Upgrading From 10 Gallons To 55 Gallons

[lexieboo]

I currently have a 10 gallon tank which has 6 fish in it and has been running for 2-3 years and I’m finally planning on upgrading to a 55 gallon tank both tanks using hob filters. I’m trying to know what I should do to cycle the new tank as fast as possible because I don’t have room for multiple tanks to be running. Because I’ve been planning on upgrading to another tank I went out and bought bio max by fluval for some media and that is going to stay and collect bacteria for 2 months and I’ve been trying to read other forums about cycling quickly and I read that bb lives on plants and decorations and in the filter. I was wondering if I transfer the filter and decorations that have some algae and transfer my plant along with the bio max and the marbles I’m using as substrate in my 10 gallon then the new tank will instantly cycle so I can add my fish slowly? Or should I add all of those things and add my fish at the same time? Ive never upgraded a tank at all so I’m not sure on how I should do this but I have some time to plan and get the things I need so I change tanks properly. Thanks.

 

[david1978]

You can safely move over your fish right away as long as you move the old filter over as well to basically instant cycle the tank. While some bacteria do live on decorations and substrate if you don't want to move them over you don't really have to since they only have a little bacteria on them. With that much difference in size and water you may need to acclimate the fish to the new tank.

 

[Ulu]

I would suggest that you move everything from that tank into the new tank to make the cycle go as fast as possible. I have a 55 gallon with a 10-gallon as a sump underneath, and that is what I would suggest you do instead of that HOB.

Keep the HOB on either the 10 or the 55, until your sump is cycled in. Once it is, you will have 10 times the biological capacity of any HOB.

A sump filter does not have to be elaborate to be very effective. You do need to have an overflow from your tank, plus a hose and pump to return the water from the sump.