moving fish to 20 gallon...

[Cali]

Alright guys, I need your help...I warn you, some of the below questions may be stupid...

I am moving my 2 (just over quarter sized) angelfish and two very small Ottos from my 10 gallon into a 20 gallon. I am currently using (in my 10) a Mini Penguin Bio-Wheel filter. Will this filter be big enough for a 20 gallon? It says, "up to 20 gallons" on the box, but I want to double check with you guys.

I am floating an extra carbon pad filter insert in my 10 so as to get it filled with beneficial bacteria for when I move everyone to the 20. Is this a good thing to do or not? I was thinking that if I just up and move the fish and filter with a brand new, fresh out of the bag, carbon insert into the 20, I'd inadvertantly start a whole new cycle. So, I am trying to prevent that by floating the extra carbon insert before the move. Now, the reason I will not be using the current filter carbon insert is because it's old and needs to be replaced. It's 4 months old...how often do they need to be replaced, anyway?


Also, I know a lot of folks say that using an established tank to start up a new tank will kick start the cycle process in the new tank. If I put a handfull or two of my established gravel into the 20 along with some brand new gravel, is this enough to kick start my cycle? I will be using the same color gravel so I have no problems with mixing how ever much old gravel with new gravel. Keep in mind that I will also be removing all my plants and other decorations from the 10 to the 20 as well....so, that's even MORE beneficial bacteria, too...right?

Now, if I do all of the above, do I still need to add a hearty fish to my 20 and let it run etc. etc. BEFORE I add my angels OR can I just add the established filter and filter carbon insert, the established gravel, the established plants and then just put in the fish...then voila! cycle complete?

Please help, guys....I'm quite uncertain about how to make this move successful.

Thanks!!!

 

[Dragonslair]

Hello Cali,
You have got a few questions in your message, and I will try to address them.
1. I am going to presume that the water in the 10 G tank is matured water and that the gravel and decor are also matured and established. Yes, you can transfer everything across, but what you should do first is have some of the matured water put into a quarantine tank and transfer your fish into that tank whilst you transfer everything else across.
2. There will be a lot of mess and water in the transfer process.
3. once you have transferred the gravel and decor across to your new tank you can top it top with raw water and then you will need to leave it to settle for a few days. You can decrease this settling time with a anti suspension solution such as Acruel F.
4. Floating a carbon pad does very little to carry beneficial bacteria, in fact carbon acts like a sponge sucking up all the "bad" stuff and when it's full simply dumps it back into the water, so I would advise caution.
5. As to your filter, my advice is purchase and use the best filter you can afford. You can never get a filter system that is too good for your tank. No filtration system will harm your fishtank within common sense reason.

Once the tank is settled and all is working well, test the water and if it's fine then transfer your fish into the tank slowly. Testing the water daily for signs of any peaks in the "bad" stuff. I know this is put in a nutshell and the reality is harder, but I hope I've helped in some smal way.

 

[Cali]

Hello Cali,
You have got a few questions in your message, and I will try to address them.
1. I am going to presume that the water in the 10 G tank is matured water and that the gravel and decor are also matured and established. Yes, you can transfer everything across, but what you should do first is have some of the matured water put into a quarantine tank and transfer your fish into that tank whilst you transfer everything else across.
2. There will be a lot of mess and water in the transfer process.
3. once you have transferred the gravel and decor across to your new tank you can top it top with raw water and then you will need to leave it to settle for a few days. You can decrease this settling time with a anti suspension solution such as Acruel F.
4. Floating a carbon pad does very little to carry beneficial bacteria, in fact carbon acts like a sponge sucking up all the "bad" stuff and when it's full simply dumps it back into the water, so I would advise caution.
5. As to your filter, my advice is purchase and use the best filter you can afford. You can never get a filter system that is too good for your tank. No filtration system will harm your fishtank within common sense reason.

Once the tank is settled and all is working well, test the water and if it's fine then transfer your fish into the tank slowly. Testing the water daily for signs of any peaks in the "bad" stuff. I know this is put in a nutshell and the reality is harder, but I hope I've helped in some smal way.

Dragon, you have helped, thank you very much, but a few more questions...

So, you are saying I need to buy a bigger/stronger filter for the 20? Well, wouldn't I have to soak the bio-wheel from the new filter? I mean, soak it in my established 10 gallon? Otherwise, the 20 gallon will have to cycle again, right?

Now, regarding transfering my established water to the 20 gallon.... So, I'll put the angels and ottos in a bucket with established water from my 10? I can't keep them in the bucket for days can I (while the other tank water is "settling"?


Regarding the filter carbon.... O.K., so I need to just replace my old filter carbon pad with the new filter carbon pad? You are saying there is no need to get the filter carbon pad filled with beneficial bacteria first. My tank will not go through a mini-cycle because of this? How often are you supposed to change filter carbons, anyway?


thanks... I know I have lots of questions and I appreciate input/suggestions/ideas/support from any and everyone.....

 

[freshwatergal]

Ok...this is what I would suggest.

Do half and half on the gravel. Since it is the same color, take half old out of the 10, and replace that with half new. (BTW, what fish are staying in the 10?) If you can, take the filter from the old tank, like you said, and put it on the new tank. It probably would be a good idea to buy a bigger filter for the 20 gal, but I wouldn't worry about that right now. With the old fitler, gravel, and ornaments you should be good to go without worrying about cycling the tank. Once you have the 20 set up, and the temp is alright, go ahead and transfer your fish. Keep an eye on the levels for a few weeks, and you should be good to go.

HTH & Good Luck
Tiff

 

[Cali]

Ok...this is what I would suggest.

Do half and half on the gravel. Since it is the same color, take half old out of the 10, and replace that with half new. (BTW, what fish are staying in the 10?) If you can, take the filter from the old tank, like you said, and put it on the new tank. It probably would be a good idea to buy a bigger filter for the 20 gal, but I wouldn't worry about that right now. With the old fitler, gravel, and ornaments you should be good to go without worrying about cycling the tank. Once you have the 20 set up, and the temp is alright, go ahead and transfer your fish. Keep an eye on the levels for a few weeks, and you should be good to go.

HTH & Good Luck
Tiff

Thank you so much.... that is what I was hoping I could do: transfer everything right away (without having any cycling issues) while keeping a close eye on the levels.


So, tell me, when I end up buying a bigger filter, will I have to soak the new bio wheel in my established tank before I replace the old bio wheel with the new one?

Also, my 10 gallon will be empty. I was going to use it for female bettas, but that might be a little bit much for me right now as I have a Lhasa Apso dog to take care of, too.

...Right now, I'll get my angels set up and see if I can handle more later on, I think.


thanks so much!!!

..any other opinions?

p.s. OH...how often do I change those filter carbon pad things? The one I just got rid of was in their for 4 months! Is that ridiculously long? I didn't know it needed changing.

 

[freshwatergal]

Well, I think the standard is either once a month or once every couple of months. But it all depends on how dirty it gets. How long before you will be able to get a new filter? I think it will be alright to change the bio-wheel and that out, but float the old one in your tank for a couple of days. You could actually add some female betta's to your 20 gal tank. I have 4 in my 46 gal and they add some nice color.

Anyway...HTH & Good Luck
Tiff

 

[Dragonslair]

Carbon filter pad replacement. Well it depends on two things.
1. How many fish you have in the tank and their sizes
2. How dense is the filter pad. Remember the filter pad is only impregnated with tiny molecules of carbon and it is the surface area of carbon that proves it's effectiveness not the carbon itself. Was that too much information? Sorry.
I tend to go in depth with these things sometimes- it shows what a sorry world I live in....lol.

 

[DrOizo]

If i've got this right the carbon isn't there as a place for the bacteria to live on (the blue filter media does this) the activated carbon 'traps' unwanted chemicals and pollutants in the water before they reach the filter media so seeding a carbon pad will have little effect what you want to do is seed a new blue filter pad

 

[thecichlidaddict]

Hey Cali

I'm going to share how I do transfers like this.

First, I'd buy a new filter for the new tank. Then I would run this new filter on the old tank for 1 week. Then I would remove the old filter from the old tank, and just run the new one. This will establish a very healthy bacterial colony in the new filter over a two week period without any impact on the conditions of the water.

FIll a bin with aquarium water and transfer the fish over.

Set up the new tank however you like. Use the old gravel, but rinse it first, there is no sense in introducing fish waste into your new clean tank. Fill it with new water, and place the old filter on the new tank. This is just to get the water moving while you heat it up to the right temperature, which is the same as what the fish are currently in.

Transfer the fish and new filter to the tank at once. You now have a successful switch and a cycled new tank. Testing the water for ammonia and nitrites for the first week is still a good idea to make sure it all went smoothly.

The reason why I did not recommend using the old water is because there is no benefit to it. The bacteria we are trying to preserve is in the filter, and on surfaces in the tank, not free swimming in the water. You can transfer the old water if you want.

As for carbon, one a month is the most you should replace it if you want it to remain effective. I stopped using carbon altogether many years ago though.

good luck!

 

[Cali]

Thank you guys.... I feel much better about this now. I truely appreciate all the wonderful advise and input.