Jason

I'm buying my new tank on Saturday. Only 38gal/144L but I'm still complaining. Nah it'll do i suppose. 36"x14"x18" on a pine wood stand. I'll have to stain and vanish the stand first mind you so it'll be a few days before I can properly set it up. I'm going for a really fine gravel and will transfer most of the water from the other tank and the filter, so I can cycle that quick and also change the gravel in the old tank to the same fine stuff for the corys etc.

If I did this would that mean the new tank will be instanly cycled with the transfer of the old filter and most of the water? because I was thinking of movin the fish before I change the gravel in the old tank. Just momentarily....

Any thoughts/suggestions

Isabella

I think what matters most are the surfaces on which there are bacteria, and the filter. The best such surface is of course your old gravel - imagine how much bacteria are in that gravel alone. There are also bacteria on the walls of your old tank, but obviously you cannot transfer that, lol. I think what you could do is use the established filter plus the old gravel to cycle the new tank fast. Even if it will be cycled very fast, there probably will still be a mini-cycle because you'll still have a decreased number of beneficial bacteria in that new tank, as compared to the number of bacteria you'd have in your old tank. If you want a completely new gravel, then you could put the new gravel in, and in addition put the old gravel (or at least some of it) on top or in some container if you don't want to mix it with the new gravel. This should help spread the beneficial bacteria on your new gravel. Also, if you have any decor in the old tank - you could use that too.

Jason

Thanx Isabella

I will first let it sit for a while with some old water and will transfer some decor, filter media and gravel in container(ingenious) etc. When its cycled i'll transfer all the fish so I can then change the gravel in the old tank. Then after everything settled again in the old tank I transfer the swordtails, cory and babies back.

Can't wait but its gonna cost me.

dano569

that's a good tank size j-man.i'm gonna try to get a 29 soon and transferthe fish from my 20 into and also take a couple of dwarf gouramis out of my 55 and put them in there.i think the cycle should not take that long in my opinion,maybe a couple of days.

Jason

Cool thanks dano you Lucky....person

Jason

I searched those lace cats and they're pretty similar to my Synondontis Eupterus.
I really need to move him into the new tank as he's outgrown the tank he's in.

dano569

i do feel fortunate to have the tanks i have.thanks j-man 8) 8)

Butterfly

J-Man theres not alot of bacteria in the water alone so you would probably be better off using fresh water. As the others have pointed outYour decor, filter and gravel have the majority of the good stuff on it. If you don't want to use the old gravel you can put some in a hose foot(as in panty hose) tie it up and suspend in the new tank. Now if you don't put fish in right away all your bacteria will die.
If your transfering the filter, decor and some gravel that should be enough to move your fish over also.
Carol

0morrokh

J-Man, I might be wrong, but I thought I read in another post that you will be going to college in a few years. So, what will you do with your new fish when you go? I'm going to start having that problem...the only time I would wish fish lived less than the usual 5 yrs!

Jason

Well I got the tank on Saturday and the stand and the gravel. Then I got the heater but am waiting to get a filter.Gonna get a canister. I am also in the process of staining and etc. the stand. I'll move quite a few bits of decor, water and gravel in either cup/panty hose and hopefully one or two of the hardier fish.

Omorrokh when I go to University I dont have to leave home I just take a bus/car to the city which is like 15mins away. Adelaide isn't a huge city there's only like 1.5million people in it and its centralised. i wont leave home until I rent/buy a house/apartment which could be anytime from when I'm 19-24 hopefully sooner than later

newbie101

oooooooooh you guys are all making me sick (with envy lol)
all these posts...

new tank...
another 55 gallon...
my 50-odd tanks... well not really
fish house...

grrrr pass the kleenexes im drooling again