Another tank q

[mary]

Hi there, i have managed somehow to keep my 2 beautiful twin axies alive since bringing them home in jan ( they were about 6 weeks old). You would all wep and report me to the authority's coz their tank is too small now- they have grown so much.hubby keeps saying stop feeling them so much but he is always in there giving them juicy worms from his specially built worm farm. Actually do have a question!! what do others do about preparing a bigger tank- can i put all of their water in and top up the rest with filtered water - and then leave for weeks to cycle??

 

[kapo]

If you don't already have a big tank for them to move into you can use one of those big plastic storage tubs as a temporary stopgap till you can afford/find a cheap tank (there is a guy out in Petone that makes them to whatever specs/size cheaper than what they are selling for in petshops - Peter something; a glazier at a place called Nicholsons I think? ).

They do grow fast. I was away for 2 weeks recently and cudn't get over the size of our youngest axies on my return, they looked huge! We used a storage tub with our first lot of axies until the tank arrived, made by a local glazier, then transferred everything water, sand, decos, the lot (no filter at that stage) to the bigger tank (axies were in a temporary bucket till we arranged the tank). Topped it up with dechlorinated water, tested the water, then added the axies. There was no need for cycling, as our water had been cycled and had all the original substrate and decos.

 

[mary]

Thanks Kapo, you are always so helpful!!

 

[kapo]

You're welcome, once I manage to dig out the name I will let you know (have it buried somewhere!)

 

[mary]

Ho you reckon a new tank is safer than a 2nd hand one? i wonder how long bacteria and fungus's etc can live in an empty but once used tank? suppose a few drops of bleach would fix this?

 

[kapo]

Mary, if you can find a 2nd hand cheap tank in the size you want then go for it. They have some quite cheap ones on TM if you check, esp. your area of Wgtn! But if you want to compare prices of 2nd hand tank to what a glazier charges to make one just give Port Nicholson Glass a call, in Petone (Peter - he's well known in fish community in Wgtn), to get a quote on a 2ft or 3ft tank in 6mm or thicker glass. Price range will be dependant on the tank size and thickness of glass you want. 2ft is OK but 3ft wud be a better size if you can get it for your "twins" and their decos. When hubby bought our 3yr olds they also came with a 2ft tank, which was far too small for them (they are both 28-30cm) they had hardly any room to move with their caves and plants! Now they live in a 3.5ft (1050mm/105cm long) tank.

 

[sharn]

i just transferred everything from the old tank to the new one, didnt wash anything and left the axies in a spare bin for a few days while the filter got everything cleaned up and i fed lightly to keep a mini cycle away and just did a few water changes.

id suggest TM, you can pick up 3 footers for about 40 bucks which is fairly good. i see no downside to second hand unless the tank is in bad shape, it can be hard to find tanks if your looking for a specific size that isnt common, best to go custom from a glazier then

 

[kapo]

Very rare to find a 3fter for that price in Wgtn on TM Sharn, they invariably go much higher. The 2fters on TM tend to go for $35/$40 minimum down here. I would love to live either further north or south island as large tanks go for a pittance compared to here. Wgtnians don't seem to like selling things cheap.

 

[sharn]

crikey! (is that too australian lol), theyd go for 50 tops up here, auckland is soooo cheap!!