Hi everyone, im going to be buying an aquarium very soon and i need an explaination on how to set it up for my oscar that i will also be buying. Ive had about 6 oscars before but gave them to my grandad as he has an enormous tank like 800 gallon or something but i want to start again with a baby oscar and a brand new tank. I will get a tank roughly about 300 litres of water and a rena xp3 external filter and all the other things you need. So if anyone could explain to me how i could get the tank cyled for my new oscar. Thanks for you help

Everything you need to know about setting a tank up is on our website. It would be best for you to read the information and ask us questions if you don't understand something. Please do not get an Oscar until your tank is cycled. Some people do cycle a tank with Oscars and don't seem to have any problem, however, I really think it's a better idea to cycle your tank with other fish so you give your Oscar for best chance of living a healthy life.

www.oscarfishlover.com/tank-setup

www.oscarfishlover.com/how-to-cycle-a-tank

www.oscarfishlover.com/water-test-kits

The Boss has you covered, we all love answering questions so never think you're asking too many. Good luck and welcome to the forum:)

Thanks you very much. I woudnt ever cycle a tank with an oscar its just not right in my opinion, i thought if i took some water out of my grandads tank say 50 litres then filled the rest with dechlorinated water that would help the cycle woudnlt it. Thanks guys much appreciated.

that would deffinately kick start your cycle, maybe even get some substrate and spare media to put in your filter would kick start the cycle even better...

dexter wrote:


Dexter is spot on. Take some media from the other tank and put it in your filter. Do it at the same time as adding your oscars and bingo, you have a cycled tank.

LewisG wrote:


Oh,joy!
Wise words if you want to get and keep an Oscar!!
Good luck.
Be sure to post some pics of your progress.

problem is the other tank has a sump filter, and my new tank is going to have a canister filter

I prefer a sump, but also still use a canister on my 90Gl.
Just take care you got some overcapacity on your filters, to cope with an Oscars bioload!

As long as some of the sump media will fit in your filter then you will ok. Dont fill your filter with sump media, just put some in. Wait for a couple months and then put the sump media back and replace it with normal media

yes i know which is why im buying a filter which can power a tank twice the volume.

you could still use the media in the sump to use in your canister, depending on what media he is using such as bio balls or ceramic noodles etc, i spose it depends on what canister you get and if it can fit that type of media in there...