inheriting an aquarium: advice please?

[Houseconfusion]

After trying to cut corners to buy a new 25 litre tank, we have been offered an aquarium for £50 all inclusive. So here are the details -

1. It's a 90 litre rectangular standard type tank
2. Comes with it's own fishtank stand/cabinet
3. Has been up and running for 2 years now and still is up and running till the actual move happens tomorrow
4. Contains 6 fish (in my naive eyes too much for a 90 litre tank but what do I know) - they are a blue gourami, an algae eating fish, and 4 small fish that have been same size for the last two years.

Obviously the standard cycling advice with a new tank doesn't apply here. So where do I to from here? Will bring the fish seperately ornaments seperately in bags from pets at home. What should be done about the water? We are placing it in a living room corner against a non window, non radiator wall. In front of it will be three house plants standing tall and leafey kind of foregrounding it to kind of seperate it from the rest of the room DS 1 year old and DDog 2 yrs old.

What should I do apart from this? I don't want to mess too much with an up and running established tank if you see what I mean! Help a novice please!

Thank you :)

[jwww]

Have you got pictures of the fish so I can identify them?:) just because they're small doesn't mean they should be or always will be!
If you can test the water before taking the tank (a lot of pet stores do this for free) make sure waters all good then you know how much work it's going to be

[user1474539059]

Save and transfer as much of the old water as you can. Make sure you preserve the filter bacteria as that is really what will help the tank resettle nicely. Keep an eye on your water parameters for a few weeks after the move. For the first day keep the lights off and restrict food.

You know what, why don't I just give the link that really helped me when I had to do a tank move. The article is really concise and clear. I strongly recommend you give it a look.

injaf.org/articles-guides/moving-aquarium-moving-house/

[Houseconfusion]

Riiiight. The transfer has been done.

I took about 3 quarters of the original tank water which then made up 3 quarters of the tank water here at home now. Have taken all gravel, ornaments plastic plants and we added 3 living plants.

They have provided all sorts of things in the cabinet like tropical fish flakes, green algae remover, (can't see any algae...) ammonia treatments and a box of liquid tests for the 4 things to test. It's been established for two years. Same water area as us.

The fish are a Platy, and the following who she couldn't name. Attaching pics. Obviously we won't disturb them now for a good while. Eventually what's the best food for them? Anything else I could add? There are 7 fish. It's a 90 litre tank. Posting various pics now and any advice is greatly appreciated

[Houseconfusion]

Pic from afar

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Fish 1

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Fish 2 is same as fish 1. Fish 3 is a huge Platy

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Fish 4

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Clearer fish 4

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Fish 5 bottom right best I could mange

[jwww]

Turn the light of while they're settling in :)
1/2 looks like a penguin tetra
4 possibly a flame tetra but can't see it too well and 5 looks like a gourami not sure which type as the waters cloudy (assuming it's just dust/first from gravel from where tanks been moved, assuming so it should settle fairly quickly) so can't make out colouring but I think it's probably a dwarf or a smaller variety, so not to worry about! so far I only count 5 fish unless I'm being silly and missing something but I'd say you've got at least 50-60 litres of space still to play around with

You've got space for a good couple some more but stick to smaller fish like tetras, corydoras, mollies or dwarf gouramis, OR you could look at bigger fish obviously you could have less of them. Work out what you want before you start adding them to the tank. and then maybe some shrimp (my favourites are wood shrimp but have a look at Armano shrimp to!) and/or snails would be good in there to! But let the tank settle for a good week or two first.

[Houseconfusion]

Oh I thought 7 was plenty for a 90 litre I was worried about it being too many!!

Yes the pic was taken right after I transferred contents back in and the dust is settling evwry minute and each time I walk in the room it's clearer and clearer:)

Thanks so much for identifying!! A silly question. Should the tank smell of anything? I smelt the water there and again after transferring and it smells of nothing. Should I smell fishy? Or am I worrying over nothing. It literally smells of nothing.

Thanks so much It helps so much to know there are knowledgeable folk out there!

[Houseconfusion]

Okay it seems the filter isn't working after we out everything back up here. The water isn't coming out of the tube at the top of the sponge on top of the tank to then filter through and go down. All 4 plugs are connected and the filter plug is vibrating the filter tube is vibrating when connected. Just no water is presumably being sucked up and back down. It's an Aqua One AR 620 tank. Any ideas on what to do?

[jwww]

Depends what the fish are but tetras are small fish!
No the water shouldn't smell, if it smells eggy or fishy then do a water test because it can be ammonia but it sound like it's all good! :)

I go by the 1cm of tropical fish per litre of water or 1cm of fish per 2 litres of water for goldfish rule. Some will say that's wrong or outdated but I've found it to be absolutely fine in a filtered tank if you're keeping up with your 20% water changes :)

[Houseconfusion]

Thanks very much! Ignore my last post filter is just fine now! It wasn't submerged in enough water!

[Scorpiovenus]

20 years marine and freshwater keeping here. I believe I can help.

The move when up and running seems easier but maybe easier for fresh if that’s what your doing but suggestions is to take 50% of the water with you, put a heater and air pump in a quarantine tank in your case id use the 25l as your going to need to fill the bigger tank and wait for the temps to match. 90litres shouldn’t take too long a 300 litre usually takes me 2 hours but using 3 heaters and power heads. So the only issue and hard part will be the transporting and successfully acclimatizing the fish to the 90L. So the cycle will come into force here as the good bacteria it will have will die off in the move and that’s the nitrate spike I was on about.

Also change the substrate there will be a buildup of nitrates that could cause a nitrate or ammonia spike that will take your fish out. Same with sand probably more so with sand. Rocks sand gravel can hold onto phosphates and leach into the tank. Depends on the size if small fish say tetras or danios or guppies that is fine. Depends on adult sizes too. If you get stuck PM me. I know pretty much whats compatible adult size etc :D Gourami can get up to about 5 inches and the plecco (algae fish you mention) gets big too. Ive seen some in shops 2 foot plus.

Best plan. Take 50% water with you with the tank. New gravel and keep the filter and its media wet and you should be ok 

[Scorpiovenus]

This tank looks very dirty tho! I'm not sure if I'll take such a tank, even for free. There's need for some work to bring it to life and another thing - no matter how much work you put in it, it will never be like new. The watter might contain worms that harm the aquarium like the Bobbit worm.

WHAT???? This is a freshwater tank and eunicid worms are marine. Stop scare mongering when you don't know what your on about They are extremely rare and don't live in freshwater. Also water don't contain worms. Bristle worms you probably mean live in live rock and sand! Jesus

OP message me ill help you out.