Dwarf Puffer Tank....

JNevaril

JNevaril

Large Fish
#1
Jul 10, 2005
369
1
0
41
Lincoln, Nebraska
#1
I've been doing some research, and am thinking about starting a dwarf puffer tank.

I have a ten gal. tank that is currently housing a Shubunkin goldfish, a betta and two african dwarf frogs...

I have the shubunkin going to a neighbor's pond....and the betta and frogs, I still have to find homes for...

ANYWAY,

I am going to scrub the whole thing down, once everybody else has a home, and I have a question about cycling...

I don't want to get a 'cycle fish' to start the process...

Do you think that it would work if I used the 'dirty' filter for a while, with the new water, and cleaned gravel to get the cycle 'jump started'....or would I need to add ammonia to the water... (which, I am weary of...)

I know that there is bacteria on the filter, and in the gravel, and on the decor, but I just want to clean the gravel, b/c it's been goldfish gravel for a few years....and we know how messy they are....

(same with puffers...i know...)

Just want to know, before I make any changes.

Thanks!
 

lordroad

lordroad

Large Fish
#3
Sep 2, 2004
989
7
0
43
Shelby, NC
www.joshday.com
#3
I used that process to cycle my 55 gallon tank. Took out the dirty cartridges of my 2 cycled ten gallons and put them in the 55 gallon filters. Worked like a charm.

If you give it a really good gravel vac and suck out about 80 percent of the water, I don't see any reason why not just to fill it up again and add the puffers. Wash out the dirty cartridge in tank water; it will maintain more than enough bacteria.

Sounds like a cool tank you're planning.
 

FroggyFox

FroggyFox

Forum Manager
Moderator
#4
May 16, 2003
8,589
10
38
42
Colorado
#4
How long have the current fish been in the tank? If its been more than a couple of months, I dont see any reason why you couldn't just do a big water change and immediately add the new fish without worrying about a cycle. As for cleaning your gravel...really you can tear the tank apart and wash the gravel pretty good USING DECHLORINATED WATER. As long as you dont wash it with chlorinated water, just tearing the tank down shouldn't hurt anything. Do you have a HOB filter or a UGF on the tank?
 

JNevaril

JNevaril

Large Fish
#5
Jul 10, 2005
369
1
0
41
Lincoln, Nebraska
#5
FroggyFox said:
How long have the current fish been in the tank? If its been more than a couple of months, I dont see any reason why you couldn't just do a big water change and immediately add the new fish without worrying about a cycle. As for cleaning your gravel...really you can tear the tank apart and wash the gravel pretty good USING DECHLORINATED WATER. As long as you dont wash it with chlorinated water, just tearing the tank down shouldn't hurt anything. Do you have a HOB filter or a UGF on the tank?
Click to expand...
The current fish have been there for 1 1/2-2 years....

It's a HOB filter too.......


I think I will just do a huge water change, and vac the gravel....

i guess I was just worried about 'contamination'...lol....
 

FroggyFox

FroggyFox

Forum Manager
Moderator
#6
May 16, 2003
8,589
10
38
42
Colorado
#6
Well heck...thats even easier. Just dont do anything with the hob filter, dont change the pads or rinse it off with tap water or anything.

Contamination would only come from you putting something else in the tank...fish poo is fish poo ;) You should be good to go after spending some time taking the tank down and washing it out (dechlored water in case I didn't already mention it 115 times). I also wouldn't wait too long between the time that you find homes for your current fish and adding the puffers in...cuz the bacteria needs something to "eat" and without fish in there they'll start starving after awhile. You should keep the filter running even if there's no fish in it because the bacteria need the water movment (and oxygen)
 

JNevaril

JNevaril

Large Fish
#8
Jul 10, 2005
369
1
0
41
Lincoln, Nebraska
#8
Well, I decided to go brackish, and got some Figure Eights.

They're little piggies. They always know when it's feeding time, they see me get the jar, eyedropper, and thier frozen food. They get so excited when I steal some of their tankwater to thaw out their food.

:)
 

You must log in or register to reply here.