Upgrading

[Anna94]

What's the proper way to upgrade to a bigger tank? The last time I upgraded all my fish died within a week and my cycle restarted.

 

[Toad]

Depends on what you want to do. If you're putting everything from the old tank in the new one, fill a bucket with old tank water, put your fish in that, with the filter too if possible. Fill the new tank with new treated water.

Start stripping the old tank down, starting with plants/driftwood/rocks etc. Take the heater out and get it started on getting the new tank at the right temp.

Swish the decor around in the old tank to get any crap off of them and put them in the new tank. Don't worry about decorating now. Start scooping gravel out and put in a bucket with more old tank water. I personally use a net to scoop, but some people use cups. I kinda stir that around in the bucket to get any extra debris out, but you don't want to go for super clean. Dump the water out and then add gravel to new tank. Repeat till all the gravel is out. If some crap get in the tank its ok.

Take the filter from the bucket of fish, add it to the new tank. Let it run for around an hour while you decorate but keep an eye on the fish, add a bubbler to the bucket if you have one.

Check temp from tank and bucket, you want the close. Then gently pour them in. Keep the lights off for the rest of the day, you can even skip a feeding if they are skittish. The next day do your routine like normal. Keep an eye on your levels just in case, but you should be ok.

DO NOT clean the filter in ANY WAY through the process, no changing pads or even wiping down anything, NOTHING. You shouldn't need to do a water change until the following week depnding on your levels. Don't rinse the filter pad for at least a month.

Hope that helps, that's how I've always moved my tanks, and I've moved hours away already

 

[Anna94]

Depends on what you want to do. If you're putting everything from the old tank in the new one, fill a bucket with old tank water, put your fish in that, with the filter too if possible. Fill the new tank with new treated water.

Start stripping the old tank down, starting with plants/driftwood/rocks etc. Take the heater out and get it started on getting the new tank at the right temp.

Swish the decor around in the old tank to get any crap off of them and put them in the new tank. Don't worry about decorating now. Start scooping gravel out and put in a bucket with more old tank water. I personally use a net to scoop, but some people use cups. I kinda stir that around in the bucket to get any extra debris out, but you don't want to go for super clean. Dump the water out and then add gravel to new tank. Repeat till all the gravel is out. If some crap get in the tank its ok.

Take the filter from the bucket of fish, add it to the new tank. Let it run for around an hour while you decorate but keep an eye on the fish, add a bubbler to the bucket if you have one.

Check temp from tank and bucket, you want the close. Then gently pour them in. Keep the lights off for the rest of the day, you can even skip a feeding if they are skittish. The next day do your routine like normal. Keep an eye on your levels just in case, but you should be ok.

DO NOT clean the filter in ANY WAY through the process, no changing pads or even wiping down anything, NOTHING. You shouldn't need to do a water change until the following week depnding on your levels. Don't rinse the filter pad for at least a month.

Hope that helps, that's how I've always moved my tanks, and I've moved hours away already

Could I put my sponge filter in the bucket with the fish and shouldn't I also have my heater in the bucket? Do I use the water in the bucket to fill the new tank up or just use all new water and net the fish into the new tank?

 

[flchamp89]

I would try and get tds close too

 

[Anna94]

I would try and get tds close too

I don't have a way to test tds.

 

[flchamp89]

If I have a healthy tank with healthy fish. I do carry over my old water due to tds and osmotic needs. However, that may not be a good idea for you. I know youve had some issues with diatoms, parameters, and illness.

 

[Toad]

Could I put my sponge filter in the bucket with the fish and shouldn't I also have my heater in the bucket? Do I use the water in the bucket to fill the new tank up or just use all new water and net the fish into the new tank?

Put the heater in the new tank. If you are worried about the bucket getting cold, wrap a blanket around it. You can put the sponge filter in if that's what you have. Dump the whole bucket of water in the new tank, it's less work than trying to met them, and no point in not using some of the water. Think of it as a big water change in reverse lol.

 

[abw0004]

If you follow the link my my signature, I did not upgrade the size of my aquarium, but I completely rebuilt it. I upgraded all of the equipment (lights, filters, CO2), changed the substrate and plants. All while keeping the fish. I detail what I did right, and what I did wrong. Hopefully that helps.