Habitat - Indoor :: MY FX5 IS HERE!!!!

[lunabebe4]

YAY!!!! I am so excited to get off work and go get it. My mom thought I ordered a shop vac when she saw the box haha! I gotta go get media for it and then hopefully have it set up tomorrow or saturday.

I am moving from my boyfriends back to my moms for the summer to save up money. I have to move the tank. Its not far just 8 miles. I was thinking the best way to do that since I have to empty the tank out and move it and then fill it back up and heat it and all that good stuff, that I would put the water from the tank now into a rubbermaid and set up the lights and basking area and filter on that. Then move the tank and once its heated and everything move momo over to the new tank. Does this work or do I need to put the fish in there and let if start getting a cycle going from them before adding the turt?

[meltedspork]

You don't need to cycle the tank... just treat the water and make sure it is the right temp before putting your turtle in.

[thegrandpoohbah]

Actually, yes you do need to cycle the new tank. Otherwise you will get a harmful ammonia spike. The easiest way is to transfer some of the media from the old filter to the new FX5 when you move Momo. Just make sure to keep it covered in some tank water in a bag while you transport it to keep the bacteria alive.

[lunabebe4]

I hooked it up today to my tank before I move so it can get a cycle going with the water thats in it before I move in a few days. but can I just say that putting that thing together took me like 2-3 hours and was a huge pain in my [---] and is still not quite right. The intake tube is to damn long so I have to cut it with a saw , for now i just have it up high enough and the tube about 7 inches above the rim of the tank lol. ghetto but its the same concept. Easy fix for now. It has a very strong water current from the output, I think my baby guppies might end up in the filter... poor little guys.... I think now I have to ditch the sand cuz its moving the sand around I think.

[BullDog]

Like Poohbah said, the best way to avoid a harmful ammonia spike is to take some old media from the existing filter and put it in the new filter. I did this with both of my new filters, and the ammonia hardly rose at all.

Also, I recommend you silicon the strainer onto the intake tube. You'll have to let it dry for at least 24 hours, but it'll give you peace of mind.

[meltedspork]

Actually, yes you do need to cycle the new tank. Otherwise you will get a harmful ammonia spike. The easiest way is to transfer some of the media from the old filter to the new FX5 when you move Momo. Just make sure to keep it covered in some tank water in a bag while you transport it to keep the bacteria alive.

I don't really consider putting old media into your new filter as "cycling" your tank... To me, cycling takes weeks and involves using fish or chemicals.

I have never cycled my turtle tank when transferring tanks and have never had any problems. I did transfer the bio media from my old filter to my new filter when I did my last transfer, but I did not do it the time before that and had no issues at all.

[lunabebe4]

Well I didnt put any thing from my old filter to my new one, I did how ever run my filter on the tank before moving it so its getting the water thats already cycled I guess and the chemical levels are fine.

[akaghettoraver]

yeah, I have heard both ways. I personally did not cycle my tank either but that doesn't mean I was wrong or right. My turtles have turned out just fine. And I have never used any chemicals on my tanks.

[Jociellen]

did the fx5 come with tubing? Do you have to buy all that separate?

[BullDog]

The FX5 comes with tubing. Though I've heard if you have a 6 foot tank there's not quite enough length (There's enough for a 4 foot tank though).

[lunabebe4]

Mine came with the tubing then you just cut it to length,.


As far as chemicals I meant like ph, and stuff like that are all at normal levels

[papoopeepoo]

The included tubing works on my 6-foot-long tank, but I'm not sure if BullDog means 6-feet-high?

[BullDog]

That was just a few reviews I read, people saying that if they had the filter on the floor the tubing wasn't long enough to reach the edges of their 6 foot long tank. Depends on how you have your tank setup I suppose.

[papoopeepoo]

Ok i get it. My tubing reaches far enough that my intake and outtake are about a foot from each end. The rim of the tank is roughly 4 feet high, and the filter is about an inch off the ground right in the middle of the tank.