Moving to a different town... Need Advice

[soluki]

I did get gravel and washed it and have had it in the tank for awhile. I cannot remove the filter from the 10 gallon though, because I don't want to move all the fish at the same time to the new tank. Want to just move a few so that a.) I don't overwhelm the new tank and b.) I don't kill off all my fish if the new tank is not cycled properly. I don't want to move any of the old gravel to the new tank either because the old gravel is very yucky and is also the wrong color My new gravel is blondish beige and the old gravel is bright blue!
However, I do have an extra filter so maybe I will just put a new filter cartridge in the old tank filter and put the other filter on this new tank but with the old carbon cartridge in it - do you think that will work?

 

[grue]

I did get gravel and washed it and have had it in the tank for awhile. I cannot remove the filter from the 10 gallon though, because I don't want to move all the fish at the same time to the new tank. Want to just move a few so that a.) I don't overwhelm the new tank and b.) I don't kill off all my fish if the new tank is not cycled properly. I don't want to move any of the old gravel to the new tank either because the old gravel is very yucky and is also the wrong color My new gravel is blondish beige and the old gravel is bright blue!
However, I do have an extra filter so maybe I will just put a new filter cartridge in the old tank filter and put the other filter on this new tank but with the old carbon cartridge in it - do you think that will work?

Well, if you take the old filter media out of the 10, then that tank will need to go through another cycle.

If you don't move the old filter media to the new tank, you'll have to wait several weeks for the cycle to complete in the new tank.

I would just move everything over as mentioned previously

 

[Zebulon]

The tank itself doesnt hold any any appreciable biological cycle, nor does the water in it. The substrate and filter media holds the bio. You could have a bare tank with all new water and when you put your delightfully gooey old filter on it, it's a cycled tank. A hungry one though which will need ammonia production asap -- ie your fish. Just move it all over at once. The old tank will definately hold some bio in the substrate, especially if it's a gooey as you say it is, but it too will need food. Keep a handfull of fry over there maybe... if you really want to keep two tanks?

There will be a small cycle. Watch your numbers and do water changes when necessary.

You might consider a filter at the faucet if you are using well water, if for no other reason that all those minerals are going to be rough on your equipment. Also makes your ice cubes look better when serving clear liquor to guests.

 

[soluki]

Thanks! Will give it a try and will let you know how it goes...

 

[soluki]

Just wanted to post a followup - both tanks ended up cycling again. The older 10 gallon one is stable again. I still have a few fish in there, been moving 2-3 fish at a time every few days to a week so I don't overload the new tank. So far both no fish loss and all seem happy. The parameters in the new tank are good on all except a bit high on nitrite. I did a 40% water change and will retest tomorrow.