Tank Change

[Daryl]

We currently have a large tank, but its starting to fall apart!

But we are looking to get a new one!

Unfortunately we do not have enough room to set up a second tank to allow it to mature....

...is there a way that we can just move the complete contents of one tank in to the other?

Also how would we go about using a new filtration system (as I was led to believe we should allow it two weeks prior to putting fish in!?)

Thanks for any advice

Daryl

 

[Torrean]

put gravel water ornaments and filter from the old tank into the new and run it with the new filter for two weeks before removing the old filter. As long as you don't add any new fish you should be ok.

 

[simonbrown403]

Idealy i'de get your new filter first, and run it side by side with your exsisting one untill it matured, or you could seed it with some filter medium from your old filter.

TO chang over tanks, i would do is fill a large bucket with tank water and put your fish in..

Save as much water as you can, i tend to do a water change at the same time, becarse you never have enought buckets.

When your tank is empty, with just the gravel in it, pull the tank forward and put the new one in place.

I then use net to scope out the gravel and put it into the new tank,

Pore back all the water and set the filters, heater etc up.

Put the fish back in, and top up with the rest of the water and fresh.

Then you can do your aquascaping

The next day i usuall do a gravel clean to get rid of all the crap thats settled

If your quick they should't be to much of a drop in temp, once the once the water, filter, heater and fish are in you can mess with it to your hearts content.

 

[Tolak]

I had a similar situation some time ago, the tank was ok, the stand was bad. Never use a pressed wood stand, even if you get it for free.

If you are just switching everything over, fish, gravel, filter, etc, to a tank the same or similar size you do not need to cycle anything, or let it mature. Put the gravel & filter media in a bucket, keep it wet. If it's a small tank, put the fish & some water in a bucket or 2. They will be ok for a few hours. Mine was a 55 gallon, stocked pretty heavily, I put the fish in a 20 long I got real fast. Try to save as much water as possible, 50% should be good. Catch fish, empty tank, pull out gravel decos & filtration. Save old tank for a terrarium, spare glass, or a large coffee/end table. Put new tank on stand, add gravel, decos, water & filter. The water may look a little, or a lot nasty, depending on how often you clean the gravel, don't worry, just let the filters run to clear it up. Once it's reasonable clear looking, add the fish. If you keep an eye on the water temp in the buckets & match the tank to that, there is no acclimation process.

If you managed all this congratulations! You just did a 50% water change the hard way! It took me 5 hours, but I took my time.

As far as the new filtration system, if you run the new system along with the old one for 3 or 4 weeks it will pick up bacteria from the old filter, and after that you can pull the old filter.

HTH!

Tolak

 

[Daryl]

All sounds good, however we currently have sand in our tank (that was a mistake!) and are looking to change to gravel in this change.

If we transfer a large amount of the water and run both the new and old filters in the new tank, do you think that this will be OK?

Thanks again

Daryl

 

[Bloo]

It really should be fine