Question?

[flemmyemmy]

I have kept Fish for a few years now, in a 20g. I set up my tank 2 months ago and have added 4 platys (all the levels in my tank are fine, i check them every week as well as do water changes etc)

My question is when can i add more fish? (when i had my tank set up before i was given bad advice by my LFS and the fish died )

Also my OH is buying me a huge 220Litre tank in a few weeks, so should i keep stocking my little tank while i wait for my new tank to be set up and cycled or should i not add any more fish and just wait for the new tank?

And what is the best way to transfer fish from tank to tank

Thanks
Em

 

[corrosive]

Don't overstock your 20gal tank, When you have your new tank setup, use existing filter media from your 20gal filter to help it cycle, and once it is cycled add a few of the hardy fish first... IE platys and see how they get on, then slowly add fish day by day or what ever, from the hardest fish to the more delicates. Then go out and get more fish that you want.

thats my opinion, i know its hard not to just chuck them all in and buy more tho.

 

[Dark_Lenne]

It takes around six months for a new tank to be fully cycled. If your levels are normal, it would be safe to add a few more fish, and keep checking your water.

People around these parts are dead against overstocking, as am I. But you have around 10 inches of fish there, and using the 1 inch per gallon rule, i would say it is safe to add another 4... But do it slowly...

As for the new tank, you situation nearly mirror mine perfectly. I went from a 75litre, to a 260 litre just 3 weeks ago... I saved as much of the old filter media as possible, and I put my old sand substrate at the bottom of the new tank... (I went from sand to sand) Doing this brings as much of the old bacteria as possible to the new tank, to hopefully make the new cycle shorter... It helps at the very least.... In that respect, I think it might help to slighty overstock your currnet tank for these few weeks, to force you current filter media to work harder. Just keep your changes frequent... And reuse the old water also... Plants, furniture everything can help... And it helps to take the shock from your fish.