10 gal to 20 gal safe "switcheroo" possible?

[speede1]

Ok guys this may sound complicated, but I want to do the right thing so here goes:

I've had a 10 gal FW tank cycled and nicely functioning for 2 years now... (one growing angel fish... I know I know..., 3 gummy nose tetras and a koolieloach) I Just got a 20 long and leaving for hawaii on Saturday (6 days). Since I don't plan to keep the 10gal I have thought of a few ways to try and "cycle" the new tank:

Can I/Should I fill the tank with 50% new, conditoned water and all of the established 10gal tank water and just run it (fish in) while I'm gone?

Because I have experienced a Java Moss hitchhike scenerio with TONS of snails (BTW...do they lay eggs?) I plan to use new gravel, filter ect.

My thought was to run BOTH the existing colonized filter and pad in the new tank along with the new filter to seed the tank...but will it be enough seed? I could throw a few clumps of the Java moss (assuming there is no snail eggs present) in the new tank or a plastic plant or two from the 10 gal, maybe even a little gravel, but I sure don't want to get all snailed up again.:silly:

My other option I thought of was to just dump all the established 10gal water in with maybe just 2 or 3 gal of new water... Kinda like a water change but only into a new tank. (again assuming I ran the old and new filters and threw in a plant or two)

What this really boils down to i guess is ...does the old gravel hold the key to the maintaining of the cycle? Or can i do a switcheroo minus the gravel safely and if so, with how much additional new water can I use?

Any help would be appreciated. As of right now the tank is sitting with nothing more than freshly washed new gravel and about 2-3 gal of the tank water from the 10gal

 

[southpaw]

If it were me I would wait until I got back from Hawaii ...This way you can keep an eye on the water parameters and be there to do any water changes that might be needed incase there are ammonia and/or nitrite spikes. I would hate for you to swap it all over and the tank not be stable in the 6 days before you leave and come back to a tank of dead or dying fish.

 

[Mgamer20o0]

if you must.....

move over the filter and gravel and everything into the new tank. it should be fine. the old tank water doesnt need to be moved since there isnt much bacteria in the water.

 

[speede1]

That's my first instinct as well to just wait. But could I/ Should I fill the tank with more water from the 10 Gal as well as some gravel/plants from the 10 gal to seed it somehow and run it for two weeks with a little fish flake rotting while I'm away?

I also still wonder about the snails...eggs? And I already put new gravel in...would I have to use ALL the old gravel?

 

[Mgamer20o0]

the more stuff you moved over the less chance for a mini cycle. you could move just the filter over and might not have one but why risk it. could always put the old gravel in a stocking and hang it in the tank or let it rest on the gravel for now.

 

[speede1]

I'm thinking maybe I should fill it with conditioned water and transferred plants, rocks ect and leave the old gravel and fish in the 10 til I get back. (running the new tank with the new filter and heater and leaving the filter with the fish for now in the 10?)

 

[southpaw]

I would just put the new filter on the 10 gallon (so you will be running 2 filters on the 10g) and let it be getting seeded until you get back then move them both over to the new 20 gallon when you swap things over. Although depending on the filter you have for the 20g there maybe too much water current in a 10g with both filters running on it....if they have flow controls on them you might can turn them all the way down to keep the water current down so the fish arent freaking out.

 

[speede1]

Oh and anyone know if snails lay eggs?

 

[speede1]

I would just put the new filter on the 10 gallon (so you will be running 2 filters on the 10g) and let it be getting seeded until you get back then move them both over to the new 20 gallon when you swap things over. Although depending on the filter you have for the 20g there maybe too much water current in a 10g with both filters running on it....if they have flow controls on them you might can turn them all the way down to keep the water current down so the fish arent freaking out.

both filters are Aqua tech..one is 100GPH and the other is 160GPH adn I don't think they can be adjusted...

 

[southpaw]

Probably way too much current then.... I have an Aqua Tech on my 55g and it has no way to adjust.