Plan For Changing Tanks

[Seal36]

This is my plan of how I'm going to change from my 40 litres to a 70 litre.
If there is anything I have missed or need to take into consideration please let me know.

1. Clean new sand and put in new tank
2. Put some old water and fish into a small fish bowl
3. Put water from the old tank into buckets
4. Take old tank off of its surface
5. Put new tank of the surface
6. Put all old water into the new tank
7. Put new heater and new filter with old media into the tank
8. Put in old and new plants and decorations Into the new tank
9. Fill with new treated water
10. Turn on heater and filter and make sure they are both working
11. Add fish and old water from fish bowl into the new tank

Thanks for the help in advance from Tom

 

[hobby5]

Usually it is recommended to first add some water to the tank (enough to have all sand submerged) and then add the sand. Rumours have it, this prevents inclusion of air within the sand.

 

[Seal36]

So you would suggest adding some water to the tank first and then putting the sand in from Tom

 

[BelldandyShanny]

when I swapped tanks I drained my old tank into my new tank and used everything I had for the new one, that way the cycle doesn't take as much time. I just had to take out enough water from my old one to be able to move it elsewhere first, the rest though went straight into the new tank.  Looking at it all done makes people wonder how I did it all by myself.  I just say it's magic.

 

[Blondielovesfish]

That looks about right, might pay to put a lid or a towel over the fish bowl while you're doing the move to lower their stress levels.
 
In response to Hobby's reply about putting water in before sand, you can do that or how you planned. If you add the sand then the water, give the sand a bit of a stir up to make sure no gas pockets exist. 
IMO adding the sand in after the water makes it cloudy, though this isn't always the case.

 

[Seal36]

Thanks for the replies and that is why I wanted to add the sand first so the water did not go cloudy and so that I would be easier to move both the tanks and the surface they sit on is not big enough for both. I will give it a stir when I'm putting the new and old decorations in so I think I will stick with my original plan. I was also going to put a towel over the bowl but thanks for reminding me about it from Tom

 

[fluttermoth]

There's only one thing in your plan I'd suggest you change, and that's add the fish once you have all the old water (and the plants, rocks etc, of course!) and then top up with the new water. That way it's just like a large water change and will be less of a shock to the fish.

 

[daizeUK]

Usually it is recommended to first add some water to the tank (enough to have all sand submerged) and then add the sand. Rumours have it, this prevents inclusion of air within the sand.

Air isn't dangerous in sand as far as I know. Are you sure you're not thinking of anaerobic pockets of hydrogen sulphide gas? These can form in deep compacted sand that is left undisturbed for a long period of time, but I've never heard of good ol' air causing a problem.

 

[Seal36]

Ok thank you flutter moth. The only thing I was thinking was if the fish are in there and I am pouring the new water in and it disturbs the sand that would shock the fish more as there would be sand floating in there water from Tom

 

[fluttermoth]

If you wash the sand thoroughly, it won't bother the fish, even if the water is a bit hazy.
 
Don't forget that you'll have to be pouring water into the tank at some point, when you do your water changes!
 
You can; pour the water over the back of your hand, into a jug and let it overflow into the tank, or you can arrange you decor so you have a piece of wood or rock in a convenient spot to pour the water onto. All those things will interrupt the flow of new water enough to not kick up your sand.

 

[Seal36]

Ok thank you I will do that from Tom