How long does a 75 gallon fishtank have to be set up before I can start adding fish?

Question

I'm getting a fishtank today and I haven't had one of these in about ten years, let alone this big. I can't quite remember. Don't you have to set up the tank with everything including water and filter and let it run and sit for about 24 hours before adding any fish?

Answer 1

As far as adding your first fish, as long as it's holding water and all the equipment is working your ok. However, do know that you need to cycle the tank before adding very many fish at all, if any. I would high recemmend the site at the bottom of this answer as something you should take the time to read before you set up your tank and before you buy your first fish. It will really help you understand what is going to be happening in your tank over the first few weeks and how best to handle it. It's more than wotrth the time and will save you tons of headaches in the next few weeks. Be sure to follow along the links at the bottom of the first page and read about cycling and equipment.

Hope this helps and welcome back to the hobby!


http://www.firsttankguide.net/

MM

Answer 2

Yes I would certainly wait at least 24 hours before adding your first fish, however you still need to cycle the tank. If you choose to do so with fish you can go ahead and add say 2-3 small fish to the tank and either wait 3-4 weeks before adding more or monitor ammonia and nitrite levels to know exactly when it is safe to start adding more fish to the tank. You can also cycle the tank without fish, I am personally not a huge fan of fishless cycling using ammonia but do like using fish food as a source of waste to cycle a tank. Hopefully these links will help you in this:

Cycling:
http://faq.thekrib.com/begin-cycling.html

Fishless Food Cycling:
http://www.gpodio.com/food_cycling.asp

Fishless Ammonia Cycling:
http://www.greenstouch.com/articles_cycle.htm

PS. There are many products out there that claim to significantly speed up cycling. The only one that I've personally seen do anything of any significance is a product called Bio-Spira. This product has a short shelf life and must be sold and kept refrigerated. I have seen it completely cycle a tank in about a week. No other products I have tried have come close to proving their claims. Obviosuly if you can seed the filter from another established tank that would also speed things up, but that isn't always an option.

Hope that helps

Answer 3

Tetras are education fish, and also you will have to under no circumstances maintain simply one in all any style. Unfortunately, your tank is just too small for a tuition of each and every tetra you have got, so that you have got to make a few choices on which fish to maintain maintain and which will have to be re-homed or given a separate tank. one million.) When fish are soaring slightly under the outside, it might point out deficient water first-rate. Check your paramaters--ammonia, nitrite, nitrate. Also, learn up on tank biking if you do not know what that's. How lengthy has your tank been mounted? two.) Dwarf gouramis will also be shy. Hiding will also be yet another indicator of dangerous water first-rate, despite the fact that, so once more, examine your parameters. Also, including extra crops and hiding locations will make your fish suppose extra relaxed. three.) The simplest algae eater small ample to your tank could be otocinclus catfish. They have to be saved in businesses, and should not be announced to a tank till it is good centered. Also, you will have to under no circumstances "want" an alage eater, and also you will have to under no circumstances get a fish *simply* to devour algae. four.) You're beautiful confined in phrases of what you'll be able to maintain in this sort of small tank. Really, the gourami, two-three platies (they prefer being in businesses too) and six tetras, plus MAYBE three otos, could be all you might maintain. five.) Yes, you undoubtedly desire a heater. You have tropical fish, and so they want hot water. 6.) You're speakme approximately an airstone. You can get one in case you desire, however so long as your filter out agitates the outside of the water you are not looking for one. 7.) You want scan kits for ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate, certainly. Test kits for pH and some thing else are non-compulsory. eight.) Your tetra might have fin rot. Again, dangerous water first-rate is normally the offender. Do a 50% water difference and get the ones scan kits ASAP. And once more, learn up on fish tank biking, so you understand how to realize the readinngs you can get.

Answer 4

You need to cycle it. Preferably fishless. The quickest way is going to be adding osme sort of media from an esablished. For alot of people that isnot available. Lokk up fishless cycling on google or join aquariacentral.com

Answer 5

i would wait at least a week. the bacteria has to plume and then clear out (your tank will get really cloudy and then completely clear). after you tank has cleared, give it another day, then either test the water with test strips you bought for your nitrates and nitrites as well as the ammonia levels, or you can take a sample of it to a pet store and have them test it for you.the larger the tank the more time it takes, i'd say roughly a week but maybe longer. don't forget to add biological conditioners to help the process, as well as water conditioners to take all of the chemicals out of the water.

Answer 6

It depends on your fish. If its plain gold fish, then even 1 hour is enough. Its best to be 24 hours, maybe even weeks for more exotic fish, as algae in the water is needed.