Ready To Move Fish To New Tank - Help?

[Deleted member 107737]

Hi All,
 
Please can you read my plan of action for my 20 litre to 54 litre tank swap.
 
New tank, water added, filter added, heater added, dechlorinator added.
 
Electrics connected and have been running for 24hrs.
 
Heater set to 25C same as current tank.
 
So
 
1) fill 10 litre bucket with old tank water + put filter and heater into bucket.
2) transfer 8 fry platies to bucket and cover bucket to make it dark as not to shock fish.
 
3) transfer substrate, plants, rocks to new tank.
4) take filter from bucket and site it next to new filter ( 2 running at the same time(1 seeded, 1 not seeded))
5) run the filter and leave for 10 minutes.
6) check water conditions with api tester kit.
 
7) bag fish from bucket and leave sealed bag floating top of tank for 30 minutes
8) when i feel ready make a cut in the bag a let the fish enjoy their new home
9) test water after one hour and then daily for a week to make sure no ammonia spikes etc
 
What do you think??
 
Thanks,
 
Dave

 

[minnnt]

TBH, seems like a lot of fannying around mate. Just transfer the fish across with the filter.
 
Home bred Platies are tough as old boots and alot of the above will just cause stress for them.

 

[Mikey1]

- put fish into bucket (use water from tank)
- put water from old tank into new tank
- put ornaments in
- fill tank rest of the way
- treat with declorinator
- plug in filter and heater
- add fish
- done
 
its important that your using the same filter from the old tank (or at least the filter media)
 
i wouldnt worry about a heater or filter in the bucket, just use an air stone if you can

 

[westmidsgal]

i had no problems when i moved everything out a 140ltr to a 200ltr  used old filter as well for 2 weeks and
all fish are still fine  

 

[sadguppy]

i had no problems when i moved everything out a 140ltr to a 200ltr  used old filter as well for 2 weeks and
all fish are still fine  

I would suggest that it is better to either a) put all gunky media from old filter into new filter any way it will fit or b) run them together for at least 6 weeks. Two weeks is not long enough for the necessary bacteria to grow in the new filter meaning problems if you remove the older one.

 

[Deleted member 107737]

Hi All,
 
FINISHED!!!!!!!!!!!!

 
Just moved the all into the new tank. The old and new filter are in there, temp is stable, lights off,
 
My only question, should i feed them tonight??
 
I read somewhere not to feed them after a tank change but they have only eaten once this morning???
 
Thanks,
 
Dave


by the way thank you everyone for your help. its taken up so much of my time but have to say its been worth it. Fingers crossed my babies survive and live a happy and long life.

 

[sadguppy]

Hi All,
 
FINISHED!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
Just moved the all into the new tank. The old and new filter are in there, temp is stable, lights off,
 
My only question, should i feed them tonight??
 
I read somewhere not to feed them after a tank change but they have only eaten once this morning???
 
Thanks,
 
Dave
by the way thank you everyone for your help. its taken up so much of my time but have to say its been worth it. Fingers crossed my babies survive and live a happy and long life.

A day, or two or three, without food will not hurt them and may fishkeepers purposefully miss a day a week anyway to avoid overfeeding. Can't hurt and will minimise any effects of bacteria die-off which may have happened during the move.

 

[Mikey1]

agree.....wait at least another day before feeding, i would wait 2 days