Switching tanks

[Desastre]

I have gotten into this hobby to relieve stress and it has done it so well I decided I wanted to upgrade my 20g to a 55g I bought. I just wanted some help on the best way to move the fish without harming them. My old tank is basic setup penguin 150 with regular gravel and several crypto plants. My new tank I plan to go with soil and sand for the substrate and with low light hardy plants with an aquaclear 50 filter.

 

[Desastre]

Apologize forgot to name the fish. 2 peppered corys, plattys, ottos, one Molly, 4 neon tetras and a ghost shrimp.

 

[Kat1103]

Did u cycle the 55 gallon yet? If not, be sure to use an old filter from your 20. Stick that in with the new filter to help seed the tank with good bacteria. That u should help u cycle faster. Check out this link to help u when transferring fish:
Acclimation Procedure for Aquatic Life: Welcoming Home New Arrivals

 

[Desastre]

I had two traps in the penguin 150. Is it ok to use it in the aquaclear with the whole differences I'n designs.

 

[herp_mommy]

just cram the old filter media into the new filter, so the water flows from old filter media -> new filter media. If you leave the filter media in there then it should be ready to handle your fish. When I upgraded tanks, I scooped the fish out and put them into a 5gal bucket, put the lid on to keep the stress down. Id then gradually add water from the new tank to help equalize everything. Then you can scoop them out after a few hours and place them in the new tank.

 

[Desastre]

Tyty. Got the itch for real plant and wanted to see more fish so doing all the research I can in order to get things to turn out well. Washing all the sand thou I'm not looking forward to.