new tank and add fish the same day???

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dragonfish1ca

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Apr 6, 2004
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I have done this a few times with 230 gallons and silvers with no real problems but i dont know if i would try with a crossback......
Let me know if this sounds right to you, post your thoughts or if you tried this too. Im going to try this again on a 330gallon that is being delivered to my house friday with a container full of clown knives and a tiger shovelnose. and adding a few silvers or a green by sunday if all goes well.
#1 I use clhorine remover while filling the new tank and keeping the temp at around 80deg F and when 3/4 full i will fill the last 1/4 with water from the old tank.
#2 Adjust the PH levels of the new water to what the fish you are adding are in now live in.
#3 Take any filters you have that have been running for a few months and are dirty and thriving with bacteria and put them on the tank, or romove the media and place it in the new filter.
#4 add CYCLE an instant Bacteria solution right into the filter intake so 90% of the bacteria ends up in your bio balls, ceramics ect. i usualy double the dose just in case.
#5 add Ammonia remover, Its tetra brand i think, It takes the bad ammonia and turns it into a non toxic state that still feeds the new bacteria but will sustain fish. (only the dry test stips will work to test ammonia levels using this.
#5 Add the fish that same day and keep a close eye on the ph and nitrate levels for the next few weeks.
Please post your thoughts on this, I hope im not way off here and just lucky.
 
R

RTR

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I personally think it is poor aquarium practice and would not do so myself, but many folks do such - TM's post certainly supports that shot-in-the-dark approach.

1. acceptable practice, but tank water carries only some heterotrophic microbes, few to no nitrification bacteria.

2. Don't adjust your water if it is at all suitable to keeping fish. Fish are highly adaptable. Acclimate the fish slowly to your water instead.

3. Good practice.

4. "Cycle" has never been shown to be of any benefit in establishing nitrification bacteria in a fishtank. Bio-Spira does work, but is in short supply in most areas currently.

5. Only use such products if there is is an immediate and emergency need for such. Water changes to dilute the metabolites (ammonia or nitrite) to barely detctable levels are preferable.

6. The things to monitor in new tanks are ammonia and nitrite. You should know the KH and if it is low (below 3-4 degrees) then it should be monitored as well. The pH will be stable if the KH is okay and you have not added buffers to the water. Nitrate monitoring is narely needed until the tank is well into its cycle/nitrification eastablishment (unless you have used Cycle, which tends to boost the nitrate titer markedly). Once the tank's cycle is established, nitrate is monitored periodically to see if water changes are doing what you want them to do.

Good Luck.
 
~*LuvMyKribs*~

~*LuvMyKribs*~

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Nov 15, 2003
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But by adding so much old tank water and the old filters to the new tank, isn't it just like doing a big waterchange on the old tank? Just like changing 75% of the water and doing a good gravel vac?

I've always let my tanks run a few days with the old filters before putting fish in. You need to give the bacteria a chance to settle in and populate themselves a bit.

I actually don't think its bad practice at all, you sound like you have everything under control. I would, however, maybe wait a few days. Give it at least 3. Just incase, right?

And i agree with the CYCLE part, i dont think it really helps in adding bacteria to the tank. It could just be water for all we know! :D ;)

With that much old bacteria the cycle should be fast and the worst part will be over within a week....

if you can wait that long then do it- you don't want to risk harming your precious fishies, right?

:)
-Diana
 
happychem

happychem

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Dec 9, 2003
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The only point I'd raise about the afforementioned few day to let the bacteria colonize is:

Isn't that just depriving them of food? Unless there's an ammonia source aren't you actually doing the opposite of what you want?
 
~*LuvMyKribs*~

~*LuvMyKribs*~

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No i do add ammonia in that time. Sorry i forgot to mention that...


Either add pure ammonia daily or add fish food, which will decay and produce ammonia for you.

I've always added flake food, just because i dont have ammonia hanging around.

Both help feed the bacteria.
 
R

Richer

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Aug 7, 2002
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The method you've describe is more or less an acceptable practice, as long you stay rigorous in monitoring your tank's water. If the filters/filter media you transfer over to your new tank have enough nitrifying bacteria on it, you'll probably see a very small ammonia spike... if that. Just do regular water changes to keep ammonia and nitrite levels as low as possible. I did that on my 66 gallon malawi tank. Initially, I had 3 one inch zebras in a 20 gallon bowfront while I was setting up my 66 gallon tank (of course the 20 gallon was already cycled before any fish touched the water). After the temperature of my 66 gallon matched that of my bowfront, I tossed the fish into that tank, and ran the bowfront's filter in the 66 gallon tank. I never even saw an indication of any ammonia and nitrite in my tanks.

HTH
-Richer
 
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