50gal tank fish to a 90gal tank

[shoboy]

I currently have a 50gal with the fish listed below. It's shown as a 90 since I already have the tank and just finished building the stand. I'm lazy, so I just said 90gal instead of updating the sig later. B)

Anywho, I have plenty of 5gal buckets to "store" the fish until it's switched out. I have 6 of those blue 5-6gal Absopure plastic bottles full of "aged" water. I plan on using those, along with about 20 gallons of the current water in the 50gal. The rest of the water will be new from the tap.

I am wondering if the "aged" water and some of the current water will 'outweigh' the new tap water in terms of giving the fish the bacteria and other stuff they need. Of course I will use water conditioner for the new stuff, but my concern is that I dont have the luxury to set up the tank prior to transfering the fish, and if any 'cycling' occurs, I hope the water I'm using is good enough to minimize it. The 90 is going in the same spot as the 50 is in now. I also dont have other tanks to setup as a 'hotel room' for the fish.

I used to just dump about 90% of the water and put new in right from the tap. Iwould do this about every 4 months, with the fish still in the tank. Then about every 2 weeks, I would just change out 50% of the water. I would add my water conditioner, alittle salt, proper PH and stuff, and I never had a problem with the fish. But now, I have the time and money to "do things right", so I am starting to do so. I am still not to much into the test kits and all those chemicals. I have always believed that the less "stuff" I use, the better for the fish. I just did regular water changes and added declorinator and PH stuff. That's it.

But now, my Frontosa is my 'prize fish', and I really like the 2 severums, so I want to start mixing some "pro" techniques with what I've been doing.

So after reading all that crap I just put out, can anyone give me some suggestions on this tank in terms of the switchover?

 

[crazie.eddie]

First of all, unless you kept tumbling the jug full of the aged water, you can dump it. The little bacteria in it, need to be kept oxygenated to survive. With no sort of water movement, it's just stale water.

Could you afford to buy a powerhead with a pre-sponge filter. I know ZooMed powersweeps come with a pre-sponge filters. I know of the other powerheads don't, but you can buy a seperate one.

I'm assuming will be using the substrate from your 50 gallon and you bought more substrate for the 90 gallon. Dump the new substrate in the tank. Setup the powerhead with the pre-sponge filter on the 50 gallon and let it run for about 2 weeks. This will let the bacteria grow on the sponge. After the 2 weeks, during a water change, remove about 1/3 of the water from the 55 gallon and put it in your 90 gallon. Now place the powerhead with the pre-filter sponge in there. This will keep the water circulating and well oxygenated. Also grab about 1/3 of the substrate from the 50 gallon and place it in the 90 gallon. Maybe 1 or 2 tank decor. There will be some bacteria on here. Every week during a water change, remove 1/3 again from the 55 gallon and empty it on the 90 gallon. Keep repeating this until the 90 gallon is little more than 3/4 full of water. You don't want to fill it up to the top, becuase when you remove the rest of the substrate from the 50 gallon and put it in the 90 gallon, this will make the water rise.

Finally, gravel vac the susbtrate on the 50 gallon. Then remove about 1/2 of the substrate and place it in the 90 gallon. Remove about 1/2 of the decor and place it in the 90 gallon. The reason for this is, this gives the fish some places to hide in the 50 gallon tank and also in the 90 gallon when you move them in there. Now start transfering your fish over to the 90 gallon. Once transfered, move your filter to the 90 gallon and let it run there. Then transfer the rest of the susbtrate and decor over to the 90 gallon.

I used to just dump about 90% of the water and put new in right from the tap. Iwould do this about every 4 months, with the fish still in the tank. Then about every 2 weeks, I would just change out 50% of the water.

This is WAY TOO stressful for the fish. You practically bring in new water that it would almost be like a new cycle. Only remove about 30% at the most during a water change. I'm assuming you don't use a water test kit, since you would probably see your ammonia, nitrites/nitrates, spike after a large water change.

 

[shoboy]

I cant run both tanks at the same time. The 90 is replacing the 50 and is going in the same spot. I have to switch the tanks and set up the 90 all in the same afternoon.

 

[crazie.eddie]

It's not really that difficult.

Apparantely you can't use the same stand, so when you do a water change on the 50 gallon, you will remove enough water, which should make the tank with stand moveable. Then move the 90 gallon in the spot and follow the instructions I told you above.

Another way is borrow lots of pots, empty aquariums, etc from your friends. Put each fish in a ziplock back. I suggest not putting the fish together in one bag or container, becuase being a confined in a small container with another fish, could stress out the fish. Now put all the gravel, decor, water, etc. in all the pots, empty aquariums. Take out the 55 gallon tank and dump all the stuff in the 90 gallon. Put the decor back trying to make everything the same. Then put the fish back in.