Old media, new tank - long but worth a read, as there might be some casualties ??

[labidis]

I started a new 120g Juwel rio 400 tropical tank on Saturday afternoon (60 hours ago)
This is what i have done so far;

* Put 2 inches of new gravel
* Put 4 new plants in tank
* put 2 old plants in tank from current 30g running tank which is cycled
* put 1 driftwood from current tank 30g which is cycled
* put 1 rock from current tank 30g which is cycled
* Filled tank with new water
* put a layer of gravel from another 30g cycled tank
* squeezed media from on tank into Juwel filter canister
* placed 10 neon tetras in new tank from the other 30g tank
* placed 6 white clouds in new tank from the other 30g tank
* performed 15 % water change 24 hours after starting tank and then refilled water from cycled 30g tank

Been running for 2.5 days now. No amonia spike as yet - hope to avoid it

i plan (in 12 hours time - dependant on responses) to perform the below to avoid cycling;
Move 30g filter directly into new tank - where to place it though ?
Move 1/2 inch of subtrate from 30g into new tank
Move 3 plants (one is a very large anubias) from 30g into new tank
Move 3 rocks from 30g into new tank
Move all other fish into new tank - 3 red eye tetras, 3 clown loaches, 5 platys, 1 siemese algea eater, 1 sucking catfish, 1 rainbow shark, 5 guppies, 2 pink widows

Please let me know your thoughts, and where is the best spot i can place the 30g media into the new tank??? Let them float, put them in subtrate, put them inside juwel filter canister, and if so, what level in the canister ?

Look forward to some responses


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[aqua_holic]

Old media, new tank - long but worth a read, as there might be some casualtie...

Best place to put the media from the old tank is in the new tanks filter. I would stick it right between the mechanical and biological media so that it can expand to both from there. If the filter on the 30 can handle the bioload then the media will handle the bioload on the larger tank too, since the ammonia concentration will be reduced to a quarter of what it currently is.

That's the only way many of us start tanks. I haven't "cycled" a tank in many years.

 

[labidis]

AWESOME RESPONSE!!!!
I was hoping for a response like that.
Cant wait to get stuck into it tomorrow morning...
So to get it right, stick them between 3 and 4 in the below pic



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[aqua_holic]

I'm not familiar at all with that filter, or some of the medias listed there. I would just stick it in the middle

 

[labidis]

Yeah, heaps going on in the jewel filters. I dont have the optional filters mentioned in number 5. I think between 3&4 will be safe though as originally mentioned.

Thanks for your speedy responses too, its much appreciated from down under


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[aqua_holic]

Best of luck. If you can, I would let the new tanks filter run for a week before adding the old filters media. The bacteria attaches to the biofilm that develops - no biofilm no expansion of bacteria.

 

[labidis]

Hmmmm... Wife wants to put xmas tree up... Currently both tanks are in the lounge room.. Wife aint too happy about it, so want to please her by moving one tank to make room for xmas tree


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[labidis]

Ps... I seem to have a fair bit of bio film on the surface of the water ATM... Probably due to a point that i missed in my original post.
I had added QUICK START by API


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[aqua_holic]

Old media, new tank - long but worth a read, as there might be some casualtie...

Were I in your position I would take down the 30 gallon today. Wife outweighs biofilm especially since it won't make much of a difference anyway.

 

[labidis]

Done deal !!!
Gotta get some sleep first, its 2:40am here.
Night mate, thanks again !


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[labidis]

All done.
They seem happy.
Will do some water tests later today



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