Hi all, I would like to upgrade from a 20 long to a 29 gallon tank. The problem being I really don't know how to do this without hurting my fish in the process. The equitment I am running is a pengiun 350B a 300 watt heater and a bubble strip for extra O2, All the plants are fake and I have gravel on bottom. My ammona and nitrite are both at 0. Please bear with me I am a very newbee
Switching from 20 to a 29
- Thread starter jasperfish
- Start date
if you have a 20 gallon tank, upgrading to a 29 gallon isnt much difference, i would recommend a 55 gallon, if you just spend a little more bit more money youll be far more satisfied. that would be my suggestion, but if you insist on switching from those tanks, i would say the first thing you need to do is take the fish out and put them in a bucket (with water). second take all your gravel out using a plastic disposable cup or something of the sort and out the gravel into your new tank. next syphon the water from your old tank into the new tank, it will help cycle the tank, then you need to setup your filters/heaters, and then turn on the filter/heater, and then add your fish, simple as that..but i would strongly recommen a 55 gallon, i first had a 10 gallon , and decided that wasnt big enough, so then i upgraded to a 20 gallon, and that wasnt good enough so then i bought a 55 gallon and i am satisified. youll save yourself money if you get a big tank this time around, trust me..
Well you probably want to go from a 20L to 29 because they use the same stand, lids, lights and thus it is a cheap upgrade. If your filter is big enough you wont even have to replace it. I think there is nothing wrong with that since 9 gallons of extra water means cleaner water overall and maybe even a few more fish. And if you have a metal stand like mine you can put both tanks on one stand.
At any rate just put the 20 gallons of water in the 29 gallon and the old filter on the new tank. Add 9 gallons of dechlorinated water and voila. This way you don't have to start the cycle over. Your filter will need to grow slightly more bacteria if you add a few fish, but this shouldn't be an issue. If adding a new filter run them both for a month so the new one can grow bacteria.
At any rate just put the 20 gallons of water in the 29 gallon and the old filter on the new tank. Add 9 gallons of dechlorinated water and voila. This way you don't have to start the cycle over. Your filter will need to grow slightly more bacteria if you add a few fish, but this shouldn't be an issue. If adding a new filter run them both for a month so the new one can grow bacteria.
The reason for the 29 is space, trust me I would love a 55 instead. Thanks for all the info. This sounds pretty painless to me, I just hope it will be for fishies.
Ok well thats great just wanted you to know its not a little bit more money cause you have to buy everything new. Upgrade to 29 gal would be around 50 bucks or less where as a 55 gallon, lid, lights, stand gravel etc etc will probably be $300-400.. And if money isn't an object a 120 gallon would be $600 or so. 
i bought my 55 gallon for 160 dollars from petsmart. comes with filter (topfin 60), heater, hood/lights. i had to buy the gravel. thats a complete tank setup and i paid 200 dollars total. i also bought a second filter (aqua clear 500) but thats becasue i wanted maximum filtration for the fish i will be purchasing (jack dempseys). if space is an issue then you are right a 29 gallon would suit you just fine.. 
I bought the 29 for 50 bucks at petco, so that was not to bad. In my tank I have 2 small parrot fish 2 half dollar size angels 1 1" paradise fish 1 chinese algea eater 2 angel cats 1 small pleco (I know they can get large he already has a new home when that happens). I would really like more fish but do not want to overcrowd the tank.
adgolde said:i bought my 55 gallon for 160 dollars from petsmart. comes with filter (topfin 60), heater, hood/lights. i had to buy the gravel. thats a complete tank setup and i paid 200 dollars total. i also bought a second filter (aqua clear 500) but thats becasue i wanted maximum filtration for the fish i will be purchasing (jack dempseys). if space is an issue then you are right a 29 gallon would suit you just fine..
Ah but you forgot the stand which most people will need although some might make one it still brings the price up closer to $300.
If you got a stand in that deal than petsmart ripped themselves off hehe.I knew that the angels got aroung 6", I guess that is what I get for bring my 5year old son to pick my first fish(Daddy I want those fish).