MagpieTear

I've been a die hard supporter of the UGF since that's all I've really known since I set my tank up back in 91. But now the technology has advanced considerably since then and the riser tubes are becoming a pain for doing what I want since I'm starting to have a bit of success with live plants. So in the spring when I have to move the tank for a remodel of the office, I'm thinking of ditching the undergravels, riser tubes and powerheads and installing a canister filter on my 55.

Question is, what sort of precautions do I need to take to prevent or minimize upsetting any biological processes currently going on in there? This tank has been running for close to 2 decades, with very good readings. (7.0-7.2 Ph, 0 NH3, 0 NO2, 20 NO3) I do weekly or biweekly 15 gallon changes after running the powerheads in reverse for a half hour each before doing a gravel vacuuming. So I know the gunk usually associated with what's under the plates is minimal, but removing that flow will kill of a bit of the existing good bacteria, won't it? If so, will it be safe to put my fish back into the tank within a few hours of the move and refill? Putting my borderline overstocked population into my 20 gallon hospital tank doesn't sound appealing for more than a few hours.

Dino

If I am remembering correctly, 55's have a two plate set up.

What I would do is remove the plates one at a time, about a month apart.
This will give the tank time to recover, without totally stripping the tank of bacteria.

So, set up new filter, let it run a few weeks.
Remove fish, remove plate one, return fish when tank seems ready.
Wait a month, remove fish, remove other plate, return fish when the tank seems ready.

MagpieTear

Yes, It is a two plate system. So If January I remove plate one, let it go for a while, February do the other, by March when it's time to actually move the tank to the other side of the house, all should be good. Other than my fish being sick of seeing nets that is...

Dino

Sounds good to me.