# Buying a used tank



## Sameer (Sep 30, 2007)

Hey there guys, I already have a 20 - 25 gallon tank but I recently bought a long 45?? gallon tank. Ok, I didnt really buy it but my neighbour upstairs was throwing away his tank when I found out. There was a long siphone, filter, metal stand and the tank. Now my questions are:

How many gallons is it really? 48 x 18.5 x 12 (the glass and in inches)
The tank is cloudy, how do I safely clean that? Do I use clorex, vinegar...
I need gravel, this is going to be a pure plant tank, no fishes or filters. Since the flourite is really expensive, Im thinking of getting fine gravel/sand from the Don river. I know that Im going to put it in boiling water to kill anything living in it, but will it end up growing algae on it? My thinking is not since Im going to have 3 hour light cycles. Im gonna put DIY CO2 and depending on how everything turns out, 2 or 3 Watts per gallon.

Any thing else you guys suggest? Ive been keeping tanks since I was a kid so I know all about the nitro cycle and stuff. Im also filling the tank with water to see if it leaks or not.


















Thanks guys!


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## kweenshaker (Mar 11, 2006)

don't use clorox (or any cleaner for that matter)
use elbow grease and a soft sponge/hunk of filter floss. If that doesn't work, try vinegar diluted in water. Baking soda might help too.

Don't take sediment from the river. First of all, it is illegal, but the Don and its tributaries are among the most polluted waterways in North America. Who knows what could be in that (and there are many things boiling wouldn't help with). Why don't you try mixing substrates? Many people are successful doing this. Some even put a layer of soil on the bottom and then cover it with gravel. Filling the tank must be done with care in this case or else you'll have a mess. If there is silt or clay in the soil the water may never be clear again.

according to this http://ovas.ca/index.php?page=56 your tank is around 46 us gallons.


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## Tabatha (Dec 29, 2007)

Sweet find, I'm jealous!!! There's a nice little calculator here: http://www.fishfriend.com/tank_volume_calculator.html

It's approximately 46.12 gallons(US) but I don't know if they factor in the glass thickness.

Glass isn't absorbent but the trim and silicone is. I'd recommend using baking soda and vinegar, rinse very well. You can also use salt if you need an abrasive cleanser for more difficult areas. FYI, if you put 3% hydrogen peroxide and vinegar in separate spray bottles and spray one on top of the other (doesn't matter which first), it has the same disinfecting power as bleach.

Cheers and keep us posted!

Tabatha


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## Sameer (Sep 30, 2007)

Thank you very much guys, I guess Id have to buy regular gravel and the flourite. Hopefully they(Big Als) will price check with mops, $15.99 compared to $29.99. Also, the reason I brought up the gravel thing is because I read some where on this forum, or other fish keeping forums that some guys got some gravel, boiled it and used it. So I thought why not ask.


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## Pablo (Mar 27, 2006)

you CAN use chlorox (bleach) actually, just dillute it significantly, then rub the tank down with a thick mix of water conditioner (dechlorinator) and rinse and repeat. this removes chlorine

if you cant get fluorite get aquatic potting soil from a garden center


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## hojimoe (Mar 7, 2008)

Sameer said:


> Thank you very much guys, I guess Id have to buy regular gravel and the flourite. Hopefully they(Big Als) will price check with mops, $15.99 compared to $29.99. Also, the reason I brought up the gravel thing is because I read some where on this forum, or other fish keeping forums that some guys got some gravel, boiled it and used it. So I thought why not ask.


big als will price match with mops, but they add the shipping, I went through this last week with them


> Product Qty Price Per Unit Total
> CAD-$ CAD-$
> Flourite RED [7 kG] 4 $ 15.65 $ 62.60
> Actual Freight Charges 1 $ 22.28 $ 22.28
> ...


for this example, with 4 bags of flourite red, (big als charges 29.99 RIPOFF)...

they would do...

15.65*4+22.25+6.95

= $91.80 - 5% price match discount + 13% tax = *$98.54*

which is a huge difference considering big als final price would be, $135.55

enjoy!


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## Tabatha (Dec 29, 2007)

Sameer said:


> Thank you very much guys, I guess Id have to buy regular gravel and the flourite. Hopefully they(Big Als) will price check with mops, $15.99 compared to $29.99. Also, the reason I brought up the gravel thing is because I read some where on this forum, or other fish keeping forums that some guys got some gravel, boiled it and used it. So I thought why not ask.


Don't hold your breath, BA's is famous for NOT honoring their promises. Also, you need to take into consideration shipping charges, it's not straight forward when you start calculating extra fees.

- t.


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## hojimoe (Mar 7, 2008)

Tabatha said:


> Don't hold your breath, BA's is famous for NOT honoring their promises. Also, you need to take into consideration shipping charges, it's not straight forward when you start calculating extra fees.
> 
> - t.


as I said they honor mops, i did it last week for flourite as well as eco complete... ba @ steeles/yonge did it! online ba's does it too...

see post above for how it works


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## Zebrapl3co (Mar 29, 2006)

You calculate the gallons in a tank by using this formula:
(48 x 18.5 x 12) / 231 = ~ 46, but people call it a 45G.

3 hours light cycle isn't going to grow any plants.

Normal gravels don't promote healty root growth in plants. So your plants will always look manutritious, easy to uproot. Froutite is good, but like Pablo said, it's much cheaper if you get the "aquatic potting soil from a garden center." It's takes a bit of shoping around.

3 watts are better than 2, but you have match your fert to the amount of watts and plants.

As for cleaning, any of the methods mentioned should work. The important thing is to clean it very very thoroughly afterward with lots and lots of water. Make sure none of the compond are left behind to create havok on the tank.

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## Sameer (Sep 30, 2007)

Zebrapl3co said:


> 3 hours light cycle isn't going to grow any plants.


Well right now in my 20 G I have a 3 hour light cycle with 2 Watts per gallon(12 hours of total lighting). The cycles killed off the algae and although the plants are very healthy and orangish-red I can see they arent growing very fast. The java moss is growing like its on steroids. What can I do to keep the algae away and still have fast growth(besides CO2 and ferts)? I dont want to use DIY CO2 because Im worried the fishies will start gasping for oxygen. On top o this I have a 40 G filer in my 20, so the surface aggitation probabaly makes it useless for CO2. Im happy with the 3 hour setup since I dont have to prune every weekend, but I do have drarf grass which I really want to grow in my new 45 G.

hojimoe I see the price difference at the end, but theres a very good chance Im not gonna buy 4 bags. Im really considering the "aquatic potting soil from a garden center" as Zebrapl3co mensioned.

Thanks for your replys


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