Concerning Moving All My Fish.

[Jaymz]

Hi there yet again people, I expect this might be quite a long-winded question so if you read it all then thank you for your patience, I'll try my best to break the whole situation down into stages as best as I can, this way it should be easier to read and if anyone wishes to point out an issue they see they can refer to a stage rather than 'that bit just after that bit' or anything of the sort.

My question involves the best and quickest way to transfer my fish from my current tank into my new one, my current tank, which we shall call Tank A, is a Rekord 96 (96 litre) with a Tetratec EX600, quite well-stocked but all is healthy and well, no problems. The new tank, Tank 'B' is going to be a Fluval Venezia 190 (190 Litre) running on a Fluval 205 Filter, and I should be getting this in about two weeks, on the 24th of October.

My original idea was to simply transfer some mature media from my current filter to the new one, then simply add one or two fish a week for the next few weeks, and make sure the tank got regular water changes, etc. Then after about two months dismantle Tank A and the job's done. However, I am at University at the moment, and it's not all that easy for me to get home, so I'd have to rely on my parents for all the weekly fish-catching and water changes, and I'd rather do it myself.


Anyway, last night I had an idea;

1) To set up Tank B in a couple of weeks, as planned, with some copped-up mature media from Tank A's filter, to allow the bacteria to spread throughout the 205 (I could with some advice here on how to keep this bacteria alive, the tank comes with a bottle of some liquid bacteria-stuff, would that do? Or can I use fish food and leave it to rot in the tank (small amounts of course), or could I perhaps tranfer a couple of fish along with the mature media?) and leave this to mature for a week or so.

2) Upon my return home again (I am Uni currently) two weeks after I have set the tank up, to take the Tetratec filter from Tank A, still full of tasty mature bacteria, and put it alongside Tank B's filter within the tank.

3) Transfer, at the same time, all my fish from A to B, thus the tank would be fully stocked, with one mature filter (A) and one maturing filter (B) running.

4) Then, after a couple more weeks, remove the Tetratec from Tank B, and let the Fluval run alone, as it would do on any other Venezia 190.


Now, I do see some problems with this:

As I say, I am somewhat unsure how to keep the bacteria alive without fish in the tank, so advice there would be welcome.

Would my Tetratac (600 lph, for 100 litre tanks) be sufficient whilst running alongside my 205, to keep the water healthy for my fish? Consider that the amount of fish will not increase, just the amount of water.

Basically it boils down to a large-scale mature-media transfer, so if you've any input then I'd appreciate it greatly, thanks for reading, if I missed anything that could do with explaining better then I'll do my very best.

Thanks again,

James.

 

[SharonCC]

I would simply set up the new tank, and run both filters. Take half the water from the old tank, and finish filling with fresh dechlorinated water That's basically like doing a 50% water change. Add all the fish....After two or three months, remove the old filter, if you wish...although extra filtration is a good idea, as long as the "current" is not too much for the fish.

 

[Jaymz]

I would simply set up the new tank, and run both filters. Take half the water from the old tank, and finish filling with fresh dechlorinated water That's basically like doing a 50% water change. Add all the fish....After two or three months, remove the old filter, if you wish...although extra filtration is a good idea, as long as the "current" is not too much for the fish.

Bingo, that sounds a whole lot easier. I was just a little concerned that the Tetratec wouldn't be able to deal with working alongside an un-matured filter, but if you think that'd work then it's worth a shot. Not meaning to be picky, but when you say take half the water from the old tank, do you not mean 'all' of it? Considering that the new tank is twice as big, I'd need all of the old water to make 50% of the new tank's volume. (I just want to be sure about this, not trying to be smart or anything.)

And I was considering getting a small internal filter also, for added filtration, as I don't want pipes on the back of the tank as I'm not having a backing either, so the Tetratec will be going eventually.

 

[SharonCC]

Yes, it would probably be a better idea to take all, or most of the water. I think doing it this way would not cause problems. We'll get another opinion, I'm sure....

 

[Jaymz]

Well the way you suggested does sound like it would work, like I say the actual amount of fish will not increase (not for a long time anyway) so the actual load on the Tetra shouldn't be much different, and from the minute I turn it on, the 205 will be maturing as well, but yes, I'll see if someone has any other ideas to put forth. But at the moment your sounds like the best.

Many thanks.

 

[SharonCC]

You're quite welcome...Glad I could help!

 

[squeakytoy]

sounds like a solid plan, I would go for it. The Tetratec wont have any additional load placed on it, and even with the added water volume, it will have the fluval to help it out.

 

[Jaymz]

That's what I was hoping to happen, I wasn't entirely sure how to go about it though.

Any other offers?

Cheers!

 

[Acipenser]

That's what I was hoping to happen, I wasn't entirely sure how to go about it though.

Any other offers?

Cheers!

I just did a similar change. I went from a 25 gallon to a 75 gallon, as was explained to me there are very little bacteria in the water, so why not just use new water, I did use 5 gallons from my 25 and took the A.C. 30 off and have it running along side my A.C. 110. that way in two or 3 weeks when my 110 has some B.B. in it i can add a few more fish . The bio load on your old filter will not increase as long as you do not add any more fish .