Upgrading tank with current sm. tank easy??

P

PCDawg

AC Members
Mar 15, 2003
28
0
0
Toronto
Visit site
I have a lil 5.5 gallon tank in my office. I am interested in getting a 10 or 15 gallon upgrade. Would it be easy to shift all my fishes, decor and live plants into the newer bigger tank without the hassle of cycling the new tank again??

Or do i still need to cycle the tank?? Even if im using the same plants, filter system and water since they will all have the good bacteria living....

I currently have pebble-sized gravel and thinking of using flourite or sandbox sand as substrate so the plants will thrive...(they are still doing well with the gravel, but want a more natural substrate)

Suggestions and help needed...

Thanks!! :)
 
Upgrading using the existing materials is very easy. You'll need a few buckets to store the fish, decorations, plants, and filter media during the transition. Take everything out, and put in the buckets (you may need to use additional water, which is fine--the old tank water has limited value in the new system). Get the new tank in place, add the new gravel. Add fresh, dechlorinated water. Add the plants, and filter media. Bring to temp, add fish. The majority of the bacteria will be in the media, so with a little monitoring, you should be fine. If you're using a UGF, take scoops of the top layer of gravel first, and store in a nylon bag. Put these in the new tank for the first week or so, and then remove.

Double check your existing filter to be sure it will be adequate for the larger system. If it's not, get a new filter that is compatible with the existing media. Same for the heater--larger volumes of water may require a larger heater.
 
I would setup the tank you want to upgrade to in the location you want to put it permanently, then add the substrate of choice and water and an airstone to get the water moving and oxygenated. I would then move over most of the decor that you want in the new setup along with a heater strong enough to handle your new tank size if necessary. Then I'd wait a week and then move over the filter, fish and any other items you want. That's probably the smoothest way to do things.
 
I would just do as OG said. Get the new tank ready with the new substrate and heater, then add new water and more the old filter to the tank and put the fish in. After about a month or so, upgrade the filter if needed.
 
Its really easy to move from a smaller tank to a larger one. Put the fish in a bucket w/ water from the old tank. Just fill the new one like halfway with dechlorinated water then move the substrate plants and deco to the new tank. Then add the fish and water from the old tank. There is no need to cycle because you already have bacteria colonies all set in the old tank. just need to move them, the bioload is the same.
 
The bigger tank i will be upgrading to has its own filter system(Eclipse system) so how can i use the current filter media from my Whisper filter??

Will the bacteria from the plants, decor and water(from current existing tank) alone be good enuf not to cycle the tank again??

Thanks...
 
I don't thinkl so. The water means nothing because there is barely any bacteria free floating. It is mostly on the filter media and substrate. Since you are using neither, I would just add the decorations from the old tank and cycle it again. Leave the fish in the little tank and when the cycle of the new one is complete, put the fish in.
 
DO u think i can avoid the cycling of the new tank if i use both the new and old filter system at the same time???

Just that I dont have enuf space in my office to have the 2 tanks in operation while waiting for the new one 2 cycle properly...

Thanks
 
Well, the tank is still going to cycle, it is just a matter of how quickly. Why not set up the new tank at home with whatever you want to add from the old tank and let it cycle there. Then, you can just bring the tank to work when it is cycled, just make sure to leave the top layer of substrate moist and the filter media.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
AquariaCentral.com
Top Bottom