Help Moving Fish From An Established Tank To A New Bigger Aquarium&#33

[jodyh86]

after saving the pennies for a while im hoping to upgrade from my 48 litre tank to a 120 litre tank but im wondering what is the best way to transfer my fish without any of them dying?

Many sites tell me to put my old filter,plants and gravel along with half of the water from my old tank into the new bigger tank in order for the tank to cycle. (This may be a problem as obviously ill need the old filter in the current tank with my fish). If this is the correct method would i then transport the fish the same day in the new tank and keep the old filter in the tank along with the new filter

Other sites tell me to set up the new tank and let it cycle for a week or so ( but i thought it needed fish and media to create bacteria in order to cycle).

obviously my fish are my main priority and i dont want to get it wrong and them all die because of moving them to an uncycled tank.

any help is very muchly appreciated.

 

[bae1994]

well if the tank is in a different space to the old tank heres what id do get new gravel and add then fill tank with tap water add the water conditioner then turn heater if its heated on or leave to get to room temp if its cold and turn the new filter on at the same time once up to temp add the old tanks plants and decor (or you could use all new but that would cost alot)then add old tanks filter and acclimatise the fish to the new tank water as if you've just brought them and your done

 

[Assaye]

It's actually fantastically simple. You do NOT need to cycle the bigger tank because you already have a cycled filter. Simply move the media from your old filter into the new filter and BOOM, cycled tank.

Set the new tank up the day before the move with mostly new water (but leave space for water from your small tank). Get the filter running (new filter) to help get the tank settled. On the day of the move: Move fish into a tub or box. Move gravel, water and decorations from old tank to new tank. Put old filter media into new filter. Once you're happy everything is running properly, acclimatize fish to the nre tank and poof, you're done!

You only need to have the tank set up the day before to get all the gas bubbles out of the water and to stop the water being cloudy from the new substrate.

Obviously don't rush out to get new fish. Let the new tank settle for a bit and check the water just in case there was some bacteria loss

 

[jodyh86]

brilliant thanks for the replies......the new tank comes with sand but my old tank has gravel i heard you can wrap the gravel up into a pair of tights n place them around the new tank?? or would it be enough just moving all my plants and decorations over as theyll have all the bacteria on those already?
also i was thinking of putting my old filter into the new tank along with the new filter running( as i cant take the media out of the old filters as they will be in the old tank whilst the new one is getting set up).

am i best to put the water from my old tank into the new one or start totally afresh with new water??


thanks for the replies muchly appreciated

 

[Tolak]

The media in your old filter is what contains your nitrifying bacteria. Unless you are running under gravel filtration you gravel contains very little nitrifying bacteria. Your old filter has a large enough colony of nitrifying bacteria to handle the waste of the existing fish, and that filter has no idea which tank it is running on. Just like Assaye stated, run the old filter on the new tank for a while, along with the new filter. This gives the new filter time to cycle, while the old filter sustains the bio load.

As far as water is concerned if you have been doing good size regular water changes using 100% fresh tap water should be fine in the new tank. If you are worried about any differences in water do a slower acclimation.

I set up & break down tanks on a regular basis as stocking changes. Whenever I set up a tank I fast the fish for 24 hours before the move, and feed lightly the next week whenever possible. Less food means less waste produced, making any shortage of nitrifying bacteria no issue.

 

[jodyh86]

yer i do a water change every week.....so from my 40 litre tank it shouldnt do any harm taking about 3 buckets worth( approx 30 litres) of water from my old tank and putting it into the new tank should it?


thanks

 

[Assaye]

No harm at all, as long as the water quality in your small tank is good.