Upgrading To New Tank - But Want To Keep My Old One

[daveyjay1]

Hi - I wonder if anyone can help.
 
I currently have a 10G tank which has been up and running since January (fishless cycle). I have now just purchased a 20G tank on ebay. It comes with a filter and heater but tank been empty for a while now so filter has dried out.
 
My 10G tank has a lot of live plants in it which are all doing well - I also have varoius fish and shrimp.
 
What I want to do is move all of the current fish to the new 20G tank - and then buy some Dwarf Puffers to go in the 10G tank.
 
How do I go about doing this without causing both tanks to start cycling again? Also - is it best to keep my plants in existing tank or move them as well?
 
I am collecting the new tank tomorrow morning.
 
Thanks in advance for any help!
 
Dave

 

[Sophie]

Well it would be a tad impossible.. The current filter media in the 10g has enough bacteria to deal with the current amount of fish, so you could put that into the new one and then transfer the fish but then you'd be left with nothing in the 10g.
Looks like it'll be just doing a fishless on the new tank, transferring fish over and then putting the Puffers into the 10g once the fishless in the 20g is done - bearing in mind to keep testing the water as the media in the 10g might not have enough bacteria to deal with the waste that the Puffers produce, then again could be more than enough depending on current stocking.
 
Tell me if I make no sense aha.

 

[daveyjay1]

Thanks for the reply. Yes, I think that makes sense. So - you are suggesting that I do a fishless cycle in the new 20G tank and when that has completed - move the fish to that and then can add the puffers to the 10G?

 

[Sophie]

Thanks for the reply. Yes, I think that makes sense. So - you are suggesting that I do a fishless cycle in the new 20G tank and when that has completed - move the fish to that and then can add the puffers to the 10G?

 
Yup exactly that That way you don't lose any bacteria from your already cycled tank as it will have fish in it right up until the very last moment when you transfer over.

 

[fluttermoth]

I don't think you need to do a fishless cycle.
 
Just move everything to the bigger tank and then, when you're read for your puffers, take a quarter of the media from your cycled filter (replacing it with some new) and put it back in the smaller tank. Depending on your current stocking that should be enough.

 

[Sophie]

I don't think you need to do a fishless cycle.
 
Just move everything to the bigger tank and then, when you're read for your puffers, take a quarter of the media from your cycled filter (replacing it with some new) and put it back in the smaller tank. Depending on your current stocking that should be enough.

 
Personally I'd rather be safe than sorry But Flutter has a lot more experience than I so her advice is probably best
I'm just a super worrier and would be concerned about taking out too much media or too little and would end up constantly testing the water for spikes, but that's because I've messed it up once before

 

[fluttermoth]

It's the way I do things when I'm setting up new tanks
 
Of course, you should feed sparingly, if at all, and test daily for the first week or so, in case of any spikes, but they rarely happen, IME, as long as you stock the new tank with the 'right' amount of fish.
 
So, if your main tank has 20 neons in it, and you take a quarter of the media, you can add five neon sized fish to the new tank.