Upgrading to a new tank and closing down the old tank

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EmJay

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I'm upgrading to a 260L tank and closing down my 180L tank.
I've not done this before so I'm a bit stuck on the best way to do it.

Do I add the old tank water into the new tank or set it up with clean water?

Do I run both the new and old filters in the new tank for a while? Or just add old media into the new filter? Or can I squeeze out my old media into a bucket and let the new filter suck it up?
 
I'm upgrading to a 260L tank and closing down my 180L tank.
I've not done this before so I'm a bit stuck on the best way to do it.

Do I add the old tank water into the new tank or set it up with clean water?

Do I run both the new and old filters in the new tank for a while? Or just add old media into the new filter? Or can I squeeze out my old media into a bucket and let the new filter suck it up?
If you go for a new tank, I suggest everything new but that would no be cheap.
Good luck on the new tank! Please do a journal thread.
 
From what little experience I'm gaining so far, the best idea would be to rinse the old media (in aquarium water) and reuse it because it will carry over your beneficial bacteria.

If you need to set it up super quick I'd reuse the current water and simply "top off". But filling it from scratch with fresh treated (dechlorinated) water would be the recommended route. I guess it depends on how much time you have and also whether you're wanting to move existing fish right away.

Good luck, I'm hoping that in a few months I can add a bigger tank to my starter one (29g)
 
What I've always done is to use as much as possible from the old tank - substrate, decor, filter media. Persuade the old filter media to fit in the new filter.

I had the new tank waiting partially filled with new water at the right temp. I caught the fish and put them in a 60 litre dustbin (which I bought just for fish use) with water from the old tank. All the plants I had back then were attached to wood so it was easy to put those in the bin with the fish. The filter media was 'persuaded' to fit in the new filter. Then I emptied the rest of the tank, washed the sand gently in warm dechlorinated water and put it in the new tank together with more new ready washed sand. Then it was just a case of catching the fish again and putting them, most of the old water and the decor into the new tank and topping up with new water.
Obviously it will take longer if there are plants to move over so in this case I would run the filter and heater in the container during the replanting.
 
I have just gone from 5 aquariums to one big one.....first time for everything.

I used new substrate since the old was pretty stale and, well, not exactly pleasant despite weekly hoovers. I transferred the filter as/is...completely sealed up straight from one of the 5 aquariums over to the new one. Transferred heaters over and all the hardscape. None of the transferred stuff was rinsed.

As for the water, 100 litres transferred from the old aquariums added to 100 litres of clean fresh water, as per a normal weekly water change.

Moved fish across as each old aquarium was dealt with over 5 days. No fish losses or any issues with water chemistry as yet.
 
  1. Set the new aquarium up wherever it is going.
  2. Add gravel, ornaments, etc from old tank (if you are keeping the gravel and ornaments). If you are using gravel from the old tank, do a gravel clean on it the day before so it is cleaner.
  3. Half fill the new tank with water from the old tank.
  4. Transfer plants, fish and old filter across to new tank.
  5. Top the new tank up with dechlorinated water.
  6. Turn filter and heater on.
  7. Don't feed until the following day.
  8. Monitor ammonia and nitrite levels for a couple of weeks to make sure everything is good.
 
What I've always done is to use as much as possible from the old tank - substrate, decor, filter media. Persuade the old filter media to fit in the new filter.

I had the new tank waiting partially filled with new water at the right temp. I caught the fish and put them in a 60 litre dustbin (which I bought just for fish use) with water from the old tank. All the plants I had back then were attached to wood so it was easy to put those in the bin with the fish. The filter media was 'persuaded' to fit in the new filter. Then I emptied the rest of the tank, washed the sand gently in warm dechlorinated water and put it in the new tank together with more new ready washed sand. Then it was just a case of catching the fish again and putting them, most of the old water and the decor into the new tank and topping up with new water.
Obviously it will take longer if there are plants to move over so in this case I would run the filter and heater in the container during the replanting.
Thank you
 
I have just gone from 5 aquariums to one big one.....first time for everything.

I used new substrate since the old was pretty stale and, well, not exactly pleasant despite weekly hoovers. I transferred the filter as/is...completely sealed up straight from one of the 5 aquariums over to the new one. Transferred heaters over and all the hardscape. None of the transferred stuff was rinsed.

As for the water, 100 litres transferred from the old aquariums added to 100 litres of clean fresh water, as per a normal weekly water change.

Moved fish across as each old aquarium was dealt with over 5 days. No fish losses or any issues with water chemistry as yet.
Thank you
 
  1. Set the new aquarium up wherever it is going.
  2. Add gravel, ornaments, etc from old tank (if you are keeping the gravel and ornaments). If you are using gravel from the old tank, do a gravel clean on it the day before so it is cleaner.
  3. Half fill the new tank with water from the old tank.
  4. Transfer plants, fish and old filter across to new tank.
  5. Top the new tank up with dechlorinated water.
  6. Turn filter and heater on.
  7. Don't feed until the following day.
  8. Monitor ammonia and nitrite levels for a couple of weeks to make sure everything is good.
Thank you
 
Agree with all of the above, but it is not necessary to use the water from the old tank to the new one; water does not colonize beneficial bacteria like surfaces do.
 
Agree with all of the above, but it is not necessary to use the water from the old tank to the new one; water does not colonize beneficial bacteria like surfaces do.
I agree on the bacterial side with transferring the old water, my reasoning for doing it was so that the water would be reasonably warm and the heaters would not have to work so hard to get to temperature, especially since three of my old aquariums had their fish transferred immediately. I didn't want them going into frigid water, so used 50/50 old and new to try and avoid that happening.
 
I agree on the bacterial side with transferring the old water, my reasoning for doing it was so that the water would be reasonably warm and the heaters would not have to work so hard to get to temperature, especially since three of my old aquariums had their fish transferred immediately. I didn't want them going into frigid water, so used 50/50 old and new to try and avoid that happening.
Makes perfect sense...
 
Thanks guys. I'll transfer my existing tank water and top it up with dechlorinated water so I can transfer my fish and I'll put old filter media into the new filter plus I'll be transfering the live plants, wood and rocks too.
 

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