Can I transfer my 10 gal to a 20 gal in less than 2 weeks?! Help ASAP

[SnailorJ]

So I just got back from Thanksgiving break after 5 days and I had a friend come over every day to feed my fish/plants. When I got home, my tank was a mess, my betta was lying on the ground not moving, and all but 3 of my tetras had lost their color. One was all white. The water was tinted brown. I was horrified and did a 40% water change immediately and vacuumed up as much debris as I could. I also had a snail explosion and picked out roughly 15 little snails and put them in a 1 gal. My fish were all colorful and active again the next day and my water parameters were almost back to normal. I should add that I had 2 "dwarf" hairgrass plants that were shedding debris and turning brown, so I removed them as well. I suspect they were the biggest reason things went so wrong.

However, I have to leave for an entire month for Christmas break in a week and a half. I'm having a different friend watch them while I'm gone this time and I trust her more. She will do water changes and I'll give her the link to this page in case she runs into any problems. However, if my tank got that bad after 5 days, I'm really worried about 4 weeks. I take very good care of my tank, but I didn't realize quite how much maintenance I actually put into it.

My question is, can/should I upgrade to a 20 gallon long tank before I leave in 10 days? My tank is already fully stocked, so I need to upgrade eventually, but I'm scared to leave my tank as it is. I don't know if it's possible for the tank to cycle quickly enough. If I move my filter media to the new tank and some plants and like half of my gravel, do you think it's possible? Is the risk of cycling more dangerous than the risk of my tank getting out of control over break?

I currently have a 10 gallon fully planted with 1 betta, 9 neon tetras, 3 kuhli loaches, and 3 nerite snails. I test my water regularly and my levels are always good, nitrates at 10. (Except for when I returned from break)

Please help!! Any suggestions welcome!!!

 

[Super_Blueberry]

I just moved my canister filter from my 55g to my new 100g, but kept the 55g set up as a QT. All I did was take some polishing pads from the canister I moved over and put it in my HOB with its own brand new filter pads on the 55g and it's running exactly as it was before the move, no param spikes at all with the seeded pads.

I bet if you moved your existing over with the same bio load you'll have minimal issues.

 

[SnailorJ]

That's what I was hoping to hear! I found a 20 gal long with hood, filter, and a nice stand for $40 on craigslist that's about an hour away. I think I'm going to do that if I can get the deal...Unless anyone has any other opinions.

What is the best way to transfer over? Fill the 20 gal with all new water and move what to the new tank and for how long before putting the fish in? I'm not sure what would be best.

 

[Super_Blueberry]

Just do it sooner rather than later in case there are some spikes. It will give you a chance to correct them before you leave.

 

[SnailorJ]

I will get it ASAP. Waiting to hear back if it's still available. I don't know what to do if it isn't, as I can't go out and buy a really expensive new one right now.

Should I add a new filter pad to my old tank now to use during the transfer? With or without carbon?

I'm considering leaving my betta and the loaches or one of the snails in the 10 gal, so I don't want to strip it of everything if possible.

 

[flitabout]

Keep either the sponge or the filter cartridge in the 10 and then move the other to the new 20. Just watch those levels. You should be just fine.

 

[SnailorJ]

Okay great. I don't think I'll be able to get ahold of a tank before Friday, which will give me exactly a week. Should I let the tank sit for a day or two and then move all the tetras? Or start moving them over like 2 at a time once it's set up?

 

[Dallascowboys16]

I did this exact switch over but from a 20 gallon to a 55 gallon and had no issues, just take some establish media and put it in your filter along with half the gravel and allow the tank to heat to a safe temperature and put them in. Easy as that and good luck!

 

[SnailorJ]

Yay! The guy replied to me and I'm going to pick the tank up on Friday. $40 for the tank, hood, filter, AND a nice stand! Plus accessories that I don't really need. He said it needs a good cleaning though. Any suggestions for how to clean it? Just like...scrub it down with water? Haha

 

[ashleynicole]

Just put the filter from the 10 gallon onto the 20 gallon and leave two filters going while your gone. I just switched a 5 gallon to a 10 and did this and had no issues. As long as the bioload is the same it won't be a problem.
Also have your friend only feed sparingly every 2-3 days not every day. If I'm gone for less than a week I don't even have anyone stop to feed my fish and I've never lost a fish while on vacation. I've had more problems when I had people feed my fish for me. They always overfeed!

 

[ashleynicole]

Yay! The guy replied to me and I'm going to pick the tank up on Friday. $40 for the tank, hood, filter, AND a nice stand! Plus accessories that I don't really need. He said it needs a good cleaning though. Any suggestions for how to clean it? Just like...scrub it down with water? Haha

I would clean it all with bleach or peroxide. Peroxide is great for loosening things up that are stuck on. If you use bleach rinse everything with dechlorinater and let it dry completely before setting it up.

You want to sterilize everything first because you really don't want to introduce any pathogens that may be resting dormant.

 

[SnailorJ]

Okay that's a good suggestion. I was going to get an automatic feeder and have her come check on them and clean up the tank twice a week. Do you think they would all be okay eating for only twice a week for a whole month though? I would like to not buy the feeder if I don't have to!

 

[SnailorJ]

Isn't it really dangerous to clean any fish supplies with bleach?

 

[ashleynicole]

Okay that's a good suggestion. I was going to get an automatic feeder and have her come check on them and clean up the tank twice a week. Do you think they would all be okay eating for only twice a week for a whole month though? I would like to not buy the feeder if I don't have to!

Definitely do not get an auto feeder. Some may disagree but I think twice a week would be fine unless you have fry. Many people feed their fish way more than what's necessary. I frequently go several days in between feedings and then sometimes I feed every day for a while. My tank is always in best condition when I feed less.

 

[ashleynicole]

Isn't it really dangerous to clean any fish supplies with bleach?

Not as long as you rinse really well with dechlorinater and let it dry completely. If your uncomfortable with bleach stick with peroxide.

I work in healthcare and good ole clorox bleach is still the most effective disinfectant, we use it for the most stubborn and resistant organisms that like to encase themselves in spores. But hydrogen peroxide is pretty effective too and safer because it oxidized into water and oxygen. (H2O2).

 

[Coyne]

If you're just cleaning off mineral deposits, then I'd just use vinegar and water. Bleach seems like overkill as it's not likely that anything would be living on the glass. However, as long as you give it a good rinsing and add dechlorinator as mentioned above, you should be ok.

Fish are designed to be able to go several days without food. If your friend is able to stop by once or twice a week, then you should be fine.

If you have room in your current filter, then place an extra media pad in there so that it can start colonizing its own bacteria. Then, when the time comes, you can move that media into the new filter. This should give you a good head start on the cycling process.

 

[Aqualady40]

I just did this 2 days ago. I had a 20 high with a pair of GBR, 4 guppies, and 4 ottos. I wanted them in a 20 gallon long so I put them all in a 5g bucket with plants, filter and heater while I painted the background, added 1/4 of old substrate with new sub, then added mostly new water to the temp I normally do during wc, then I added them and the water in the 5g bucket, added my filter/heater back in. So it can be done pretty quickly.

 

[SnailorJ]

I think I'll use vinegar since I have it around and I know it works really well on mineral deposits when heated, plus it should kill any lingering bacteria. I already stuck an extra filter pad in the filter in my 10 gallon, so it can marinate there until Saturday when I'm getting the tank. I'll probably move the more established pad to the 20 gallon since it will have the higher bio load (I'm going to move the tetras and loaches over, but leave my betta). I'll move some sand and gravel and a few plants over too. Is it safe to rinse the dirty filter out with vinegar?

 

[ashleynicole]

While vinegar is effective against some microorganisms, it doesn't do well against bacteria that have protective coatings like salmonella which likes to encase itself in slime. Vinegar is really good with mineral deposits in glass though.

It would be really crummy to miss some dormant pathogen and have all of your fish succomb to an illness... but the choice is yours. I would do the peroxide at minimum especially since it is a used tank. There are many resistant bacterial strains in the fish hobby due to the overuse of antibiotics.

 

[ashleynicole]

3 percent hydrogen peroxide is lik 88cents a bottle at walmart.