Newbie Asking advise please ?

Hi all,

Hope all is well. I'm new here and quite excited to be here and to see all the interesting stuff going on.

Ok now for that's off my chest here is my noob questions and hopefully someone can assist please?

I just got a second hand Boyu Tank I think its a 50l or more not sure but yea I'm busy rinsing it and giving it a proper vinegar run cycle.
My aim is to setup a tropical tank still in two minds on planted or just normal decor , and am looking to hold angels some discus and other still in two minds about that too but yea im sure with these concerns and questions I have below I will have an idea what to and how to set up the tank for the correct fish.

1. I don't have any filtration material ? ( please advise what to use and how)
2. The Tank has 4 chambers at the back where Chamber # 1 is the intake where I have the heater (please advise)?
3. Chamber # 2 and # 3 are empty I assume its for filtration ? ( Please advise and how to set it up )?
4. Chamber # 4 has the pump to cycle the tank I assume its how it should be. ?

I thinks I need to get the basics right here first before thinking on setting it up for the real deal.

Please find these pics of my current tank its running now for 4 months and no fish died and haven't had to do any water change , only the 10% top up every week and filter clean up once a week and I'm very happy so far with this low maintenance.

Also attached a picture of the new Boyu tank with vinegar and water solution cycle-ling.

So any advise will be welcomed ?

Thanks all and hope to hear from you all.

 

Hi and welcome to the forum. You have come to the rite place.

Firstly a 50l tank is far to small for discus or angels. Secondly, I am not to sure about the boyu tank filters however, one of the compartments is for filter floss and the other compartment is for biological media.!

All fish require at least 30 or 40% water change once a week. How do you clean your filter in the tank that is running?

I hope I could help some what I am sure others will add to this.

 

Hello @Nothingtoloose, welcome to the forum.

I would like to recommend that you understand the concepts behind filtration first, specifically the nitrogen cycle. If you have a basic grasp of this, it will be easier for you to understand *why* you are doing things (like setting up your filtration) and more importantly, what to look for when things go wrong.

The following article here from the forum should help you get started.
Nitrogen Cycle for Aquariums / How NOT to kill all your fish with your first tank

Also browse through the articles here:
Articles

Once your tank is cycled properly (meaning that the bacterial colonies are well established), do feel free to discuss your choices of fish with the guys and gals here on the forum who would gladly assist in pointing out the pitfalls of various fish as well as give you some info on what you can put together in a tank, and what to avoid.

Good luck, look forward to seeing your tank develop.

 

Welcome ..

Looks like a 550 maybe a 450 .. here is mine as a planted tank ADA propagation tank - boyu 550 - Page 3


my setup - 1) water comes in via the top onto thick batting -> then a BIG block of open cell foam 10ppi (original block but you can hunt for something similar ) water then goes into via the bottom 2) heater and bio-balls over the wall onto 3) thin batting and filled with ceramics - probably 2 KG than to the 4) pump - not doing much in here.

1 at the bottom of the pic.

Later Ferdie

 

Unfortunately no Discus as the tank is way to small.Small angels will fit but outgrow eventualy.Google the boyo tank model for setup details and stocking suggestions.

Welcome and good luck.

Quintin

 

Hi all.

Hope all is well.

Thanks for all you're feedback and thanks for the warm welcomes.

I do understand the cycle stuff and all the beginners goodies thanks.

My concern and questions were about how to setup my filtration?

Ok so here is what I have done ?

I bought 4 kg of the ceramic rings and charcoal bamboo, and some filter wool .

steps as follows:

1 . I have made up 4 x 500g ceramic mediums covered in sticking sacks
2 . I have made up 4 x bags of charcoal (stockings)
3 . I have cut enough filter wool and sponge to place in-between the stocking bags.
4 . I have filled chamber #2 and #3 with the mediums (covered the bags of charcoal and ceramics and filter wool and sponge and continued the process again so there is 2 bags charcoal and 2 bags of ceramics with wool and sponge on both #2 and # 3 chambers.


I hope this will do for now to wash my coral rocks and tanks im going to run this for 3 to 4 days with mix water and vinegar .

Please advise ?if this is ok ....the setup of the filter ??

Please advise if I should rain all the vinegar mix water and add new tap water to start the final cycle to get the tank ready for fish or will it be OK if I just add fresh water every day to reduce the vinegar solution ?

I'm asking probable silly questions but I would like to know from the PRO's, please advise and comment.

Hope to hear from you all soon.

Best regards
Nothingtoloose

 

Drain the tank out and start with fresh water. If you have put vinegar on the floss then throw it out.

 

Welcome

Firstly angels need 50L each in an aquarium!

On the filtration side, remove all the viniger water and rinse everything with fresh water. Throw away any media you had in contact with the viniger, can maybe just rinse the ceramic rings.

In the first chamber you want you mechanical filtration: Add your ceramic rings in the bags you made first, you do not need to seperate them with anything. On top of that you put a nice piece of filter wool, this you will rince out under tank water once in a month or two depending how dirty it gets. This first chamber removes all the debris you do no want to get in to the rest of the filter and pump. the rings will act as an house for your friendely bacteria so you do not want to disturb that to much hence the filter floss on top of it.

The second chamber you add your chemical chamber, here you would add things like charcoal, purigen etc.

Third chamber you can just add the heater on its own as the tank will noramlly have brackets for the heater there.

4th your pump as you said.

WHen you cleaned everything add some fresh water and some dechlorinator and let it cycle.

O and yes remove the coral rock all together, that can leach things into your water for months and will most likely make the water hard.

 

Hi All.

Nice thanks for the replies , I will do so thanks and will keep you all updated .

Cheers

 

Hi All.

Hope all is well.

Ok so I have managed to commission my new 125 L boyu tank.

Pics for ya all:

Cheers.

 

Hi All.

OOOps that was the wrong pic:

Here is the corrects one :

Best wishes

 

Did you test your water for ammonia and nitrite before adding these fish ? 5 days seems a bit short to cycle a tank