how long do i filter my freshwater aquarium before adding fish?

Question

have a 55 gal tank how many fish can approx fit?

Answer 1

frostischilly is right. You need to cycle the tank properly before you start adding fish. Just filtering it for a few days won't do anything to help you with the ammonia and nitrate spikes you'll start getting, and that will kill the fish.

One inch of fish per gallon is the rule of thumb for small fish like Tetras, but I wouldn't put 55 Tetras into a 55 gallon tank. That would be a bit much, in my opinion. And that rule doesn't apply to larger things like Angelfish, Goldfish, etc. For fish that will be 3" to 4" when they grow up, you could comfortably house about four of them in a 55 gallon. It just depends on the fish, really. For goldfish, two or three would be the absolute limit.

Answer 2

After adding the chemicals, you should wait AT LEAST 48 hours before adding fish. A week is reccommended, but most people can barely wait a day...two is ok, but you need to know there are cycles your water has to go through to be set and safe for your new fish.

As others have said, after you purchase your fish, float the bag for at least 15 mins before releasing. It is good to also not drop the water from the fish store into your tank..if you are careful, you can cut the bag over a waste can, and drop the fish into an awaiting net and then place the fish into the tank with the net.

Also, wait at least another week before adding any more fish to your tank, so again, it can go through its proper cycles. And remember: add only 3-5 fish at a time; fish stay healthier and tank stays healthier when you're not throwing in 10 fish at a time.

Answer 3

filtering isn't the main problem, but chemicals in the water is. use a recommended water treatment and let it work for a minimum of 24 hours before adding fish to the tank. this get the best results so you don't poison the fish when you add them to the tank. Also, when you get the fish home, set the plastic bag they come on the water and let the water temperatures get balanced before putting fish into the tank. this prevents shocking the fish and possibly killing them when they get int the tank. balancing temperature takes only 15-20 minutes.

Answer 4

filtering your tank without any fish in it is usually done for the purpose of removing chlorine (which you can buy a chemical for), andif you are doing it for that purpose, 24hrs is the usual.

If you want to cycle your tank properly (allowing enough time for waste managing bacteria to grow in you tank and filter) it takes about 6 weeks (approx). This doesn't mean you have to wait for a six weeks to put fish in. I would suggest starting with one or two smaller fish (having decided what you want of course) and then slowly adding more fish to the tank over the next few weeks which will allow bacteria enough time to build up without being overwhelmed by the waste created by the fish. If you go ahead and dump all the fish in all at once you will probably have ammonia spikes in your tank and while you may not have any visible problems you may also loose your fish to illnesses caused by stress or have continuing issues with ammonia in your tank. lots of people of course completely ignore cycling their tanks properly but if you want a healthy well established tank I'd put the time in.

as to how many, depends on the size of the fish and how many plants decorations etc. I'd go for smaller community type fish, ie friendly ones - i believe the commonly used rule of thumb is one inch to one gallon of water.

Answer 5

I in simple terms offered a 30 gallon aquarium 3 days in the previous. Its nice to allow the water age for approximately 24hrs. once you position the fish in, get some zebra danios and a unmarried betta in case you want. those fish are the single ones robust sufficient to face the nitrogen cycle the tank is going by using. The unused fish nutrients and urine create ammonia and the bacteria demands to advance to interrupt down ammonia into nitrite. yet another bacteria grows to interrupt down nitrite into nitrate, this is probability free. This takes about a month, or you'll accelerate this technique into about a week by technique of buying the bacteria from the keep. The tank demands to go by using this cycle earlier than you upload any nice fish. The ammonia or nitrite can surely eat the gills off of the fish in the experience that they don't look hardy sufficient. they could fairly regularly become lack of life in case you upload them too immediately. i purchased 6 zebra danios and a blue betta and they are doing constructive!

Answer 6

1) 3 days r enough with all anti chlorinants, conditioners etc.,
2)take this principle 4 adding fish, a galon of water 4 a fish tht is 1cm long (for 2cm 2 galonetc.,)

Answer 7

i read somewhere not to put the bag in the tank. put the fish and water into a clean bucket,( keep a bucket clean for all your fish needs, NO soaps) then using airtube with a loose knot in it,drip water into the bucket for a while,say half hour. then the temp and water differance will be minumal. the rest yeah

Answer 8

When I got my 65 gallon aquarium, I was told to run it empty for one week.

Once you get your fish, float them in their air filled bag for 15 to 20 minutes ( to bring the temp of the bag to the aqarium temp). Then gently pour them into your tank.

Answer 9

i have two tanks and i ran each of the fillters a day and all my fish survived.

Answer 10

a week