstown) on topic Re:start up

you should really get yourself a dechlorinater and a bacterial boost, the likes of safe start and aquasafe should do you, both are tetra brands or you could get api's stress coat and stress zyme.

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20 Jan 2010 17:13 - 20 Jan 2010 17:14 #3 by fourmations (NIall SMyth)

Replied by fourmations (NIall SMyth) on topic Re:start up

hi

get a dechlorinater all right
but i dont see the need for a "cycle starter"
if your external is still running and mature

stop me if im wrong (i often am!)

I dont know what way you plan to do the swap
but do it at the last minute, until recently
I thought that once your external was full of water
the good bacteria would be intact, but it needs
a source of ammonia to keep it cycled

BTW, if you go down the safestart route
you have to add it with the fish at the same time
it needs an ammonia source to kick in

rgds

4

Last edit: 20 Jan 2010 17:14 by fourmations (NIall SMyth).

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PAULHARTE25 (PAUL HARTE)
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20 Jan 2010 19:07 #4 by PAULHARTE25 (PAUL HARTE)

Replied by PAULHARTE25 (PAUL HARTE) on topic Re:start up

i completely stripped down my rio 180,emptied it,hosed it down in the back garden,refilled with rock and coral and dechlorinated water,had my external running on my 2ft tank for a couple of hours while i was doing it,filled it with fish the next morning when the water was warm,and i never lost one fish,i presume once the filter is mature everything should be ok,like 4,i could be wrong too,happens all the time:(

,never used cycle start so know nothing about it

paul

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stretnik (stretnik)
Visitor

20 Jan 2010 19:23 #5 by stretnik (stretnik)

Replied by stretnik (stretnik) on topic Re:start up

Hi Paul

It's vital that there is enough nutrient circulating in the new water otherwise, some days later. you can end up with a major die off of beneficial Bacteria.

Kev

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20 Jan 2010 20:28 #6 by fourmations (NIall SMyth)

Replied by fourmations (NIall SMyth) on topic Re:start up

stretnik wrote:

Hi Paul

It's vital that there is enough nutrient circulating in the new water otherwise, some days later. you can end up with a major die off of beneficial Bacteria.

Kev

nutrient?

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scubadim (scubadim)
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20 Jan 2010 20:45 #7 by scubadim (scubadim)

Replied by scubadim (scubadim) on topic Re:start up

Looks like what you're doing is right but I agree with most,a dechlorinator will prove itself useful during your water changes.for now if you're not in a rush just monitor your level of nitrite or get your local fish shop to test your water.when your nitrite is zero then you can introduce fish.
Having a matured filter is very good but I still think you should wait till nitrites are gone.that's the way I see it and there are many different ways but I like to be cautious :-)

good luck
Dimitri

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21 Jan 2010 00:01 - 21 Jan 2010 00:04 #8 by fourmations (NIall SMyth)

Replied by fourmations (NIall SMyth) on topic Re:start up

hi all

id like to hijack this thread, but very "on topic"

i myself will be breaking down my tank shortly
and replacing it with a new tank and new substrate
i will arrange a loan of a 54l tank to temporarily rehouse my stock

i cant run my external on this tank as its more or less
built into a wall and it will be in a different room

so, i was going to bung as much media as i can fit in the crappy juwel filter
the media is 100% "Substrat Pro" (eheim pitted stone balls)

will i get instant cycle on the temp tank from the mature media
and vice versa... will the media from the temp tank instantly cycle
the new tank when returned to the external

rgds

4

Last edit: 21 Jan 2010 00:04 by fourmations (NIall SMyth).

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scubadim (scubadim)
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21 Jan 2010 00:15 #9 by scubadim (scubadim)

Replied by scubadim (scubadim) on topic Re:start up

Hi 4,
that's d way to go,keep as much media as possible from your tank,install it in the juwel filter.you also have to fill the temporary tank at least to half(3/4 better) with the water from the other tank.
That way you're not takin any chances.same water same media:no problem.
Hope this helps.
Dimitri

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21 Jan 2010 00:33 #10 by fourmations (NIall SMyth)

Replied by fourmations (NIall SMyth) on topic Re:start up

thanks dimitri

thats interesting...

i have always believed that there is
no good bacteria in the water column,
its all in the substrate and filter

whats the advantage of using the old water
(its no problem and very do-able, i'm just curious)

btw the juwel filter will only hold about 1/6
of the eheim's media, do you reckon that would be enough
to kickstart it when it has been returned

rgds

4

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murph (Tony Murphy)
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Junior Member

21 Jan 2010 01:11 #11 by murph (Tony Murphy)

Replied by murph (Tony Murphy) on topic Re:start up

FWIW, an established, happy tank consists of a bio-film on all surfaces of the tank and the nice bacteria in the water column. Most of the new tank syndrome problems when upgrading tend to arise because, even though the high flow bacteria are still alive in the filter, the low-flow ones on gravel, glass, substrate etc. have gone. This then changes the nutrient supply (waste!) available to the filter bacteria, which will cause them to adjust till equilibrium is reached in the tank between the various bacteria colonies and the fish/food/plants/water changes.
Unfortunately, the fish tend to suffer in this period.
It is best to do regular (every 1-2 days) 10-20% (or more, if necessary) water changes in the balancing period (about 2 weeks, but can be 4), using de-chlorinated, aged, aerated water, (i.e. add de-chlorinator to water in bucket, insert air-stone (running!) and leave overnight, at least).

p.s. It's a good idea to throw a little tank water in when bucket reaches room temp to get some good bugs multiplying before adding to tank, e.g. fill buckets at 7pm. Leave in room with tank till 10.30pm. Add cup of tank water then. Go to bed. Next day do water change at 6.30pm. Repeat above.

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scubadim (scubadim)
Visitor

21 Jan 2010 13:29 #12 by scubadim (scubadim)

Replied by scubadim (scubadim) on topic Re:start up

Hi,
like Murph says There are bacteria in the water and on all surfaces.
The reason why it is good to use the old water is to avoid any extra stress to fish going through a lot already from the move.the other thing is,by adding a different water you can "shock" the filter media and lose some of the bacteria in the media and get an ammonia/nitrite spike which is toxic.
If like Murph says you do daily 20% water change or so,you then remedy to it.
i just think using the old water or at least half of it avoid all of this.
As for kick starting your next tank with only a 6th of the volume of filtration,it might not be enough for a straight move...
Dimitri

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Retirement and forum shutdown (17 Jan 2022)

start up