Upgrading from 5 gal to 7 gal

Not entirely sure if this is the right place to post, so my apologies if it isn’t ^^’

I’m going to be upgrading my old 5 gal betta tank to a 7 gal cube, and I’m not entirely sure how to do it. I’ve got a new filter to set up, and I know I can seed it with media from the old filter. But the thing that’s really tripping me up is the soil. I have aqua soil that’s about a year and a half old in the 5 gal -should I move that to the new tank or should I just use some new? Im pretty sure I’ll have to add some new soil regardless since it is a larger tank, but would that cause a dangerous ammonia spike?
Any and all advice would be appreciated!

 

You already have the filter media to seed your new tank and I'd assume any other ornaments, as well. The sand would ideally be rinsed since it is filled with detritus from the previous year and a half and that would lose any benefit of reusing it. If it were me, I'd add new substrate. You can also add safestart or another boost to your beneficial bacteria if you like.

 

Planted tanks are great to look at but a pain to keep living because of nutritional requirements and light requirements. They get expensive quick. You set the plants up, wait a couple weeks, introduce the fish and test the water. A water test kit is just a must have, the rest is diligent research, respectfully. I am not going past moss balls myself. Too much work. Good luck. Plenty of people on here who have tons of unwarranted advice, you ask for it however.. take care.

 

You already have the filter media to seed your new tank and I'd assume any other ornaments, as well. The sand would ideally be rinsed since it is filled with detritus from the previous year and a half and that would lose any benefit of reusing it. If it were me, I'd add new substrate. You can also add safestart or another boost to your beneficial bacteria if you like.

The new substrate I would be adding is UNS control oil, and the old substrate I have is fluval aquasoil. I would rinse them, but I worry that would just turn everything into mud.
I suppose if I add the uns controsoil I could just dose prime to keep the water safe, or let it sit overnight and do a water change before I move my fish over

Planted tanks are great to look at but a pain to keep living because of nutritional requirements and light requirements. They get expensive quick. You set the plants up, wait a couple weeks, introduce the fish and test the water. A water test kit is just a must have, the rest is diligent research, respectfully. I am not going past moss balls myself. Too much work. Good luck. Plenty of people on here who have tons of unwarranted advice, you ask for it however.. take care.

Valid! As a bio major though, I find planted tanks endlessly fascinating though - it’s worth the challenge and money. I do have a water test kit, that’s for sure!
and moss balls are the best - so cute!

 

As an aside, I enjoy a planted tank and have had little problem maintaining them. Interesting choice with the controsoil. Good with plants, but if I remember correctly it will initially leech ammonia into the tank. Ideally, you would set up the new tank with it first and testing the water as you've already indicated before introducing your fish, even allowing it to settle without a filter if you must while checking water parameters. You can use prime every 48 hours along with testing to neutralize the ammonia, but up to you there.

 

As an aside, I enjoy a planted tank and have had little problem maintaining them. Interesting choice with the controsoil. Good with plants, but if I remember correctly it will initially leech ammonia into the tank. Ideally, you would set up the new tank with it first and testing the water as you've already indicated before introducing your fish, even allowing it to settle without a filter if you must while checking water parameters. You can use prime every 48 hours along with testing to neutralize the ammonia, but up to you there.

Yeah, I’m thinking that’s what I’ll do. I think I’ll put my fish (and snail and shrimp) in this dinky 1.5-2 gallon tank overnight while I move everything over and start the filter with the mixture of new and old aquasoil. Then I’ll just do another water change tomorrow and add the fish and co.
Sound good?

 

Sounds like a plan. Just keep checking the water parameters. Sounds like you knew it all along. Good luck!

 

Thanks! (I’m kind of flip flopping on whether if not to just put them n the new tank and add prime, cause I’m concerned about my betta attacking my shrimp in the dinky tank. Either way I go though, I think I’ll be ok)