Best Advice For Transfering Fish?

[wigdean]

I've got myself a new 200 litre tank and I'm looking to transfer fish from 2 other tanks into this new setup.

I'll be using Soll Bactinettes and hopefully transfering as many fish as possible in as short a time span as possible. But I've got a few questions...

1) If I'm using Soll Bactinettes, would sinking my old filter sponges in the new tank water for a while actually help aswell? Or will it not make a difference? Or will it do something bad? I'm not sure which way is the best to go.

2) What is the best way to transfer the fish? Is it simply a case of catching and bagging them much like you the lfs, and floating the bags?

3) Am I likely to have any issues with the following fish being mixed - 3 x bronze cory, 2 x pygmy cory, 2 x sparkling gourami, 4 x galaxy rasbora, 2 x cherry spot rasbora, 5 x harlequins, 5 x espes rasbora, 2 x bolivian rams, 4 x amano shrimp, 1 x platy.

Bit of a weird mix of fish I know, but we can't really have 2 tanks anymore so unfortunately they must all go into a 200 litre now. Hopefully with the bigger thank I'll be able to increase the number of cory, sparkling gourami and cherry spots.

 

[JamieBailie]

I'm assuming you got a new filter + heater for the new tank.

Put the filter from your old tank into the new one (With the brand new filter running down low too, If it's possible to adjust the speed flow)

Heat all the tanks to the same temperature, then Simply net the fish and put them in the new tank. (I have never floated bags, I believe it does the fish more harm than good, It's a matter of opinion)

I would leave the old filter in the tank for a few weeks or so (Hopefully someone else can recommend a good time period)
You will also remove a good bit of the bacteria with the filter when you remove it after a few weeks as you only ever have enough bacteria to manage the tanks load (Not twice as much because there is two filters!)
And remember to turn your new filter flow back up since you only have one filter in the tank now.

I can't help you with the fish compabitlity, sorry!

 

[wigdean]

Yep, got an external fluval with the new tank.

Doesn't the Soll bactinettes remove the need to run 2 filters though? That's what I thought anyway. I was under the impression that the bactinettes cycles your tank straight away to allow immediate stocking of your tank, whilst keeping ammonia, nitrate and nitrite under control?

It's all confusing.

 

[JamieBailie]

I've never used that type of product and don't personally know anyone who has, But i've heard of people on here that have had success, so hopefully it will work for you if you use it. I would actually use both the filter and the bactinettes which could prove the most successful all round!

Just make sure you have a decent test kit and test daily for the usual things

 

[mark7616]

yep stock the tank straight away I stocked my 150g straight away using 6 pots of the stuff and I put in big messy SA cichlids.

 

[wigdean]

I've never used that type of product and don't personally know anyone who has, But i've heard of people on here that have had success, so hopefully it will work for you if you use it. I would actually use both the filter and the bactinettes which could prove the most successful all round!

Just make sure you have a decent test kit and test daily for the usual things

Yep, got my master test kit so will sure I keep on top of that and try and catch anything bad before it gets out of hand.

Now my biggest problem is finding a bigger bucket for water changes. Never had a tank this big before.

yep stock the tank straight away I stocked my 150g straight away using 6 pots of the stuff and I put in big messy SA cichlids.

Just about to start it now, removing plants and wood from my other tanks and then transfering the fish. I'll post back to keep this thread upto date so people can see how it's gone.

Thanks for the help guys.

 

[saintkel]

Hello, first post.

I am in a very similar position but a week down the line..

I had a 60 litre tank and swapped it for a 190 litre with external filter.
On advice I added the bactinettes (2 lots, the tubes they came in where good for 100 litres I think).

24 hours later I added the fish, think you have to do it fairly soon else the bacteria dies.

I also added the filter media into the new filter from the old filter(the white hoop style stones). Not sure but I think the bacteria may grow on this and help the whole thing along..

At the moment I am doing daily tests and have tested positive (although only trace) for ammonia and nitrite.

Did a partial water change (25 litres) and tested again the next day. Again slight trace..

Not sure if this is normal as only really tested for nitrate in the fully cycled smaller tank.

Apparently they do work (bactinettes) but little concerned I am getting any readings for ammonia and nitrate.

Will keep monitoring and got another 25 litres on stand by, thinking of getting more bactinettes this weekend if the levels do not disappear completely as I think they should in an ideal setup.

 

[mark7616]

24hrs is to long to leave the bacteria with out a source feeding it.

 

[saintkel]

Hope you're wrong, this was the advice I got from a reliable source who did exactly the same without issue.

Paranoia now dictates that I will add a further two loads but do you have any specifics as to why this bacteria will not last over 24 hours without a food source?

 

[mark7616]

because there is nothing to feed the bacteria so it will start to die off I think after about 12hrs.

 

[JamieBailie]

This is why I believe the products you can buy that 'instantly' cycle your tank don't work. Think about it:

The product is made then bottled, How long does it sit in the factory for?
It's then sold to a wholesaler, How long does it sit in the wholesalers for?
It's then sold to the shop you bought it from, How long has it been sitting there for?

From what I understand the good bacteria just keeps doubling as long as it has enough food, So wouldn't it eat the food source from the bottle it's stored in pretty quickly... Then die when there's nothing left to eat! Making it useless!

 

[wigdean]

Bactinettes is chilled and suspended in "pearls" though, which as I understand it, means the bacteria is still living but isn't active. Once it's removed from it's chilled state it starts to become active and needs to be "fed" to stay alive. That's what I understand from what little I know.

Anyway, my tank has been up and running for 2/3 days now. Everything at 0, except that nitrates which are currently around 5. All my fish seem perfectly happy and are feeding fine.

 

[Straydum]

the thing with bactinettes is that you have no idea whether you're putting in living bacteria or just dead ones. i think its safer to do the usual cycling.