I am having a 75 gallon FW tank that is established and running for a few years. Time to upgrade, so I ordered a new 180 gallon. The 75g tank will eventually be converted to SW (something new to me, still need to figure out the needed equipment). How do I get the whole 75 system moved over to the new tank the easiest and fastest way? The problem is since we are planning to convert the old tank to SW, all the equipment from the old tank is moving to the new tank. Current tank has UG filters with a MJ900 powerhead on each of the two plates. There is also a heater in it and two bubble strips (mostly for looks, but also for oxygen). All I need to get additionally is another two plates for UG filter and two new powerheads for the 180, well and a little bit more gravel.
My plan of action for the move is this:
Anything there that I am missing or that won't work the way I am thinking? I am not sure if or how much water I should save from the old tank - it might be easier on the fish if they have as much as possible of their old water. With the new tank size they will have a 60 % water change anyway if all of the 75g are saved, so maybe a 100% water change wouldn't be any worse? Should I rinse the old gravel a little before putting in new tank? I am thinking not to rinse it out as to not remove any of its inhabitants (which is in my case my filter media).
Not sure if it will make much difference, but the current fish in the 75g and the exact same that will be in the 180g:
The newly added ones were put in the tank just last week in preparation for the new tank. They are all doing great. The clown loaches mixed with the existing ones, sometimes (but seldom) all 8 school together or any other combination most of the time. The baby shark got adopted by the two big ones - they are protective over them, sometimes making sure the babys stick together as one of them used to wander off the first few days (not any more). The tetras always stick together and somehow always hang around the baby iridescents as a group of 7. Maybe a little bit overstocked (even for the 180), but there is no signs of any aggressive behavior from any of them.
Any advice on an easy move is appreciated.
My plan of action for the move is this:
- setup stand and tank for new 180g (same room, different wall)
- add about 50% fresh water, put two new UG plates and powerheads in tank
- take half the water out of 75g and dump into 180g
- catch smaller fish and put in a bucket (I am thinking they will be hard to see/catch once gravel is all stirred up)
- move gravel to one side, remove old UG filter plate, put in new tank
- move gravel to other side, move other plate to new tank, move powerheads
- move as much gravel as possible to put in new tank, then add new gravel on top
- dump bucket with small fish in new tank
- catch and move big fish to new tank
- move rest of the water over (or not????)
- fill tank up, start powerheads
Anything there that I am missing or that won't work the way I am thinking? I am not sure if or how much water I should save from the old tank - it might be easier on the fish if they have as much as possible of their old water. With the new tank size they will have a 60 % water change anyway if all of the 75g are saved, so maybe a 100% water change wouldn't be any worse? Should I rinse the old gravel a little before putting in new tank? I am thinking not to rinse it out as to not remove any of its inhabitants (which is in my case my filter media).
Not sure if it will make much difference, but the current fish in the 75g and the exact same that will be in the 180g:
- 2 bala sharks (about 8-9 inches)
- 2 iridescent sharks (about 6-7 inches)
- 3 baby iridescent sharks (about 2 inches) (newly added)
- 8 clown loaches (5 big, 3 small(newly added))
- 2 chinese algea eaters
- 1 little catfish (black with dark spots, not sure which)
- 2 bottom feeders
- 4 tetras (newly added)
The newly added ones were put in the tank just last week in preparation for the new tank. They are all doing great. The clown loaches mixed with the existing ones, sometimes (but seldom) all 8 school together or any other combination most of the time. The baby shark got adopted by the two big ones - they are protective over them, sometimes making sure the babys stick together as one of them used to wander off the first few days (not any more). The tetras always stick together and somehow always hang around the baby iridescents as a group of 7. Maybe a little bit overstocked (even for the 180), but there is no signs of any aggressive behavior from any of them.
Any advice on an easy move is appreciated.