ok I got this tank
http://cgi.ebay.com.au/4-foot-x-1-foot-fis...1QQcmdZViewItem
on ebay

Im so trying to learn here.
I am going to fill it tomorw with the suplied gravel and plastic plants and ornaments so I can know how much water it holds...I will write this down
Then I plan to empty it, boill the gravel and boil or bleach plastic plants.

how do I clean the glass? The person I got it from cleaned it but I would rather make sure I do it myself...what is the best method?

then after its all clean what do I do???

thats a beautiful tank. are you trying to clean the inside of the glass or outside? if its outside, why not use windex. inside, i would use a soft aquarium spounge.

You can clean the tank with diluted bleach water, then rinse it real good and be sure to add dechlor when you fill it. It looks like you got a cannister filter as well, so you can clean that and I'd get all new media for it since you have no idea what kind of problems/diseases might have been in the tank.
Then put the gravel and decor back in, fill it and start a fishless cycle. Do you have a test kit? Get some pure ammonia, read up on fishless cycling on this forum. while your tank is cycling you can research what kind of fish you'd like to keep. Good Luck!

Thanks fondoo and cshepard
I used a sponge to clean it with very very very diluted bleach in some water, then rinsed and emptied then rinsed and emptied and keept doing that rinsing for ages...my arms kill from carying so many buckets of water LOL
I did the same to the plastic plants instead of boiling them.
I boiled the gravel.
I did not clean the filter medium oops! I hope it will be ok, her fish that were in it were well.
I also got another new filter and a heater.

I decided to not do a fishless cycle and instead my son got a fish to put in it to cycle the tank.
I also bought some "cycle" and added that to the dechlorinated water when I filled it.

It looks great all lit up with the light..so pretty

Wow! Is that a Seaclear ? It looks big! How big is it? Very nice!
I probabaly would have changed the media but if it is "too late" I would just remember to salt the tank. I might also add some Prime to make sure all the bleach is gone - despite all your excellent rinsing - but that's just me...

Is the shubunkin in there already?! What a lucky fish - for a while at least!

Hi Graham
I am guessing Seaclear is a brand? I dont know what it is I looked for a label but there is none on it I guess the previous owner reoved any for aesetic reasons.
it is curently holding 39.6 gallons of water (this is water alone, not including a few inches space at the top for splashing and space for gravel (2 inch) and plants and ornaments.
Im am working at the ratio to salt it now as I have never worked with such a large amount of water before.I am also searching an online store for Prime as i was unsuccessful today at the shops and i need Prime anyway for Freds bowl.
Yes Mullow is in the tank! I put him in aprox 6 hours after it was all set up and I floated him in the baggie from the pet store for half hour then added tank water to bag and let stand another half hour. Mainly due to the pet shop had him at room temp so prob 12-14C so I did not want to stress the little guy as this tank is heated to 20C. He loves it, he his for a little bit then came out and explored after a few hours he is playing, chases my finger, eats like they never fed him at the shop LOL and has staked out every inch of the tank as HIS. Lucky he is ALOT smaller then Fred as when Fred goes in there Mullow will want th tank to himself LOL.
So far the tank is not cycling as no amonia yet but im testing twice a day.

Well, basically, it looks like a nice, huge, acrylic tank!
Happy cycling! I hope it goes quickly for you -

I really like that name, Mullow! How did you come up with that?!

That is going to be a lovely tank! Do you know what kind of fish you are going to get?

Can I make a suggestion?

My other 75g: 2 koi angels, 2 festivum, 10 panda cory cats.

That's too much bio-load for a 55g, but it is a really attractive arrangment, I think. The shape of the angels and festivum are very complimentary, and panda cory cats are just the cutest things ever!!
I don't know why that would cost over $800 for her to set up though, as my 75g with a wooden cabinet stand only cost me $550. Of course I spent $200 just on plants on top of that...but the base price was $550.

Oh By the way, I would not waste your money on cycle. It does nothing as the "bacteria" it conains is already dead.
The only product on the market that sort of works is Bio-spira.
However if the Bio-spira is not in a refrigerator at the pet store, and was not shipped in a refrigerated truck, it's no good either.
The bacteria must be kept cold in order to enter a period of suspended animation. Otherwise it dies with no food source. Even then, usually half of the bottle is already dead.

Have a wonderful time with the new tank!!

Hi Graham

Its glass

Glad you like the name "Mullow" actually my son came up with it he just took one look at him and declared that as his name LOL.

Hi Ravenlock
I dont know why it cost her that much either but i think she was adding up all the plants and chemicals and light etc.
Its freshwater so it has a shubunkin in it for now temporarily. Then it will house my lionhead Fred, a pearlscale and either a blackmore or chocolate oranda.

Sounds nice.
I only have 1 saltwater aquarium. A 44g corner unit with 1 false percula clown and 2 damsels. It also has a whole whack of shrimp. Ha...that's all I can afford. They are expensive when you have to buy water and marine salt.

However.... I will eventually(in a VERY long time from now) get a 150g saltwater going. Then I could have my beloved lion fish!! I do have a small brakish tank with 2 bumblebee gobies. Now they are cute!

Other then that all my tanks are freshwater too. Congrats. I'm sure they will love it.

Hi Ravenlock
wow you got alot of pets!!!
Is a slat-water tank alot harder on maintence/time thean a freshwater?

Not harder just more work more often...while now a days it is much easier to maintain a healthy marine thank then it used to be, it is still a lot of work.

Marine tanks require DAILY maintenace rather then weekly. Everyday you have to check and clean ALL filters and protein skimmers, heaters, check salinity with a hydrometer, and take care of any "salt creep".

You have to do weekly ammonia, nitrIte and nitrAte tests. Weekly or bi-weekly water changes of 40% or more. In a marine system, nitrAtes over 10ppm=death for most fish and shrimp. I test bi-weekly just in case, and change when it gets above 5ppm.

The actual cost of a marine tank is roughly 2-3 times the expense of setting up a freshwater. Everything costs more because it has to be able to withstand saltwater corrosion. Plus there are things needed for a marine tank not needed for a fresh, such as a protein skimmers, marine salt, r/o water, a hydrometer etc. I don't have any special lights as I don't have live coral, but the light bulbs alone can cost $50.

Lots of work but since percula clowns and false percula clowns are my absolute favorite fish ever...they are worth it. This is my first marine tank. It's been running about a year with no deaths or illness. I must be doing something right.

Thanks for the reply
wow! It sounds like alot of time/work a day. With that and the other tanks and pets you must be soooo busy!!
Id love to have one but I dont think I could manage all that just yet, best i stick to learning how to do this new freshwater tank properly first