Upgrading tank same space.

[Buu]

I would love tips on upgrading a new tank, in the same space as your original. It would be happening in one day so how would you have the upgraded tank cycled-ish without fish stressing out.

My husband came home with a 30 gallon tank today (10 gal bigger than current). Was from a guy who is moving. it came with some decorations, bubbler, and a 20-40 aqua clear filter. No lid (found one on amazon decently priced!) or heater (any suggestions?). Current tank is 20 gallon topfin kit from petsmart. FW with sand, live plants, decor and 4 Khulis. It's been running since end of February. I am battling ich right now and plan to upgrade in April so I can be extra sure the ich is all gone.

Anyways this is my plan, and tell me if any of this is bad! And what you would do. Put Khulis in a bucket (with current tank water) with an airstone, some decorations (that they hide in) and my plants on top. Put tank water in buckets, take out decor. Switch the tanks and add old sand to upgraded tank, as well as new sand (as its bigger). Add decor and water from old tank, conditioned water to top it off and my old filter pad behind new filter pads. Add fish and plants and cross my fingers. Yay or nay? I worry about the Khulis in the bucket!

 

[spiketooth]

Sounds like you know what you are doing

 

[Mrs.h2012]

I would love tips on upgrading a new tank, in the same space as your original. It would be happening in one day so how would you have the upgraded tank cycled-ish without fish stressing out.

My husband came home with a 30 gallon tank today (10 gal bigger than current). Was from a guy who is moving. it came with some decorations, bubbler, and a 20-40 aqua clear filter. No lid (found one on amazon decently priced!) or heater (any suggestions?). Current tank is 20 gallon topfin kit from petsmart. FW with sand, live plants, decor and 4 Khulis. It's been running since end of February. I am battling ich right now and plan to upgrade in April so I can be extra sure the ich is all gone.

Anyways this is my plan, and tell me if any of this is bad! And what you would do. Put Khulis in a bucket (with current tank water) with an airstone, some decorations (that they hide in) and my plants on top. Put tank water in buckets, take out decor. Switch the tanks and add old sand to upgraded tank, as well as new sand (as its bigger). Add decor and water from old tank, conditioned water to top it off and my old filter pad behind new filter pads. Add fish and plants and cross my fingers. Yay or nay? I worry about the Khulis in the bucket!

I've never had khulis but your plan to switch over to the new 30 sounds just fine!

 

[Buu]

Sounds like you know what you are doing

Really? Kind of flattered, Because I have no clue really LOL.

I'm happy the plan sounds good. I'm so excited about a bigger tank. Plus I will be able to sell my current and use that money for new plants and a QT tank yayayaya excited.

 

[Posivated]

Well your current tank water doesn't carry very much bacteria. It will be more dependent on the other stuff your moving over from your old tank to get it cycled. I'm not very experienced yet but I don't think you would be very cycled even moving all that stuff to the new tank though.

 

[Buu]

Well your current tank water doesn't carry very much bacteria. It will be more dependent on the other stuff your moving over from your old tank to get it cycled. I'm not very experienced yet but I don't think you would be very cycled even moving all that stuff to the new tank though.

That's what I'm afraid of =\. Especially bumping it up 10 extra gallons and needing more (new) sand.

 

[Iodizedfate]

If you keep all the sand/decorations/filter from the old tank and have them in the new tank you might see a mini cycle but it won't be much. just make sure you run the old filter with the new filter for a couple weeks or move the filter material from the old on into the new one.

With moving everything you will have the same amount of bacteria taking care of the same amount of waste and new material shouldn't negatively effect the cycle as long as it's rinsed out and clean.

I would make sure the new tank is cleaned before the swap and keep as much old water as possible (it will have less change in parameters for the fish and should reduce stress for the move)

But your plan sounds good! Exactly how I would do it too.

 

[ndriscoll1322]

Sounds like a good plan, just keep a good eye on your fish. I just did a transfer from a 10 to a 20 high, and only 2 fish and 3 shrimp survived

 

[spiketooth]

How did you acclimate them?

 

[ndriscoll1322]

Im new to the aquarium game, so i may have done it wrong, but i bagged them in water from the ten and set them in the 20 gal. for a half hour to get them used to the temp. The temp. was only one degree off but i didn't want to chance it.

 

[ndriscoll1322]

I transferred everything from the 10 to the 20 as well. I don't know what happened. All water levels were in great specs. when I tested it

 

[spiketooth]

tank levels very well could of been different. When transfering from one tank to another you always want to check if the levels are the same. If they are just put them in, but if they are different i would recommend using the drip method to acclimate them

 

[ndriscoll1322]

What's the drip method ( I'm new to this)

 

[spiketooth]

You use a air hose with a control vavle or just put in a knot to control the amount of drips to a slow drip into a bucket

 

[ndriscoll1322]

OK I'll have to remember that for the next transfer. Thank you for the advice!!

 

[Buu]

Oh another question! I have limestone to bump up my PH (my tap has low PH). I'm sure I will need a little more (it being 10 gallons bigger and all) but know I won't see exactly how much is perfect for a couple days, as its sort of a wait and see thing. Will this hurt them in any way? If the PH were to drop .5 or 1 while I try and figure out how much limestone is perfect.

 

[spiketooth]

Its a slow process for ph to change with limestone, your fish should be able to adapt to the change. Its the constant change in ph that will kill a fish

 

[Buu]

Its a slow process for ph to change with limestone, your fish should be able to adapt to the change. Its the constant change in ph that will kill a fish

Good to know! Thank you. I am so excited and can't wait. Feel silly to be this happy about 10 more gallons. Will update with results when it happens!

 

[Mrs.h2012]

Good to know! Thank you. I am so excited and can't wait. Feel silly to be this happy about 10 more gallons. Will update with results when it happens!

Don't feel silly, more gallons means a little more room for more stoking options, which is definitely something to be excited about!

 

[librarygirl]

Your plan sounds pretty good. I've upgraded tanks a few times. I would suggest putting a heater in the bucket with the fish. I usually keep a spare heater around for something like this. You'll need a heater for the 30 gal too; don't move the fish over until the temp in the bucket is the same as the tank after you set it up. I've never used old water from the tank; I've always just refilled the new tank (dechlorinated of course), let it run and heat up, then put the fish in. For the filters, I'd keep the one you have now and run it along with the new one you got; extra filtration is always good and bringing the used media from the filter you have now to the new tank will keep it cycled for the fish you have now.