How do i set up this FRESH WATER craigslist purchase????? ///PIC'S///

its a 55'er








If you cant see...all the filtration things it came with seem to be made by Aqua - Crylic "Tekna Series"

Now the tank has a mfg date of 1993 so its older for sure but in AMAZING shape for its age. The cabinet is real Oak wood so i know its good to go as well. Also came with the original hood with two ballast bulbs activated by a push button on/off but only one bulb will come on as of now. So i got everything off of craigslist from a very wealthy man's home for $400. Do you think i got an ok deal?? I thought it was fair for everything i got....the man said just the cabinet alone cost him 800 when he first bought it. All it's life it has been ran as a salt water tank. So naturally i want to wipe the tank clean first but as far as the bio balls in the filter and the other filter part im not too sure on how to go about cleaning everything outside of just taking everything apart. THIS WILL BE A FRESH WATER SET UP if i haven't made that clear yet lol. So im not even sure if the filtration things it came with are correct to run fresh or not....but then that goes to show you just how much i know about setting everything up...which is nothing. The pump looks small and old....so im not sure if it will have enough power to run everything correctly...can't find the GPH on it ether. So guys......what do you think?? Where do i and how do i begin?

 

I would bleach the bio balls with a 20% bleach/water solution for 24 hours. Rinse with fresh water really good then use water and declorinator solution for another 24 hours. For the tank clean it with water and vinegar and rinse well. the overflow box looks like a 600 gph to me and the pump looks to match. the water will go through the overflow into the bio balls then to the return pump. Pretty simple really. Im not a big fan of bio balls, id rather use creamic rings but thats just me. I had freshwater for several years. The only bad thing about overflows like that that just skim the surface is the fish waste and other organic matter tends to go to the bottom instead of up to the surface like it does in saltwater. I do think you got a good deal on it though. Nice set up

 

It doesn't even look used!

Go salt! You won't look back.

But if you go fresh, you'll be a wish'n you went salt.

Just use that overflow, get a rubbermaid container fot a sump, or get a premade, or make a sump.

Also, You may be able to get a bigger for 400$ though, overall, an OK deal

 

Thanks for the cleanup tips guys. To be 100% honest...even if you were standing right next to me...i will still have trouble setting everything up....im just not very mechanically inclined. It all looks super easy and there really isn't much involved at all i know but im gonna need some ppl to hold my hand through all of this. I know i can't do salt, ive done the math and it will be too expensive for me to maintain. Now i know you guys could talk to me forever about how wrong i am and you are proably correct....i just can bearly make a 20 gal fresh tank function....getting into salt just scares the crap outta me. I saw one of you mentioned a "sump"? I know how those work for houses to pump out excess water but would have no clue how to set one up with my filter system that im already confused about.

Well off to bed, excited to see what you all have to say in the morning...thanks in the future to all who can help me out.

 

What you have there is a sump. The filter under the cabinet.
You may actually be able to sell that setup (sump) and buy a canister filter for freshwater use. The aquarium stand and canopy look nice!!

 

Yeah as neubie said, that is a sump you have. Look at it as just a big open cannister filter. It's a small sump but it may give you enough extra water volume to put 2 more fish in. if a regular 55 can hold 8 fish you cohld put 10 in yours just because of the extra volume you have.

 

so what do you guy's suggest then? Some other user was saying i needed a sump and could make it out of a rubbermaid bin? So that kinda confused me. If i were to sell the sump to buy a canister how much do you think my sump is worth?

 

That looks like a bio balling, wet to dry filter to me, NOT a sump.

It can be easily converted yes, but it is super small.

If it's FW only, I too agree with the cannister filter
nix that overflow, wet/dry, etc.

 

ok so i should kick the bio ball house to the road right? If that's true then can i use the other filtration thing that hangs on the back??? Im so confused now....i wanted to avoid buying a whole new system but if i ditch the bio house then im guessing everything else has to go too...except for maybe the pump?? but it's old as well...then im going to have to buy new hoses on top of a new canister and all that other jazz im sure im going to need......man this is starting to sound expensive I even thought it would be a good idea to go the under gravel filter path...but then i think that needs a separate pump as well.....20 bucks at walmart i saw but not that bad i guess. Im like super lost now...and with me planning on taking a trip to my local aquarium supply here in indiana " Uncle Bills " i just wouldnt want to go in there and get my wallet raped by trusting an employee there.

 

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