Upgrading to larger tank

I'm in the process of setting up a new 36 gallon. I currently have a tiny 10 gallon with a few platies and live plants in it. I'm wondering what is the best way to transfer the plants and the fish ect. I've read that if I use the old gravel and filter it will add beneficial bacteria and speed up the cycle on the new tank. My question is what order do I do it in The new 36 has been set up for a few days with new filter and heater. The water temp is now at 78. When do I move the gravel and plants out of the old tank? Will my fish be ok without it until I can move them too? Do I let the new tank cycle for weeks? ... argh I'm rambling!

If anyone has tips it would be a huge help!

The simplest way is to move the gravel and plants into the new tank; put the media from the old filter inside the new filter, then move the fish. I have done this on more than one occasion.
Feed the fish lightly for a few days before and after the move, and nothing on move day itself. Check the ammonia and nitrite levels for a few days after the move and do water changes if you see either above zero. I never saw even a tiny blip in the readings, but if you do they won't last long.

In order to get the old media inside the new filter you will probably need to remove some of the media from the new filter. You can cut sponges up to make them fit. I would leave the old media in there until several weeks after you have built up the fish stock, then remove the old media a bit at a time and put the media that it supposed to be in the new filter back in again.

Once you know everything has gone OK you can think about more fish, but only a few at a time like with fish-in cycling. You will need to monitor ammonia and nitrite after each addition, and allow time between each addition for the bacteria to catch up with the new amount of fish.

OK great thanks! So do I need to wait for my new tank for cycle at all? Or do I just start moving things over?

You do have a choice.

You can move everything over as I described then get more fish a few at a time over the next couple of months.

Or you can cycle the new tank using ammonia and a small portion of the small tank's filter to seed the cycle using this method http://www.fishforums.net/threads/cycling-your-new-fresh-water-tank-read-this-first.421488/
Once the cycle finished you could then move the fish and plants over and get new fish straight away, leaving the gravel and the old filter media in the small tank. This would have one advantage - you could still use the small tank for more fish as well as it is already cycled

OK thanks! I've moved about half of the gravel and plants and I'm thinking I'll just keep moving everything in now.... I'm not keeping the old tank. I have a 20 gallon goldfish tank and a 2.5 gallon beta tank and now the 36 gallon.... I'll keep the 10 gallon in reserve just in case I need a quarantine tank or if my pladies have fry. But I Def don't want 4 active tanks! Haha 3 is enough.

In that case, just move everything to the new tank, then add more fish a few at a time.


You could always move the betta in the the 10 gall

So everything is moved and everyone seems to be doing well! My tank looks so empty! I'll have to go out and get some rocks and more plants! THanks again for your help!