New Tank Switch

So I got a 30 gallon tank I want to move everything to a 55 gallon tank I got, I will move everything into the 55 gallon tank such as all the fish, filter, heater and the graval, how can I do the change? Can I add all the water from the old tank and put the fish in right away, and add filter and the heater the same time like that?

 

I'd say yes.

 

So I got a 30 gallon tank I want to move everything to a 55 gallon tank I got, I will move everything into the 55 gallon tank such as all the fish, filter, heater and the graval, how can I do the change? Can I add all the water from the old tank and put the fish in right away, and add filter and the heater the same time like that?

I wouldn’t use the old tank water. I would move substrate and decor over first, fill the tank with dechlorinated water, and add the filter and heater. Don’t change your filter media as it will help in aiding the cycle. You want to add the fish in as soon as you have the filter up and running because the beneficial bacteria will starve and die if there’s nothing in the tank to produce ammonia. I would reacclimate them to the new tank though because the water parameters may be different and could cause the fish to go into shock if you were to just throw them in. Also make sure the tank temp matches that of the previous tank.

Note: don’t wash your gravel either. I would just rinse it out in dechlorinated water (NOT TAP) as substrate contains a small amount of B.B. that may also help in aiding in the new cycle. Not a lot of bacteria colonizes on substrate, but it can always be useful.

 

As has already been said just move EVERYTHING over to the bigger tank. Bacteria grows on every surface in the tank although the majority of it lives on the filter media. I also recommend transferring as much of the water from the 30 gallon as you can and finish filling the new tank with fresh dechlorinated water. The water has little to no bacteria in it but it is the water both your fish and your bacteria are used to. By doing it this way it will basically be like doing a larger than normal water change and both your fish and the bacteria should be immediately acclimated.

I would put the fish in a container filled with water from the 30 gallon tank large enough to keep them comfortable while you are transferring everything over.

 

You can put the fish in a five gallon bucket with the filter. The gravel you will need to add some some more into the tank. So pre rinse the new gravel and have it in another clean bucket that.s for aquarium use. Once the 55 is on it's stand and the 30 is drained transfer the old gravel and add the new, fill with conditioned water and add the heater. if you have more then one filter use one of them to clear up the water since it will get a little cloudy. once it's cleared up some add your fish and the filter from the bucket.

 

I actually just did this on Monday night.... I setup my upgraded aquarium, a 75G. I transferred the fish and most of the decorations from the 20G. I'm obviously using a new filter on the 75G, but right now I'm running my new canister filter in conjunction with the filter that was on the 20G. It's been 3 days and my water parameters are good. I plan to start adding new fish in the next couple days.

What I did was:
1. Set the new tank up
2. Siphon a few gallons of water into a 5G bucket, to the level the filter can reach the water and run.
3. Put the filter on the bucket and run it. It's essentially a poor person's aquarium at this point. The filter may fit weird since the bucket is a circle, so maybe lodge it up against a wall or something to help hold it up.
4. Move fish to the bucket.
5. Drip acclimate the new tank's water to the bucket. After it is almost full, scoop a bunch of the bucket water into the tank. Then start the drip acclimation again. You want to make sure the bucket water is essentially the same ph, hardness, temp, etc. as the new tank's water.
6. After the filter and fish are acclimated, put the new filter on the tank and dump the fish in!

They'll be stressed for 10 minutes then love their new home.

 

Easiest way, if possible, is to fill a 5 gallon bucket (or 3) with tank water and put the fish in them. Take out all your plants, decorations, etc., until you just have substrate. Remove all the substrate and put it into the new tank. Add the remaining water from your old tank, move the filter and heater, add your decorations back in, add the fish back in and then fill with new water. Its like doing a water change, that's all.

 

Easiest way, if possible, is to fill a 5 gallon bucket (or 3) with tank water and put the fish in them. Take out all your plants, decorations, etc., until you just have substrate. Remove all the substrate and put it into the new tank. Add the remaining water from your old tank, move the filter and heater, add your decorations back in, add the fish back in and then fill with new water. Its like doing a water change, that's all.

This is essentially what I did when I moved from my 10 gallon to my 29g. I put the fish in a bucket with water from their tank, set up the new tank, moved the rest of the 10 gallon water into the 29g, and used the 10 gallon filter in conjunction with the 29 gallon tank's filter (and then upgraded the filter to a 50 gallon tank filter later...haha). Worked for me!

 

I have a 55 gallon tank right now. I want to upgrade to a 125 or 150. I want to put that tank in the same place I have my 55 gallon tank. How do I go about doing this while still keeping my fish alive? Obviously I can't just move the tank and put the other one there and swap everything over! Make kind of seem like a silly question LOL.
Thanks

 

Buckets, storage bins, barrels, coolers. What ever you can round up to put your fish in and some tank water while you switch tank.

 

Buckets, storage bins, barrels, coolers. What ever you can round up to put your fish on and some tank water while you switch tank.

Yup. That’s exactly what I did when I switched tanks. Take everything in your house that can hold water, and fill them with water from your tank, along with your fish. Now move the old tank out of the way, and put the new one in its place. Transfer any substrate, decorations, etc to the new tank. You can now put all of the water and fish back.

Oh. Make sure your filter media stays wet during the move.

 

Yup. That’s exactly what I did when I switched tanks. Take everything in your house that can hold water, and fill them with water from your tank, along with your fish. Now move the old tank out of the way, and put the new one in its place. Transfer any substrate, decorations, etc to the new tank. You can now put all of the water and fish back.

Oh. Make sure your filter media stays wet during the move.

Question on this point: Doing this, am I correct in believing the tank will still go through a minI cycle? What repercussions will it have on Aric's fish, more so if any of the fish are of a sensitive nature... I only know the basics of cycling and that's why I ask if anyone else knows better

 

If you move everything over since the beneficial bacteria is in the substrate and filter its just like a water change since you aren't losing you bacteria colony your only adding more water .

 

If you move everything over since the beneficial bacteria is in the substrate and filter its just like a water change since you aren't losing you bacteria colony your only adding more water .

OK, so the BB you loose on the glass surface (and possibly anything that isn't used in the new tank, maybe he wants new substrate, decor, etc) will be minimal and barely impact anything so long as the amount of fish stay the same?

 

I have a 55 gallon tank right now. I want to upgrade to a 125 or 150. I want to put that tank in the same place I have my 55 gallon tank. How do I go about doing this while still keeping my fish alive? Obviously I can't just move the tank and put the other one there and swap everything over! Make kind of seem like a silly question LOL.
Thanks

I did this a few days ago. Had a 45g and upgraded to a 75. The 75 was going in the same spot as the 45. I drained about 75-80% of water out of the 45, moved it to another spot in the room, dragged it. Put the 75 in the spot. Then transferred everything over a couple of days.

 

The ammount on the glass is minimal. We lose that amount all the time when we clean the glass. Well at least I do when I clean the glass.
Things certainly can go wrong so its wise to test regularly when you switch tanks but its rarely an issue. Now if you change out the substrate or really scrub it you will lose some but they multiply quickly.

 

OK, so the BB you loose on the glass surface (and possibly anything that isn't used in the new tank, maybe he wants new substrate, decor, etc) will be minimal and barely impact anything so long as the amount of fish stay the same?

BB that is lost on the glass and decorations shouldn’t have much of an effect on the cycle. Changing the substrate might though. Just make sure to test the water for a bit afterwards just in case something does happen.

David beat me to it.

 

David beat me to it.

Davids on the ball!

Thanks for that info though, I will hold onto it for future changes and if it was something that Aric Hilyard thought of then I hope it helped him too!

 

Awesome this really helps I wondered if if would end up being like water changes if I added water I have in my 55gal tank so I could add my fish right away and not have to run it through a cycle! Appreciate all the help.

 

The water itself has very little bacteria in it but its the water they are used to. The filter and substrate will be what has most of it.

 

Anyone know if I can use pee gravel from home depot in tank as long as it's washed thoroughly?

 

I have pea gravel in my tank. Its direct from a quarry but the home depo stuff is the same.

 

I have pea gravel in my tank. Its direct from a quarry but the home depo stuff is the same.

Thanks I appreciate it. I thought I could but wanted to check around!!!