Upgrading to a 10 gallon

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alexjdavis19

Aquarium Advice Regular
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May 21, 2015
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I currently have a 5.5 gallon with 2 amano shrimp and 5 neon tetras living happily. I would like to upgrade to a 10gal tank. What steps (other than buying the tank) should I take to go about this?

I have a whisper10 in my tank and the heater is plenty strong enough as well.


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Alright,first remove all decorations from the old tank. Set in a bucket or in a towel. Next drain the water into a 5g bucket an net fish an place in the bucket also. Add a air stone if you want. Now start to scoop out the substrate until you can lift the tank out if the way. Also make sure you keep your filter media wet through this.

Now set up your 10g like normally fill with brand new de chlorinated water then hook up your equipment after its full. Place decorations or plants an wait for the water temp to equal out then add fish. Test often after wards to make sure there is no spikes
 
Thank you! Should I add more fish eventually?


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Hi. I would just add that when you've got your new tank set up, put the fish in about a third of a bucket of the old water and drip acclimatise them. I do this by syphoning the new water into the bucket using a length of airline. When the bucket is nearly full you transfer the fish into the new tank. I have used this method many times and have had no losses.


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Thanks guys! After the switch I'd probably wait a week before adding more fish? Which would probably be 2-4 more neon tetras and maybe more shrimp.


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Other than the process of physically changing the tanks, is there anything else to do? I obviously need more substrate.


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I did the switch last night and everything went really well! The fish seem happy and I think I'll add more next week. They are also finally schooling, which I rarely saw in the 5.5gal.

The only issue is that I seem to have lost my 2 amano shrimp. Last night the water was probably too high after the switch and they got into the filter. I netted them out with no problem, but today I don't see them in the tank or the filter at all. Ideas?


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False alarm! They're hiding in a new, bigger plant I have that they like. There weren't hiding spots like that before.


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Here's a picture of the new setup! Shrimp like the red plant. ImageUploadedByAquarium Advice1438184416.545368.jpg


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