OMG, guys you are not going to believe this! I went to a garage sale today and got a 30 gal. tank and stand for $40!! Its in perfect shape, light, pump, everything in great shape, very clean and nice. I feel like I just won the lottery.

Now the question, as you know from my other post, my fantail has has issues due to the fact that his tank is too small, which is why I got this one. I need advice on the best way to get this set up to get him in there safely and for him to stay healthy. He is recovering nicely from the ammonia burn, but I don't want to stress him out.

I need to know if its better to cycle the tank first, wait a week, or what is the best thing to do? I'm very excited about this, but if I kill Moby, it will all be for nothing.

I would do a fishless cycle. Its alot better for the fish because they arent in the toxins. A way that you can get the cycle to go faster is to add some media from your old tank to the new. The first link below is about cycling, the second is about fishless cycling

http://www.kokosgoldfish.com/cycle.html
http://www.kokosgoldfish.com/FishlessCycle.html

do you have a new filter for the tank? you could put your old filter, along with your new filter in the new tank.

Thanks, I thought about doing just that. I was reading about the cycling, and the thing is I live in a fairly small place. This tank and stand are huge, and once I get the water in the tank, its not going to move safely. The only place for the new tank is where I have the small one right now with the fish inside.

can u post a pic of the tank??

Gosh, its amazing how the posts on here are helping me out by themselves! Didn't even think of the fact that this is a DOUBLE stand! I can keep Moby and Florence in their small tank, while the big tank cycles above them! Good grief, why didn't I think of that in the first place?

While I'm excited about their new home, I don't want to harm them by putting them in too soon, and maybe I should let Moby completely heal from the ammonia burns before I move him?

Any advice about this? Should I wait, or cycle the tank with them in it?

Oh rats, never mind, thats not going to work. Not enough electrical outlets there for 2 running aquariums, and I need the old filter and media to cycle with the new tank. Oh well, it was a thought.

Make sure before you set up the tank that you disinfect it. You don't know what it's been exposed to before you bought it.

Thanks, and I did remember that. They had a lot of gravel in bags in the tank, and I told them I didn't want them. I have it soaking in bleach water right now, so it will soak overnight.

Does anybody think it will help if I use the tank water from the smaller tank in this bigger one? Wouldn't it cycle quicker and be easier on the fish?

Just a thought here. <shrug>

Ok, the tank is set up. I had to put Moby and Florence into the tank, as I needed the filter from the old tank and the smaller tank water to help cycle. This is a 30 gal. tall tank with one fantail and one comet.
I just tested the water and here are the results after 24 hour:

Ammonia-0
Nitrates-between 0-20
Nitrites-0 (although I know I will have to watch them as they will spike in a few days)
total hardness-between 150-300 (we have very hard water here)
total alkalinity-close to 300
ph-around 7.8

I also bought some Nutrafin Cycle, an all natural liquid that releases massive amounts of beneficial bacteria and nitrifiers to help keep ammonia levels and nitrite levels down during cycling so they don't spike as badly. Shew!! This has been an expensive shopping trip for the stuff, lol! Cost more for the stuff than it did the tank, but the tank was a bargain, so I can't whine about it.

So what does it look like I need to adjust, if anything, and how do I adjust it?

Thanks!

The water isn't what cycles the tank, it's the media. If you can transfer your media safely to the new tank, it'll be a much faster cycle.