# New Tank Dilemma (No time to Cycle!)



## swat_leader (Aug 24, 2010)

hey everyone, I just bought a used fish tank yesterday 55 Gal from someone that was fully established but to transport it the guy drained out all the water and everything I have read up a lot about the nitrogen cycle and everything but included with the deal were fish, 2 8" Oscars, 1 Father 5" Red Devil Cichlid and his 7 kids which are about 3 inches long, I transported them all home in a 10 gallon tank and i setup the 55 gallon with new water and left it for a day before I threw them in today, I really wanted do a good and proper cycle, but to keep these fish alive I felt the only way was to put them in this new uncycled tank but the ammonia levels are off the roof and the tank is really cloudy already, I have considered even donating them somewhere but what would be my best options to help them get through this? I so far out in "aqua safe" and AMQuel+ and plan to do that every 24 hrs as instructed, I have a fluval 305 filter with the old filters so hopefully there was some bacteria still and i put in 3 containers of carbon and 1 container of those white rocks, so please if anyone can help please! thank you all in advanced!


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## petlovingfreak (May 8, 2009)

Donate them, a 55 is too small for those fish. If you insist on keeping them keep up on water changes until the ammonia drops down.


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## Revolution1221 (Apr 20, 2010)

if you saved the filter media and gravel it shouldnt have to recycle not that much bacteria is in the water itself it just helps to have the water that already has all the ammonia and nitrates taken out. and yes get rid of the fish they are far to large.


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## Peeps (May 24, 2010)

^^ Agree, they are too big for that tank. You need to do water changes and add some salt (1tbs per 5 gallons) to detoxify the nitrites. An air stone will help with oxygen. But i would donate them, they get too big.


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## swat_leader (Aug 24, 2010)

awsome, thank you everyone for the great replies, I have been changing my water everyday since I got it and it seems to be getting better, some of my red devil cichlids developed some black spots from the ammonia i believe but I got an API nitrite and ammonia tester and they came out good for both, I am curious though why my water is still a yellowish tint though, I think some of it came from when i put in the gravel, can that be the situation? thanks again! also, I still plan on getting rid of most these fish, I just wanted them to be in a little better condition before I got rid of them.


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## swat_leader (Aug 24, 2010)

Also, today i just realized since I was about to put the rest of my gravel in that it might be the cause of whats making it cloudy, the water in my kind is a little bit yellow right now and I tested the pH level and its over 7.8 I believe this is because the gravel that was given to me was Crushed Coral so should I start taking it out and replacing it with another type of gravel? any reccomendations? thanks!


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## emc7 (Jul 23, 2005)

I'd swap it out if you are keeping those fish. Alternatively, swap out the fish for African Lake cichlids and they will love it.


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## swat_leader (Aug 24, 2010)

emc7 said:


> I'd swap it out if you are keeping those fish. Alternatively, swap out the fish for African Lake cichlids and they will love it.


Sounds like a good idea, I just put them on craigslist to try to re-house, if anything my local fish shop gives 1/3 of the retail price of the fish for store credit and I heard petco is obligated to take in fish, but I have no idea what they do to them

I think im just going to go out and buy some new gravel for them tomorrow as well


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