Transfer(upgrade) Tank

Hiya! I have a 29 gallon fish tank with one black and red Oscar (about 2-3inches maybe) and 2 jewel cichlids (about 2 inches). I have a new fluval 406 canister filter running for the past couple weeks along with my HOB filter that has been on it for months. I have a air pump and a heater in it also keeping it around 80. My question is is I have a 55 gallon aquarium that I have recently got, all I have in it so far is gravel. And I built a stand. How do you recommend I safely go about transferring them to the 55 gallon? Steps I should take? Etc. I am going to Petco this week to pick up a larger heater and a larger light, along with some decorations. If you have any suggestions PLEASE HELP. Still learning the ropes! Thankyou in advance!

 

Any time I've transferred I've just put it in the treated water and heater, let it get to corelrect temp, then transferred all the fish at once and also transfer the filter so you keep the same bacteria .. should avoid a cycle. To be safe test the water every few days and you can dose with prime in case there is an ammonia or nitrite or nitrate spike and grab a bottle of tank buster or fluval cycle to add more bacteria to help the colony recover

Sorry I meant test the water every day for a few days

 

Okay cool, any advice on where I should set the inlet and outlet and heater in the tank? I don’t have lids but I plan on getting corigated plastic for the top and a 48” light. I want the natural look some how but I’m not sure how. That’s why I’m asking for pointers or advice

 

I usually set that stuff in the back corners then you can buy tall plants to mask it .. like we have hidden our heater using a huge amazon sword plant .. you can also get plexI glass cheap and it will look way better or even call a glass place and tell them the dimension you need .. even a piece of wood painted black would look better than corrugated plastic you would just want to make sure it's non toxic paint and fully dry and may have to replace more often.. oh or you can try places like value village for glass too

with one of our tanks we left it lidless and bought a grow light from a plant store and hung it from the ceiling so it just floats above the lidless tank - gotta be careful if you do that tho that you aren't buying fish prone to jumping

Actually I guess it isn't hung from the ceiling we used plantbholders that screw into the wall on either wise side above the tank and hung the grow light from there the plants love it and it works well for the fish saved a lot of money doing it that way but again fish MAY jump so be careful if you choose that route

 

Well here it is. Got a 200w heater put into the tank keeping it about 80. And the fluval 406 running with a fluval ECO 36-48. I bought some corigated sheeting to use for lids. Along with 18”bubble wand running. My new question is, is will the cloudy water go away? Just seems kinda cloudy for some reason. I did use all the water from that 29 gallon so I added roughly 25 gallons new. And how long should I be running my light in the tank a day? I’ve never used lights on a tank. I’ve seen people use it and the algae grew horribly. Please reply when possible here’s a pic of my Oscar too

 

Well here it is. Got a 200w heater put into the tank keeping it about 80. And the fluval 406 running with a fluval ECO 36-48. I bought some corigated sheeting to use for lids. Along with 18”bubble wand running. My new question is, is will the cloudy water go away? Just seems kinda cloudy for some reason. I did use all the water from that 29 gallon so I added roughly 25 gallons new. And how long should I be running my light in the tank a day? I’ve never used lights on a tank. I’ve seen people use it and the algae grew horribly. Please reply when possible here’s a pic of my Oscar too [/QUOTE

I'm happy you have a light now - fish need light just like people do. I usually have the light in for 8-12 hours per day .. I get up and turn it on before I go to work and turn it off when it starts to get dark out.. you can also buy a ticket they are like $4 from the dollar store and that keeps it easy. Algae it actually a sign of a healthy tank, it's not a bad thing per se . You can always buy a pleco or Chinese algae eater to keep it under control. As for the cloudiness it will settle in a day or two it's also just a normal part of setting up a new tank. Did you get some tank buster or fluval cycle to put on your filter media to help bolster the beneficial bacteria?

 

Well here it is. Got a 200w heater put into the tank keeping it about 80. And the fluval 406 running with a fluval ECO 36-48. I bought some corigated sheeting to use for lids. Along with 18”bubble wand running. My new question is, is will the cloudy water go away? Just seems kinda cloudy for some reason. I did use all the water from that 29 gallon so I added roughly 25 gallons new. And how long should I be running my light in the tank a day? I’ve never used lights on a tank. I’ve seen people use it and the algae grew horribly. Please reply when possible here’s a pic of my Oscar too

I'm surprised the light get through the plastic so well isn't corrugated plastic usually opaque?

 

It

I'm surprised the light get through the plastic so well isn't corrugated plastic usually opaque?

It’s actually completely clear