Upgrading To A Larger Tank

[Miller2009]

Hi all

I bought a new aquarium (aqua one 850) 165litre what's the best way to get my good bacteria into my new tank from my old one its a 25litre running with a fluval u1 filter? I was just going to take out the filter and bang it in the new filter for a week until the bacteria builds up! Or doing this could I transfer my fish straight into my new tank?

Cheers Paul

 

[fluttermoth]

Take all the stuff out of your small filter, and put it in the new one. Fill in the spaces with new media.
 
Then you can move your fish over at the same time.
 
Try to think your filter media being paired with your fish, rather than the filter or the tank. So if you were moving only half the fish, then you'd move half the media.
 
Hope that makes sense; to the forum

 

[Miller2009]

Yeah just don't really want my fish dying on me but I read a few saying I could do that but thought I'd check my self just to make sure. I'm more than likely to run it over night to make sure the temp and the filter is running correctly.

Also is there any benefit in moving the water from my old tank or should I just start the new tank with fresh treated water?

 

[fluttermoth]

Yes, I'd set the new tank up (but without your cycled media) to check everything's working, get your layout sorted etc.
 
Then when you're happy, bag up the fish and acclimatise them (as you'll have so much new water, even if you use the old water as well) as well as move the filter media. There's no real benefit to using the old water.
 
Do make sure you feed very sparingly and test for ammonia and nitrite every day to start with

 

[Miller2009]

Thanks for the great advice looking forward to having it all set up running smoothly (I hope)

 

[fluttermoth]

You're welcome; put some pics up when it's done; we like pics