How to upgrade a tank

[SwimsWithFish]

In a few months I will be upgrading my 10 gallon tropical to a 20 gallon tank. This is how I plan to do so:
Empty ten gallon tank water and fish into buckets.
Take gravel and decorations and put into new 20 gallon.
Set up filter(same filter from 10 gallon) and heater.
Fill with water from 10 gallon and add fish.
Then over the course of a month or two add fresh water to the tank until tank is full.
Then begin the 10% weekly pwc as usual.
Will this work?
Thanks

 

[New]

as long as you put some seeded material in ur 20 gallon tank (filter media, gravel) you shouldn't have to big of a problem

 

[Mumma.of.two]

In a few months I will be upgrading my 10 gallon tropical to a 20 gallon tank. This is how I plan to do so:
Empty ten gallon tank water and fish into buckets.
Take gravel and decorations and put into new 20 gallon.
Set up filter(same filter from 10 gallon) and heater.
Fill with water from 10 gallon and add fish.
Then over the course of a month or two add fresh water to the tank until tank is full.
Then begin the 10% weekly pwc as usual.
Will this work?
Thanks

Sounds good except you can fill the new tank right up straight away. And do your PWC weekly from then. No need to fill up the remainder slowly. Is you old filter from the 10g powerful enough to handle a 20g?

 

[SwimsWithFish]

It's an ac 20!
So I can fill it with 10 gallons of my old water and 10 gallons of new water?

 

[librarygirl]

It's an ac 20!
So I can fill it with 10 gallons of my old water and 10 gallons of new water?

Yep, just make sure it's dechlorinated and the temperature of the new water is about the same as the tank water.

Also it's a good idea to get a stronger filter than what's recommended for your tank. The AC20 is good but a stronger filter would be better. So if you can either upgrade to something like an AC 50-70 and just move your filter media over from the current one, or add a second new filter and run it with the old filter.

 

[SwimsWithFish]

I have an aquaclear 70 laying around that I'd love to put to work!

 

[stingrays4]

Hi i would just add that the day before you do the upgrade do not feed your fishes,also on the day you move them try and resist feeding them. As already said,simply add all the new water as directed by Librarygirl I am guessing you will be adding more substrate,similar to what you already have? If so just mix them nicely together in the new tank so the old substrate 'seeds' the new substrate Good luck,it seems allot of work but a little patience and planning and it will go well.

 

[SwimsWithFish]

Hi i would just add that the day before you do the upgrade do not feed your fishes,also on the day you move them try and resist feeding them. As already said,simply add all the new water as directed by Librarygirl I am guessing you will be adding more substrate,similar to what you already have? If so just mix them nicely together in the new tank so the old substrate 'seeds' the new substrate Good luck,it seems allot of work but a little patience and planning and it will go well.

Thanks for the help! So that's no feeding for 2 days?

 

[stingrays4]

Hi they day before is more important than on the day,say after they have been moved,its always great to see them feeding {say just a tiny bit of flake}just to see they are happy