Oh No, Another Cloning Question

[madmom]

Maybe I'm having a major senior moment but I've read the cloning posts over and over and I just don't understand. I have a working 10 gal tank and would like to transfer over to a 20 gal. Should I run the larger filter in the 10 for a while; move everything to the 20 including filter and gravel from the 10 or what? I have no idea how to go about this. Help.

 

[andywg]

It all depends on your plans. If you plan to move all the fish over then you can move the filter and the fish straight to the 20 gallon (I wouldn't worry massively about the substrate as most bacteria will be in the filter).

If you want to keep the 10 and start afresh in the 20 then you can eithe rrun it on the 10 to get the bacteria seeded, or swap some media between the old filter and the new one.

 

[madmom]

I was hoping to move everything fish, plants the whole enchalada. I thought maybe I could move the 10 gal water too so it would equal a 50% water change when I finished filling it up. and maybe run the bigger filter in tandem for a while so bacteria will build up in it.

 

[Tolak]

The tank is just a glass box that holds water. The fish you have produce only a certain amount of waste, your cycled filter has the nitrifying bacteria capable of handling this amount of waste. You could put the fish & filter from the 10 gallon into the 20 gallon without any problem. Using the water from the 10 gallon to halfway fill the 20 won't be any problem.

If you leave both filters running on the new 20 gallon, after a few weeks it will leave you with an extra smaller filter that is cycled in the event that you need to use the 10 gallon for a quar or hospital tank.

I've upgraded several 20's to 29's doing this, with 100% fresh water. No losses at all. I also start up & shut down tanks on a regular basis, switching filters & splitting media.

 

[madmom]

Thanks. I hoped so. I plan on using the 10 as a hospital or nursery somtime.