Upgrading to larger tank

[fish924]

Upgrading to larger tank: Need Help!!

Hello there!

I’m new here and to the aquarium world. We purchased a 10 tank kit last weekend (6 days ago). Yesterday (Friday), we brought home our first two fish and they seem to be doing well.

We have decided that we should have started with a larger tank and would like to upgrade to a 20 gallon tank. We plan to buy one tomorrow. If we want to keep all current decor and gravel, how do we safely transfer everythink to our new tank? Any advice is helpful.

Thank you!

 

[King Fisher]

I take it you aren't cycling your tank before you add fish?? If you are doing a fish in cycle you need to go out and buy an API Freshwater master kit (liquid kit) to test your water during the cycling process. If you want more info about this let us know.

 

[Autumnsky]

Is it a 20 gallon long tank or 20 gallon tall tank?

What kind of fish did you get?

What kind do you want to get? Some are schooling/shoaling fish and need groups.

If you can, a 40G would be a great size for a community tank. Also it really depends on chich fish you are interested in which size would be best.

Read the article in my signature, it will be a great help. There are links for fish-in cycling.

When you do get the new tank, a 5G bucket and a clean rinsed pitcher and a strainer (dollar store is a cheap source for tank helps). Remove the decor pieces into the bucket nearly half full of freshly treated /dechlorinated same temperature water.

Make sure to unplug heater and filter, light.

Add the water from the tank to the bucket so the water will be similar.

Capture the fish gently with a net. Try not to chase them around to stress or exhaustion.

Move the water that is the cleanest from the top of the tank, leave a couple inches or more if it is not to clean looking. Use a plastic container to put the substrate into the strainer and gently shake to make sure it is free of poop and food.

Put it into the new tank. Water plants in the yard with the left over water from the old tank.

Use the water from the bucket with fish and decor - scoop to around half into new tank.

Add back freshly treated water to the bucket and then put half into the tank, add all the decor back into the tank and fish, and then fill the rest of the way with freshly treated water.

The reason for doing it gradually is to get the tank water of the old water and the new water to be similar and reduce stress on the fish.

Hook up the filter to the new tank as well as any air bubblers, heater.

**HEATER**************Make sure to unplug, especially the heater first before reducing the tank water. Make sure it is set aside carefully as it could be hot. Make sure to have it in the water per heater instructions before plugging it back in.

Check all items to make sure they are running as they should.

 

[fish924]

Yes, we are fish-in cycling. I’ve done some research and spoken with a knowledgable person at our local fish store, so I think I have a basic understanding. I’ve been testing the water daily with API test strips. I have already ordered the API master kit and it is arriving on Thesday. The fish store also tested a sample of our water before we brought home our fish. Thanks for the help!

 

[fish924]

This step-by-step guide is so helpful, thank you.

We started with a gourami and a molly. We plan to add more of each. We will look at the 40g tanks today as well, but I don’t believe we have enough room.

A couple of questions for you. I’ve read that I should be attaching the old filter to the new tank for a little while after we transfer over. Is that important/necessary to do of we have only had the fish for 2 days?

Second, when treating new tap water with a water conditoner, I’m unsure how much to add if it’s only 1/2 of a 5 gallon bucket. If the lowest dose on the bottle is 1 tsp per 10 gallons of water, should I add just a 1/4 tsp of the conditioner? Do you have a rule of thumb for this?

 

[King Fisher]

It's not necessary to switch over filters if your tank isn't cycled.

1/4 teaspoon would be fine. Most of the water conditioners I've ever used had a measurement in milliliters on the cap. As long as you are within range of what's specified, not less than recommended, then it will work out fine.

 

[Autumnsky]

True.

One Gourami should be fine, males will usually fight.

Often it is one drop per gallon or 2 drops per gallon if your tap water has Chloramines added to it. Since I don't know which kind it is easier to err on the side of caution and add just a bit more.

As for the filter pads you can just add the new filter to the tank run 2 filters if you are getting a bigger one, or not worry about it.

A long tank would generally be a better option than a tall as fish usually prefer to swim horizontally. This makes them more comfortable to do more of what they would naturally - swimming across the tank.

Understandable about the bigger tank. That size is a really great large size footprint which accommodates a decent size shoal of fish and a few varieties, more fish choices, interest comes from the excitement of having a fun tank and love of fish, rather than the smaller tank limitations.

Often the thinking, I wish I could have that kind of fish, which can also lead to multiple tanks, lol. Your 10G can be used as a quarantine tank.