Setting up new 29G using established 10G

[rohitp78]

I will have my new tank delivered in few days. I read other posts and found that i can speed up my nitrogen cycle using decorations and filter from my old tank, however i have some questions.

I will be moving all the contents except gravel to the new tank. I will have all decorations, plastic & real plants, old filter moved to new tank, however will i be able to move all fish too? If not then how should i proceed in doing this??

I want to use my 10G as a quaratine tank.

The existing gravel has a lot of red/brown algae and i need to clean it first before putting it into my new tank.

Thanks!

 

[rich311k]

If you move the filter and everthing else you probably can move all the fish right away, Should have little or no cycle. Just watch your levels.

 

[Zagz]

I agree with Rich, you should be able to move everything at once. Keep an eye on your parameters do water changes if necessary and it should all be good. Looking forward to pics!

 

[rohitp78]

Thanks guys for your generous help. I will post images as soon as i have set it up.

till then i will post my old tank pics

 

[TomK2]

Glad to hear you are not moving the gravel. I suspect that when you move large amounts of old gravel into a new tank, all the detrius in the old gravel gets heavily disturbed, the end effect is a big surge of nutrients that were otherwise slowly decaying now decaying rapidly, which can cause spikes in the nitrogen cycle.

Otherwise move everything at once, and don't forget to dechlorinate the new tanks water. 8O

 

[rohitp78]

I never thought of this, i just did not want to put my old gravel as it was stained by red/brown algae. thanks for the advice.

I am not sure if i should move (may be 60-70%) of my old tank water (clear water without disturbing gravel) into new tank Should I?

 

[rich311k]

Dont move the water. It contains little bacteria, all you will be moving is dirty water. Start with fresh dechlorinated water warmed to the right temp.

 

[rohitp78]

Thanks again.. Rich..

 

[TomK2]

The only reason to move the water over would be if the tap parameters are much different than the tank parameters. For example, you would be able to reduce the pH change from old to new tank by bringing over the old water, if the pH was markedly different. Your filter material will contain many times the nitrifying bacteria than the water, so its not worth it to move the water for bacterial seeding. You could get the new tank set up, heat it (if you have another heater), aerate it, dechlorinate it, decorate it at your leisure, then move the filter and fish over once you are done.

 

[rohitp78]

Thanks Tom. My water Ph is little high around 7.8. I got Ph reducer but after reading some topics here i decided not to use it. I just add dechlorinated tap water into tank.

My fish seem to do well even at this Ph as its constant and not fluctuating.

I wont move my old tank water to new one.