Moving A 55G Into A 125G

[Squeegeatc]

We will know VERY soon if the 125 gallon tank on it's way will be in one piece.   It has to survive a 12+ hour trip in the back of a pickup truck!!!   So hubby and I are planning.
 
My first thought is this----PLEASE tell me if I am incorrect.
 
Drain 1/2 thewater from the 55 into the 125.   Carefully move substrate, plants, deco, etc into the 125.  Move FISH into 125.  Drain remaining water from 55 to the 125.   Then slowly, over a few hours or even days, add water to the 125. 
 
Or should I move fish to various and sundry buckets beore doing all of this?  I'm not sure I have enough clean buckets for that, but I can try.  I want to stress the fish as little as possible.
 
Thanks in advance!!

 

[Zikofski]

personally, i would do this, transfer substrate plants and decor over after taking some water out what ever you feel is needed, personally i would fill the new tank with fresh clean water, then fill new tank up, transfer heater and filter if you need to, and add fish, it helps if you have more than one heater as u can keep both tanks heated, but adding fresh clean water to new tank is best in my eyes declorinate it before adding fish, and always add your old filter or at least add the media to your new filters so they can populate 
 
tbh there is no right or wrong to changing tanks do what ever suits you and try to disturb the fish as little as you can

 

[Mamashack]

I switched from a 30L to a 60L exactly how Zikofski described using the whole filter and it worked fine for my platies. The filter will work fine as long as the fish stock hasn't been increased. 

 

[Squeegeatc]

Wont I have to aclimate them then?? My thought was that by using the old water and slowly filling the rest, it would be like a 50% waterchange.

See why I ask these things??? Lol

 

[CichlidKing]

Personally I would do exactly what You listed.. seems you would have to cycle the tank if you were to add all new fresh water..

 

[Gruntle]

Personally I would do exactly what You listed.. seems you would have to cycle the tank if you were to add all new fresh water..

There's little to no bacteria in the water, as long as you move the filter (or the filter media) you won't have to worry about cycling, even with 100% new (dechlorinated) water. The only issue with all new water would probably be temperature, but you should be fine. It seems to me that a fish in a river or creek would have to cope with temperature change every time it rains heavily with a lot of (presumably cold) water flooding into their habitat, so I see very little difference in the tank environment with a large water change.
 
I'd have a look at the water once you've moved your substrate into the new tank, the remaining water could be very mucky, so at that time you can make a decision whether to move it or replace it.  If it were me, I'd replace it.
 
I'll let you know how I get on this weekend, I'm finally moving house and tanks!

 

[Squeegeatc]

I see your point about the murky water.  The 55 is a relatively new setup, so not too gross in the gravel yet.   I'm now worried about the bamboo shrimp, though.    Hubby bought him when the tank was BRAND new and he is just now starting to move around, but is picking at the gravel a LOT.  I'm worried about him starving.   I've tried all the tricks, but he never goes after it.  I also have the bottom feeders that I waited to get, because the new tank was too "clean".  While the current tank is not really "established", it is still older than the new one will be.   Hmmm.......even more things to think about!!   The muck might help the Bamboo shrimp out, even if it doesn't look particularly pretty at first.  
 
I plan on using all of the old gravel, and then adding sand to the other half of the tank. 

 

[Squeegeatc]

Another thought-----the new tank is coming with a canister filter.   Will I be able to take my media from the current filter and get it into the canister?  Or should I double filter it for a month?