Moving Fish To A New Tank. Best Method?

[Ross101]

Hi,

I'm picking up a rio 400 tomorrow and transfering my fish from an established vision 180.

My question is whats the best method in terms of transfering. I'll be moving my filter media across along with the gravel. Is there anything stopping me moving the gravel/media across, syphoning the water from the vision, putting the fish in and then topping up the rio?

The fish moving will be a severum, plec, 2 rainbows cichlids and a Nicaragua cichlid.

Cheers

 

[elisew]

When I transferred my fish into a new tank I filled the new tank with everything from the previous tank while the fish were temporarily in a bucket, (mine are all small fish though).
I topped the levels of matured tank water up with fresh dechlorinated water and let the water get to the right temp before I put the fish slowly into the new tank and they were all fine.

Hope this helps

 

[Ross101]

When I transferred my fish into a new tank I filled the new tank with everything from the previous tank while the fish were temporarily in a bucket, (mine are all small fish though).
I topped the levels of matured tank water up with fresh dechlorinated water and let the water get to the right temp before I put the fish slowly into the new tank and they were all fine.

Hope this helps

Thanks. I'm also abit worried my media bacteria might die off if the tank is all fresh and theres not much bad stuff going through the filter. But i'll go with what you did.

 

[elisew]

The bacteria you need is already built up on your filter media anyway and it`s just a case of the fish being in the same kind of environment, just bigger and better, a bit like you moving from a maisonette into a mansion and taking your furniture with you
How long has the 'old' tank been running for? I presume a while?

Obviously you don`t want to be transferring the grotty stuff that`s been laying at the bottom of the tank so to just get rid of that would be fine but if I`m wrong then I`m sure someone will come along and advise you better

 

[Ross101]

The bacteria you need is already built up on your filter media anyway which is what you need and it`s just a case of the fish being in the same kind of environment, just bigger and better, a bit like you moving from a maisonette into a mansion and taking your furniture with you
How long has the 'old' tank been running for? I presume a while?

Obviously you don`t want to be transferring the grotty stuff that`s been laying at the bottom of the tank so to just get rid of that would be fine but if I`m wrong then I`m sure someone will come along and advise you better

Old tanks been running just over 2 months. But it is cycled fully. I thought the gravel maybe held some good bacteria, im not sure.

 

[elisew]

The gravel may hold some small amount of bacteria but it wouldn`t be enough to rely on. It`s always recommended by members here to transfer media/filter across when changing tanks etc as the bacteria you need to continue with a more steady cycle is already in the media. Don`t wash any of the filter media out, just transfer everything across and then top up with fresh water before adding the fish and I`m sure it`ll all go ok. Just make sure you have a test kit to hand so you can keep an eye on the levels for the first couple of weeks