Ok, i guess im not exactly new to fish keeping (maybe in comparison to some) but i just want some advice about transferring my fish to a bigger tank. Obviously i have to cycle my tank with fish, but is it safe to do it with the ones ive got?? When i first started up my 90 liter, it was my first attempt and i lost a few to whitespot, which i was told i probably would, but i now want to set up a 190 liter, and ive been told i can transfer the water from my original to my new, but is will it be ok to introduce my fish to a tank with a whole new 100 liters of tap water?
New Tank
- Thread starter prue07
- Start date
Corleone
Fish Herder
The new water isn't a problem. In fact, I didn't save any water when I upgraded from 30 gallons to 55. It won't hurt, but the bacteria you want to save aren't free swimming in any meaningful numbers.
The bacteria that process ammonia primarily live in the filter. Are you moving all the fish? If so, you can transfer all of your filter media into the new filter and move the fish over. That way you'll be keeping nearly your whole biofilter. Just be on the lookout for a minicycle - I had low ammonia readings for about a week when I upgraded.
The bacteria that process ammonia primarily live in the filter. Are you moving all the fish? If so, you can transfer all of your filter media into the new filter and move the fish over. That way you'll be keeping nearly your whole biofilter. Just be on the lookout for a minicycle - I had low ammonia readings for about a week when I upgraded.
Actually i was thinking of selling my other tank along with the filters etc because they were undergravel, which i didnt want for the new tank. I have a small one, but ive upgraded to a CF1000, Aqua one filter. Do you think it will still be ok if i dont use the filters from the first? Im saving the water because i live in a drought ridden country and hate the idea of wasting any water whatsoever haha, i think my boyfriend hates it, but it should do no harm should it?
JenCliBee
PleC & CorY MaD
its not the filters them selves which need 2 be moved over it's the media inside the filters moving water alone will not make a tank safe for fish and u would have 2 cycle ur new tank properly before adding fish, u have 2 move the media over as this is where the bacteria is not in the water itself
jen
jen
yeah, thats what i realised when i re read the post, sorry. But as i said, i dont have filter media as i used under gravel filers. What im doing is doing a water change on my smaller tank, but not getting rid of any of the dirty water that i remove. Then il add that to the new one, and wait a couple days for the water to settle before i add my fish. Will this work?
Corleone
Fish Herder
Edit: The new tank will be uncycled. Since you're concerned about wasting water, you'll want to avoid that, since it'll call for many water changes to get through.
This might have been covered in another thread, but what's the reason doing a fishless cycle while the fish are still safe in the established tank isn't an option?
This might have been covered in another thread, but what's the reason doing a fishless cycle while the fish are still safe in the established tank isn't an option?
JenCliBee
PleC & CorY MaD
not really as previosley said the bacteria sits in filter media if u havent got any in ur tank 2 swap over then ur new tank wont be cycled just by adding the water. making it unsuitable conditions for ur fish 2 be moved over f u could get some media out of a friends or LFS tanks then that will probably work but running undergravel filters on a tank in opinion isnt suffiecient enough anyways u really need an internal or external filter that holds media for bacteria 2 grow 
jen
jen
I thought doing a cycle required fish to be in the tank, something i learned off the forum 
...this isn't correct? with an undergravel filter, you use no filter media, its just the grate and the pipes coming off it. No sponges, ceramics or anything like that. If i use completely fresh water in a new tank with a new filter and no bacteria, how will the cycle start without fish? im getting a little confused.. I did have a little filter in the tank, with a square sponge...but how can i just tranfer the sponge..where will i put it?
...this isn't correct? with an undergravel filter, you use no filter media, its just the grate and the pipes coming off it. No sponges, ceramics or anything like that. If i use completely fresh water in a new tank with a new filter and no bacteria, how will the cycle start without fish? im getting a little confused.. I did have a little filter in the tank, with a square sponge...but how can i just tranfer the sponge..where will i put it?Corleone
Fish Herder
You heard that on this forum? I'm sorry you hit on some bad advice - most of the helpers on this forum don't advise fish for cycling, though there's a lot of threads helping people through such cycles they were already in, it's not recommended to start one.
You'll want to read this thread. (Edit: Holy cow my formatting broke that link - hopefully this is readable)
Fish-in cycling used to be the standard, but better understanding of the biology and chemistry involved in the last decade has created better alternatives.
You use an artificial ammonia source instead of fish. Certain types of household ammonia (details of what's good and bad is covered in the thread) are easiest, since you can control what's added and monitor the progress easily, but failing that there's other less precise options.
It has a lot of advantages over cycling with fish, and at the end of it, you'll be able to safely move all your existing fish in, as well as increase the stocking levels right out of the gate without the threat of a mini-cycle.
You'll want to read this thread. (Edit: Holy cow my formatting broke that link - hopefully this is readable)
Fish-in cycling used to be the standard, but better understanding of the biology and chemistry involved in the last decade has created better alternatives.
You use an artificial ammonia source instead of fish. Certain types of household ammonia (details of what's good and bad is covered in the thread) are easiest, since you can control what's added and monitor the progress easily, but failing that there's other less precise options.
It has a lot of advantages over cycling with fish, and at the end of it, you'll be able to safely move all your existing fish in, as well as increase the stocking levels right out of the gate without the threat of a mini-cycle.
Corleone
Fish Herder
3-4 weeks. It does tend to go in fits and bursts, though, sometimes it does become a waiting game just daring the numbers to change for a few days, and sometimes it'll just steam ahead several days progress overnight, but in general its faster than fish-in cycling (considering the stocking levels at the end of the cycle, especially), and it's a lot less work and worry either way.
Miss Wiggle
Practically perfect in every way
another option is to take the new filter, run it on the old tank for 2-4 weeks, the bacteria will colonise the new filter and cycle it for you, then you mvoe the new filter onto the new tank, fill it up and transfer fish over. a worst you'll get a mini cycle but you should get away without it, that seems the easiest way to me!
wow, thats seems clever. Maybe i'l try that.. thanks miss wiggle and everyone for all your help! Just one more thing..is the purpose of cycling a tank and establishing bacteria to ensure that all the waste your fish produce will be consumed by the bacteria rather than remain in the tank producing excess amounts of ammonia? Because if you have a good enough filter and only a few fish, wont that happen anyway??
Corleone
Fish Herder
The waste itself will sit in the gravel and decay, producing ammonia. The purpose of cycling the tank is to ensure that the ammonia is consumed, not the waste itself. Having a strong filter won't do anything without the bacteria - even if it's strong enough to suck the fish poop out of the gravel, the waste will just be inside the filter releasing ammonia, which will be dumped back into the tank until the bacteria grow to eat it.
tenohfive
Always room for one more tank...
Yes and no. The filter does nothing to take care of the ammonia in its own right, its the bacteria that will colonise the filter media that do the work of breaking down the ammonia (which is harmful to your fish.)
If you haven't already, buy a decent testing kit-either that or make sure you're doing frequent water changes to ensure if a mini cycle occurs, you're removing the ammonia by water change.
Heres your options (in my limited experience) in order of how sensible they are.
1. Run your new filter in your old tank as Miss W said, and after a few weeks move it into your new tank.
2. Transfer your filter media from the old to the new filter, add new filter to new tank and move fish across. Monitor water quality with testing kit in case of a mini cycle, and if you get any ammonia showing on the test's do lots of water changes.
3. Keep your fish in your old tank and do a fishless cycle on the new one.
Option one means a) no water wasted and b) minimum risk to your fish.
If you haven't already, buy a decent testing kit-either that or make sure you're doing frequent water changes to ensure if a mini cycle occurs, you're removing the ammonia by water change.
Heres your options (in my limited experience) in order of how sensible they are.
1. Run your new filter in your old tank as Miss W said, and after a few weeks move it into your new tank.
2. Transfer your filter media from the old to the new filter, add new filter to new tank and move fish across. Monitor water quality with testing kit in case of a mini cycle, and if you get any ammonia showing on the test's do lots of water changes.
3. Keep your fish in your old tank and do a fishless cycle on the new one.
Option one means a) no water wasted and b) minimum risk to your fish.
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