Moving my tank

[AfricanCichlidOwner]

I'm moving what used to be my cichlid tank upstairs I just recently sold my cichlids and have a synodontis catfish left over. Should I take the water for the tank and put it upstairs when I move it. I'm planning on doing gourami. Do I just use all new water? It's a 20 gallon tank.

 

[brennae]

Are you saving the substrate and filter media?

 

[Lucas82]

re:

I would probably try to keep all the original water as long as the temperature doesn't change a lot. DJBootLeg is more of an expert than I am about Cichlids. He just had a post about his "Species Saturday" YouTube videos here on the board. Good luck!

 

[Convict2161]

IMO opinion there's little to mo benefit to keeping the old water. BB isn't free floating. It's on your decor and filter media.

 

[AfricanCichlidOwner]

So if the filter looks a little dirty that means I should try and keep it?

 

[Convict2161]

So if the filter looks a little dirty that means I should try and keep it?

Absolutely!! That has all your BB.

 

[CrashCourse]

IMO opinion there's little to mo benefit to keeping the old water. BB isn't free floating. It's on your decor and filter media.

I would think bringing at least some of the water isn't a bad thing, especially say, if you're moving from where you have city water to well water, and ph/kh/etc. is different. At least that way, you're diluting the new water with what they're used to and not shocking them...
Or would you just have to drip acclimate before dropping them back in the tank?

 

[mdawg75]

What convict said!!! use tank water to pour into your HOB filters for start up but otherwise almost no BB in the Tank water so save yourself the work of transferring the water. Good Luck

 

[Convict2161]

The water won't hurt but has no benefit. Beneficial bacteria isn't free floating and isn't it your water, at least nothing substantial.

Use it to keep your filter media wet until ready to use it.

 

[Brandon4432]

You guys got this wrong, although your right about the BB not being free floating you have to keep a certain amount of water from the old setup. The BB iwas grown and kept with that if you change the water your changing the water chemistry completely thus killing most of the beneficial bacteria. Also your right about most of the BB being in your filter but alot of it is all over your plants and especially your substrate

 

[Convict2161]

You guys got this wrong, although your right about the BB not being free floating you have to keep a certain amount of water from the old setup. The BB iwas grown and kept with that if you change the water your changing the water chemistry completely thus killing most of the beneficial bacteria. Also your right about most of the BB being in your filter but alot of it is all over your plants and especially your substrate

I agree as I said that. I believe I did. I said your BB will be on decor, filter media etc... I see no benefit in using tank water it not using tank water. When I've changed over tanks I never used tank water other then maybe a little when netting the fish and setting up the decor.

To say "you guys hit this wrong" isn't the right way to start your post. I think it's your opinion which I respect but to blanket it like "your wrong" I think isn't the right way to go about it IMO. We all have different opinions and that's what makes us who we are.

We can agree t disagree but we can do it with respect. I didn't say your wrong, I just respectfully disagree.


Dino

 

[Brandon4432]

Although we can have are opinions scientifically the BB will struggle to stay alive, however, some of the stronger bacteria that grows in the tank that is constantly pestured will survive because its immune to that kind of change. But i still think its safer not only for the BB but also to the fishes health