Thinking Of Upgrading From 65 G To 90g What Do I Need To Do ?

[Jeff Lange]

I am looking into upgrading my aquarium from a 65 gallon to a 90 gallon or so.
My current aquarium is in a home office, so the move would be within 10 feet or so.

I have 2 Rena XP3 filters running my 65 gallon, was thinking I could just fill my old 29 gallon with water from the 65 gallon and just move a Rena XP3 to the 29 gallon to hold the fish while tearing down the 65 and setting up the 90 ?
Hopefully would only take an afternoon.
Also have a Teco T10 Chiller hooked up to 1 of the filter's , ( Yea my fish are spoiled ) plan on using that one with the chiller on the 29 g holding tank.

My fish load is
6 Coradora's
1 7" BGK
1 3" Royal Pleco
2 Clown Loaches
2 Lg angelfish ( mated pair )
2 small 1" Otocinclus catfish
1 3" Flying Fox

I have some Questions, any help would be greatly appriciated.

1. Would I have to acclimate my fish from the 65 gallon to the 29 and vice versa back to the 90 since the holding tank will be so close ? or could I just fill the 29 gallon with the 65 gallons water, hook the filter up and just catch and put them directly in the 29 gallon ? then do the same back to the 90g ?
2. Should I put new gravel in the new tank or use the old gravel ? I want to limit my loss of my biological load if possible.

 

[fatheadminnow]

If your water is the same from your 65, and at the same temp, than I would see no need to acclimate the fish from the 65 to 29. But I would form the 29 to 65.

You can switch substrate if you want, as 99% of the beneficial bacteria live in your filter, and only around 1% live on substrate and decor.

-FHM

 

[Jeff Lange]

If your water is the same from your 65, and at the same temp, than I would see no need to acclimate the fish from the 65 to 29. But I would form the 29 to 65.

You can switch substrate if you want, as 99% of the beneficial bacteria live in your filter, and only around 1% live on substrate and decor.

-FHM

Oh, forgot, my 65 gallon tank has been up and running for over 1 year so I should have a good biological load.
I'm sure the Rena XP3s have a decent biological load as I do clean them every month.
Was concerned as I wanted a little smaller gravel as well as much less maybe 1/2 inch on bottom possibly in the new 90 tank and did not know how much of a biological impact it would be to just put new gravel in the new tank vs/ using the old gravel.
Was also concerned about putting fish from the 29g holding tank back into the 90g new tank as the 90% of the water would be new water vs the 29 gallon where I could put a full 29 g of water from the 65 directly into that while setting up the 90g. Temp etc should be no problem as I do have extra heaters for both tanks including a heater and UV in the chiller.