Urgent advice please…

[CJM70]

Okay so I bought a Oase 85 styleline today. It was an existing set up from another aquarist. And substrate with a Montecarlo carpet at the front. What looks like tropica soil, and some grey seiryu stone as hard scape.

It came with active filters that have been running up till today and there are some snails in the substrate and I have some aquarium water plus the filter water retained.

Problem is due to health constrictions I cannot carry anything heavier than a bag of shopping and I have gone to bring the tank in to the house from the car and even with all the water removed and only half the substrate left in there and a bit of water that has leaked out from what was left of the substrate I just can’t lift it. I can’t get anyone to come and help me carry in until tomorrow and I am thinking that by then the snails in the substrate will start to have died off, and the bacteria in the filters will equally have gone south.

I am open to suggestions or just the honest truth if it’s a case that I’ve lost the bacteria by tomorrow evening which is when my mate can come and help me.

Also there are a couple of small bags of plants, well one bag of plants and one bag of moss. They are currently in plastic bags with a bit of water and I am wondering what the best thing to do with them is should I just wrap them up in tissue paper and keep them damp and dark until tomorrow? I know that people post plants so hopefully they would last that long and what about the rest of the set up? Or would you just advise starting afresh?

i’m a bit disappointed not in what I’ve bought because it was a bargain and the chap I bought it from was a legend, but more so in the fact that I still can’t lift this flipping thing. I have even messaged a couple of local man with a van people but got no response from them and there was me thinking people wanted work.

anyway folks that’s the score I would be grateful for your input and advice, as soon as possible so I can put my mind at rest or at least accept that I can’t win this one, and have a glass of wine instead👍👍

 

[Angus]

Keep the plants dark and moist somewhere nice and temperate not too hot not too cold.

The snails will survive with just a minimal amount of water for up to a few days as they can just suck back in the shell, especially if they are mts and pond snails, ramshorns may last a little less time, a day or so.

The filter media can be put in a covered bucket with an air stone, to prolong the life of the bacteria, or run the filter inside a bucket if that is an option, keep the media in the dark.

The substrate is the only problem i feel, once you lift it out and put it back it's going to spike pretty hard.

Hope it helps, Sounds like a nice project.

 

[tam]

Snail will be fine. You'll probably get a spike anyway from all the disturbance. I agree with angus' advice. Only thing I'd add is it's a bit nippy so I'd be inclined to put a blanket or similar around the tank just to keep it a little warmer for the critters. Keep in mind though they get sent through the post regularly and make it a few days so hanging in a tank overnight shouldn't be an issue.

 

[Matti]

Just keep the plants moist and snails in water. The filter bacteria may suffer, but no problem, as soon as you get the systems running the bacteria colony will be back in no time. You just cannot kill bacteria even if you would try, as they are everywhere.

 

[CJM70]

Keep the plants dark and moist somewhere nice and temperate not too hot not too cold.

The snails will survive with just a minimal amount of water for up to a few days as they can just suck back in the shell, especially if they are mts and pond snails, ramshorns may last a little less time, a day or so.

The filter media can be put in a covered bucket with an air stone, to prolong the life of the bacteria, or run the filter inside a bucket if that is an option, keep the media in the dark.

The substrate is the only problem i feel, once you lift it out and put it back it's going to spike pretty hard.

Hope it helps, Sounds like a nice project.

Thanks Angus. Sadly neither media option is available today. It was mentioned below that the media will bounce back anyway. I hope so but not the end of the world. Appreciate your input.

NOW my biggest concern is carrying the aquarium with what must amount to 10-12 kgs worth of water and substrate. I’m worried it will stress the joints amd seals too much ???

 

[CJM70]

Snail will be fine. You'll probably get a spike anyway from all the disturbance. I agree with angus' advice. Only thing I'd add is it's a bit nippy so I'd be inclined to put a blanket or similar around the tank just to keep it a little warmer for the critters. Keep in mind though they get sent through the post regularly and make it a few days so hanging in a tank overnight shouldn't be an issue.

Thanks Tam, will have to take my chances with the critters. Have put a couple of towels over the tank in the car.

Please see my comment above in reply to Angus re carrying tank with substrate in situ for your additional thoughts.

 

[CJM70]

Just keep the plants moist and snails in water. The filter bacteria may suffer, but no problem, as soon as you get the systems running the bacteria colony will be back in no time. You just cannot kill bacteria even if you would try, as they are everywhere.

Plants sorted 👍👍 Good to know what you said about the filter media and the bacteria. When I do get the filters running on the tank again should I empty them of the existing water that the media is sitting in? I do have about 20 L of water that was taken from the tank today in a separate jerrycan. And I can add a bacteria culture starter fluid just as an extra. Does that sound like a plan? Also could you look at my reply to Angus above with the comment starting NOW …. Your thoughts on that subject would be much appreciated.

 

[Angus]

Thanks Angus. Sadly neither media option is available today. It was mentioned below that the media will bounce back anyway. I hope so but not the end of the world. Appreciate your input.

NOW my biggest concern is carrying the aquarium with what must amount to 10-12 kgs worth of water and substrate. I’m worried it will stress the joints amd seals too much ???

Well i'm a fit chap, and lifting aquariums isn't the easiest thing in the world even for me, i calculated that if your substrate is 1/6th of the tanks volume that would be equivalent to 12.6kg, it is a lot of stress, not on the tank but mainly on yourself, don't do anything that's going to keep you from eventually enjoying and maintaining the tank! personally if the build of the tank has 1 single panel on the bottom i would not be too worried, if it is a floating bottom and the tank is supported on the side panels i would be a little more worried.

Would be better if you could take some substrate off the top to reduce the weight you have to carry, you will spike in ammonia either way so might aswell make it easier on yourself physically, so whip the substrate out, move tank, set tank up, add substrate, add bacteria culture, get the filters going ASAP and do plants at your leisure, you can always drop the water level after the fact to do planting, also acts as a waterchange to remove ammonia that is coming from the substrate.

As far as the water, it's not the biggest of deals, there is far more bacteria in the substrate and filter media than the actual water itself, there's no fish going in the tank right?

 

[CJM70]

Well i'm a fit chap, and lifting aquariums isn't the easiest thing in the world even for me, i calculated that if your substrate is 1/6th of the tanks volume that would be equivalent to 12.6kg, it is a lot of stress, not on the tank but mainly on yourself, don't do anything that's going to keep you from eventually enjoying and maintaining the tank! personally if the build of the tank has 1 single panel on the bottom i would not be too worried, if it is a floating bottom and the tank is supported on the side panels i would be a little more worried.

The substrate is probably about 1/8 or 1/10 even of the full height of the tank and half of it has been removed from the back door as it didn’t have any Montecarlo carpet on it. We left the rest in situ because we didn’t want to disturb the carpet.

It’s not a floating base it is a single panel fila or at least I’m saying that because I’m pretty sure of that fact but I will doublecheck. I have a friend coming tomorrow after work to bring the tank in for me do you think it’s safe to leave it all as it is until then?

I won’t be having fish straight away as you said there will be an ammonia spike so I’ll just get things back up and started filters running monitor the water parameters do big water changes and then add some fish at the right time. I guess it was all a bit ambitious but it seemed a nice idea at the start not destroying escape that was pretty good but ultimately I guess we all want to do our own thing anyway.

Would be better if you could take some substrate off the top to reduce the weight you have to carry, you will spike in ammonia either way so might aswell make it easier on yourself physically, so whip the substrate out, move tank, set tank up, add substrate, add bacteria culture, get the filters going ASAP and do plants at your leisure, you can always drop the water level after the fact to do planting, also acts as a waterchange to remove ammonia that is coming from the substrate.

As far as the water, it's not the biggest of deals, there is far more bacteria in the substrate and filter media than the actual water itself, there's no fish going in the tank right?

 

[Konsa]

Plants sorted 👍👍 Good to know what you said about the filter media and the bacteria. When I do get the filters running on the tank again should I empty them of the existing water that the media is sitting in? I do have about 20 L of water that was taken from the tank today in a separate jerrycan. And I can add a bacteria culture starter fluid just as an extra. Does that sound like a plan? Also could you look at my reply to Angus above with the comment starting NOW …. Your thoughts on that subject would be much appreciated.

Hi
if the filters are not running in a bucket you can empty them leaving 1/4 of the water in and open the lid few millimeters for air availability.This will give you better bacteria survival.
See this thread

Power Cut - Filter performance

Hi Folks, We have just had a 60 hour power cut after Friday's storm with electricity restored at 3am this morning. It's been a dark few days! My tank is a established Juwel Lido 200 (litre) quite heavily planted with common plant species and a large internal filter and 600 lph power head with...

www.ukaps.org

Regards Konstantin

 

[Angus]

The substrate is probably about 1/8 or 1/10 even of the full height of the tank and half of it has been removed from the back door as it didn’t have any Montecarlo carpet on it. We left the rest in situ because we didn’t want to disturb the carpet.

It’s not a floating base it is a single panel fila or at least I’m saying that because I’m pretty sure of that fact but I will doublecheck. I have a friend coming tomorrow after work to bring the tank in for me do you think it’s safe to leave it all as it is until then?

I won’t be having fish straight away as you said there will be an ammonia spike so I’ll just get things back up and started filters running monitor the water parameters do big water changes and then add some fish at the right time. I guess it was all a bit ambitious but it seemed a nice idea at the start not destroying escape that was pretty good but ultimately I guess we all want to do our own thing anyway.

The plants will love the ammonia as long as it's not drastic levels, the snails will survive ammonia spikes, I'd say get it in tomorrow with your mate, plant it up, refill with dechlorinated water, change 50% then refill again with dechlorinated, and off you go, instant setup, wait for ammonia and nitrite to drop, happy days add some livestock.

I'm literally just saying what i would do in the same situation, it's by no means the "right way" to do it, just trying to give you some ideas as to how to solve your situation, as they always say, the best laid plans go to waste!

 

[AlecF]

It might work to try a large uber and see if the driver would help carry, for a tip. Or, don't you have neighbours?

 

[CJM70]

The plants will love the ammonia as long as it's not drastic levels, the snails will survive ammonia spikes, I'd say get it in tomorrow with your mate, plant it up, refill with dechlorinated water, change 50% then refill again with dechlorinated, and off you go, instant setup, wait for ammonia and nitrite to drop, happy days add some livestock.

I'm literally just saying what i would do in the same situation, it's by no means the "right way" to do it, just trying to give you some ideas as to how to solve your situation, as they always say, the best laid plans go to waste!

Cheers Angus. It sounds like a sensible plan. Do you recommend any particular type/brand of test kit? Are used to use Sera liquid ones. I need to pick them up tomorrow I have the chlorinator and I have bacterial culture. It’s amazing how much you forget when you haven’t been in the hobby for several years but then also things tend to progress in your absence.

 

[Angus]

Cheers Angus. It sounds like a sensible plan. Do you recommend any particular type/brand of test kit? Are used to use Sera liquid ones. I need to pick them up tomorrow I have the chlorinator and I have bacterial culture. It’s amazing how much you forget when you haven’t been in the hobby for several years but then also things tend to progress in your absence.

I have always always always used the API master test kits, but I've heard test strips are getting better these days, the Sera kits are good from experience but the one i used was the big black briefcase type kit with all the tests.

 

[CJM70]

It might work to try a large uber and see if the driver would help carry, for a tip. Or, don't you have neighbours?

I did finally manage it. With a trolley and a sturdy cardboard box to protect the tank and taking things 5m at a time I managed to bring it indoors. Neighbours, I live next to several versions of Victor Meldrew😂🙄🤪

 

[aquagenetics]

I did finally manage it. With a trolley and a sturdy cardboard box to protect the tank and taking things 5m at a time I managed to bring it indoors. Neighbours, I live next to several versions of Victor Meldrew😂🙄🤪

Nice good job mate, and good luck on your new tank, also you mentioned a carpet right were the plants used to co2 ?
and are you planning to run co2 on the tank or gonna make it low tech ?

 

[PARAGUAY]

@CJM70 Have you got a local aquarium shop Get to know the owners and customers you should find plenty of help when wanting to lift move aquariums , always 2 person job anyway.

 

[CJM70]

@CJM70 Have you got a local aquarium shop Get to know the owners and customers you should find plenty of help when wanting to lift move aquariums , always 2 person job anyway.

Sadly local shops aren’t great, but am moving soon, so hopefully better ones there.

 

[CJM70]

Nice good job mate, and good luck on your new tank, also you mentioned a carpet right were the plants used to co2 ?
and are you planning to run co2 on the tank or gonna make it low tech ?

Yes they were used to CO2 and I am contemplating using it, but currently having a bit of difficulty with the CO2 kit which I bought included with the tank. Trying to get to grips with this JBL regulator. I have used CO2 before, I had a TMC regulator and solenoid set working with fire extinguisher set up. I’m putting a question up in the CO2 section 👍