Upgrading Tank - 36 to 55 gallon

So after getting my 36 gallon tank all cycled, mostly stocked, etc. my fiance decided that it would be ok if I wanted to upgrade it to a 55 gallon. This is what I had originally wanted to do, but she said it was too big for our apartment. I think after spending almost as much time as me watching our new friends, she wants more too The only catch is that she wants it to be a straight swap, meaning I'd have to tear down the 36 gallon so the new tank could go in it's place. Any advice on how I could go about doing this? I don't really have anywhere I could put the fish currently in the tank while I got the 55 gallon set up.

Thanks in advance.

 

Sell the fish. Give back to the pet store for an exchange if your lucky that's what I did in a similar situation. Bribe wife

 

Any options that don't involve selling the fish? She'd change her mind if I suggested selling her guppies, and I'm rather attached to the cories.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I727 using Tapatalk 2

 

I would say, get the new tank, set it up, get it cycled, add the fish and then sell the old one. Easy for me to say, right
I don't know about any other options if you don't want to get rid of your present stock......

 

I've heard people use coolers for big moves, so I'd suggest that. Catch all your fish, pull up all the plants, decorations and gravel and put them all in water. Then get the new tank fill it up as fast as you can with dechlorinated water leaving some room for some of the old water. Put in everything from the old tank, including the filter--run it side by side with your new one for the first couple of weeks. Put in the fish and hope for the best. Sounds like a hard days work to me, but I guess it could be done. Someone may have a better solution but if I had to do it that's what I'd do.

 

You could just get one of those plastic storage containers that they see at Wal-Mart, Target and temporarily house the fish in that. It doesn't need to be able to hold 36 gallons of water, since the fish will only be in it for a short amount of time.

 

Thanks for all the great suggestions. I will probably try the storage container or cooler. Am I correct in thinking that as long as I put my current filter on the new tank, it should instantly cycle?

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I727 using Tapatalk 2

 

I upgraded from a 55/56 gallon to a 100 gallon tank in one day. I got one of those plastic garbage cans from Home Depot, place all the water in one of those from old tank, plants, driftwood and fish with an air hose, heater and let it sit there for awhile as I was tearing down the old tank and setting up the new tank.

I place some of the old water in the new tank and added new water as well. I acclimated all my fish as well.

 

I've been wondering this as well with our 5.5 gallon and wanting to go to a larger tank. After what we went through getting this one setup properly it has me nervous

 

Thanks for all the great suggestions. I will probably try the storage container or cooler. Am I correct in thinking that as long as I put my current filter on the new tank, it should instantly cycle?

I would put everything from the old tank in there, all the gravel, decorations, and plants. If you want to change the decor in the new one I would take the old ones out over a couple of weeks after originally putting them in. All of that stuff has bacteria on it, though the filter is where the majority of it is supposed to grow.

 

Am I correct in thinking that as long as I put my current filter on the new tank, it should instantly cycle?

Maybe...So long as the filter is rated for a 55 gallon tank and you do not add additional fish, you should get an instant cycle. If your filter is not rated for 55 gallons, it may not move enough of the ammonia laden water through the filter to ensure it is all coverted.

But if you need a new filter and put the old filters media in the new filter and don't add additional fish, you should get an instant cycle.