converting 2 tanks to 1-need help

B

BabelFish42

AC Members
Jun 14, 2005
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Los Angeles, CA
I have 2 tanks, 20gal and a 10gal. I've been slowly getting things I'll need. a new 40gal tank with overhead light, then a stand(a tv stand i got for free which I reiforced the middle of it). I've been cleaning the tanks reduce waste transfer.
My problem is when I'm actually doing it: do I remove the gravel with the fish still in the tank and put the gravel in the new one? since i'll be tranferring most of the 30 gallons of cycled water, do I still have to set the new tank up and cycle the water or will it be ready sooner since the fish are already acclimated to the water?

20gal: 2 mollies, 1 swordtail, 1 black skirt tetra, 2 black skirt-like but w/orange and pink stripes, 2 cories, 1 otto, 1 ghost shrimp, 1 gourami, 1 tiger barb

10gal: 2 tiger barbs, 1 cory, 2 glowlights, 3 white clouds

converting to 40 gallon
 
A) You will want to remove the fish before transferring gravel. Yes, you can just scoop it out a bit at a time, but this will be tedious, and the fish will still be better off out of the tank to avoid being stressed.

B) Don't bother moving ANY of the 'cycled water'. That's a misnomer--the water doesn't cycle. It may age, but the beneficial bacteria are not in the water column. You will import more wastes this way than anything else. Use all new water, that's been properly treated, brought to temp. Ideally, it should be similar in all parameters to the water currently in the tank.

C) What's the filtration? Moving the existing filters to the new tank will introduce approximately the amount of biological filtration needed to support the existing live stock. If you are not moving the filters or, you will want to either fishlessly cycle the tank, or put the new filter on the 30 now, and run it in conjunction with the existing filter to establish the bacteria colonies.
 
on the 20 gal, i have an underwater filtration system that came in a 20 gal tank kit, and on the 10gal i have a peguin mini filter. I just bought a Penguin 170 for the new tank. I have my 10gal and 20gal tank next to each other, and want to move the 40gal in the same spot. when i actually move the tank, should i take the fish out, I would expect it would be like a terrible eathquake for them-moving the tank that is.
 
I Wouldn't try moving a tank with fish and water in it...I'd expect it would be too heavy to lift anyway! Best to empty it before moving to avoid any mishaps. If you're emptying the 10 & 20, and then setting up the 40, keep the fish elsewhere until the tank is fully set up in it's final location and ready to stock.
 
OrionGirl said:
Don't bother moving ANY of the 'cycled water'. . . . Use all new water . . . . Ideally, it should be similar in all parameters to the water currently in the tank.
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Using the old water seems like a pretty good idea to me. Or perhaps 20 gallons of it, making the fish feel not much more stress than with a 50% water change.
 
Why? So you can import all the wastes that are already in the water? What possible benefit is that? A 100% water change is not stressful to the fish if done correctly.
 
well, I only have 30 gallons at most to work with. the rest i'll have to add. I know I can't use all of the cycled water. I was just going to use around 25 gallons or so, where i can get the cleaner water that the fish are used to, and not the waste.

Also, how long can the fish stay on a bucket while I'm setting the new tank up? I'll proably use 2 buckets, or even a garbage can. should/could i attach the filter to the bucket to keep oxygen going through the tank? (some aquariacentralist did say the only dumb question is the one not asked)

I called one of my LFS dudes, and he suggested that i could used this stuff, Fritz or Boispira, which is a active bacteria that would chemically speed up the water cycle process. what are some thoughts on that?

out of all the fish I have, i would think my cories and the white clouds are the most hardiest and would be able to adapt to change more

20gal: 2 mollies, 1 swordtail, 2 tinfoil barbs, 1 blackskirt tetra, 1 tiger barb, 1 gourami, 2 cories, 1 ghost shrimp, 1 otto

10gal: 2 tiger barbs(1albino), 3 whitecluds, 2 glowlights, 1 cory

soon to be in a 40 gallon tank
 
The wastes are dissolved in the water--not chunks you can see. Think about this--you test for ammonia, but it's not visible in the water, is it? Still there, though! Any water from that tank will contain wastes--from nitrogen to hormones from the fish. It is NOT cleaner than fresh, treated, water from the tap.

I've kept fish in buckets for 4-5 hours without a problem for moving. You can also get ammo-chips to put in with them. Make sure you can cover the bucket/tub--amazing how previously happy fish will decide to jump when in a bucket. If the filter can be hung on the bucket, by all means, do so--it will help. I would plan on moving all the media from the existing filters into the new one, preserving the filtration for the system. Ading Bio-Spira will certainly help, as well, and if you can't move the old media over, will be your best bet (along with daily testing and water changes) or preventing a serious cycle.
 
OrionGirl said:
What possible benefit is that?
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OrionGirl said:
Ideally, it should be similar in all parameters to the water currently in the tank.
Click to expand...

Obviously the water CURRENTLY IN THE TANK **is** similar to the water currently in the tank. Less worries. Just continue to do routine water changes.
 
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