Tank Upgrade, What Is The Best Way To Do This?

[JasonMichael]

Hi guys,

Upgrading my tank from 60l to 350l this week, what is the best way to do this?

Can I mix in all of my old media with the new media to help build this process up? If so, will my fish be okay in my 60l tank for a few hours until the 350l tank sets up?

Or is it recommended to do a 'fish-less cycle' with the new media only in the 350l tank and get that established? I want to do this the quickest and easiest way possible, any advice would be greatly appreciated on the process!

Thanks

 

[delta]

Hi there

always exciting upgrading.

When I upgraded from my dinky little 90L tank to the 200L I merely ran the old filter alongside the new filter in the new tank and all was well. Just add any new extra fish slowly so the media can catch up. This way you can transfer the existing fish as soon as the new tank water is up to temp.

Looking forward to pictures

 

[Alm0stAwesome]

You should set your new tank up adding water and getting the temperature right and then when you are ready to move the fish over just remove the media from your old filter and put it into the new filter. Then add fish and you're done! If you need to remove substrate etc. from your old tank to put it into the new tank then you'll need to remove your fish into buckets while this is all going on. They should be fine for a couple of hours. If you are able to run a heater and airstone in the bucket - then that's even better.

I don't recommend the run both filters at once method because then you just end up with bacteria split between the two filters.

 

[JasonMichael]

Hi there

always exciting upgrading.

When I upgraded from my dinky little 90L tank to the 200L I merely ran the old filter alongside the new filter in the new tank and all was well. Just add any new extra fish slowly so the media can catch up. This way you can transfer the existing fish as soon as the new tank water is up to temp.

Looking forward to pictures

Oh great, so just pop in my internal filter in the tank and run it for how long? a few weeks and then place the old media into the new filter with that media?

Thanks, very excited but also want to make sure I'm doing this all right!! Bit nervous about it haha

 

[JasonMichael]

You should set your new tank up adding water and getting the temperature right and then when you are ready to move the fish over just remove the media from your old filter and put it into the new filter. Then add fish and you're done! If you need to remove substrate etc. from your old tank to put it into the new tank then you'll need to remove your fish into buckets while this is all going on. They should be fine for a couple of hours. If you are able to run a heater and airstone in the bucket - then that's even better.

I don't recommend the run both filters at once method because then you just end up with bacteria split between the two filters.

Hmmm, sounds good! Do I place in the old media with the NEW media all in one? And if so do I need to then remove anything down the track or just leave it all together? Do I not need to worry about the water conditions (like pH, ammonia etc..) in the new tank as the filter holds all this and I'll be placing it into the new one? (Sorry, might seem like a silly question but just want to make sure I'm doing this 110% haha)

 

[delta]

Well, that's what I did. I can see where AlmostAwesome is coming from regarding the bacteria being split, but in my case I wanted to run the two filters as I didn't feel that one supplied with the tank was strong enough on its own. I planned to upgrade to an external. If you feel that you have a large enough new filter do what AA says an place the old filter media in to the new filter. It's the bacteria that's the important stuff.

 

[JasonMichael]

Well, that's what I did. I can see where AlmostAwesome is coming from regarding the bacteria being split, but in my case I wanted to run the two filters as I didn't feel that one supplied with the tank was strong enough on its own. I planned to upgrade to an external. If you feel that you have a large enough new filter do what AA says an place the old filter media in to the new filter. It's the bacteria that's the important stuff.

Ahh I see, no worries! I have an external filter (for my new tank) so it should do the job! So just confirming, once I fill it up with water and condition it, temperature is right, I can move all the old media and place it in with the NEW media in the filter, transfer the fish and live plants over and it's all good? I won't be moving my substrate as I have gravel in my old tank and in my new tank I'll be using sand.

 

[Alm0stAwesome]

Hmmm, sounds good! Do I place in the old media with the NEW media all in one? And if so do I need to then remove anything down the track or just leave it all together? Do I not need to worry about the water conditions (like pH, ammonia etc..) in the new tank as the filter holds all this and I'll be placing it into the new one? (Sorry, might seem like a silly question but just want to make sure I'm doing this 110% haha)

If there is room yeah just cram it all in lol - even if you have to cut it to fit - it's allll good If you feel it's too tight a squeeze you can cut sections out of your new filter media to fit the old stuff in. Don't worry you'r not going to danage anything it can be wedged in any whicha way. One thing I would do though. If you are moving to an external filter, is to put the old media near the bottom trays of the filter so that the bacteria is pushed up and spread throughout the new filter media. Your pH should be pretty much the same in the new tank I would think. If you're worried you can reacclimatise the fish just like you would do if you just bought them - but it's probably not needed as long as the temperatures between the two tanks are the same, that would be the biggest shock to them since you old tank is filled with the same tapwater as your new tank will be.

I feel like I really rambled on there haha, hope it made sense!

 

[hensonc4098]

Hmmm, sounds good! Do I place in the old media with the NEW media all in one? And if so do I need to then remove anything down the track or just leave it all together? Do I not need to worry about the water conditions (like pH, ammonia etc..) in the new tank as the filter holds all this and I'll be placing it into the new one? (Sorry, might seem like a silly question but just want to make sure I'm doing this 110% haha)

Yep, squash it all in. Cut it up if you need to

Down the line, if you plan on setting up your 60l again as well as your new 350l, you can take some of the media back out of the filter that you've put in and use it in the filter for the 60l. Only after a couple of months though so that the 350l has had time to settle down and get its own bacteria.
No need to worry about water conditions. The majority of the water is going to be pretty much the same as its the same water coming out of your tap. Transfer the water if you like, but there's no need. It doesn't hold any benefit to the tank. As long as it's dechlorinated and up to temp when you add your filter and fish, it'll be fine.
Avoid putting the lights on straight away when you put the fish in - I know it's exciting and reaaaaally tempting to have a good look once you've got it set up, but leave them off at least for a few hours, even till the next day, to give the fish some time to settle into their new home before being all lit up

 

[JasonMichael]

Hmmm, sounds good! Do I place in the old media with the NEW media all in one? And if so do I need to then remove anything down the track or just leave it all together? Do I not need to worry about the water conditions (like pH, ammonia etc..) in the new tank as the filter holds all this and I'll be placing it into the new one? (Sorry, might seem like a silly question but just want to make sure I'm doing this 110% haha)

If there is room yeah just cram it all in lol - even if you have to cut it to fit - it's allll good If you feel it's too tight a squeeze you can cut sections out of your new filter media to fit the old stuff in. Don't worry you'r not going to danage anything it can be wedged in any whicha way. One thing I would do though. If you are moving to an external filter, is to put the old media near the bottom trays of the filter so that the bacteria is pushed up and spread throughout the new filter media. Your pH should be pretty much the same in the new tank I would think. If you're worried you can reacclimatise the fish just like you would do if you just bought them - but it's probably not needed as long as the temperatures between the two tanks are the same, that would be the biggest shock to them since you old tank is filled with the same tapwater as your new tank will be.

I feel like I really rambled on there haha, hope it made sense!

No no not at all that made sense!! Haha thanks heaps I'm a little more relaxed now haha. I just asked delta but ill check with you too for confirmation, once I fill my tank up with water and condition it, temperature is right, I can move all the old media and place it in with the NEW media in the filter, transfer the fish and live plants over and it's all good? I won't be moving my substrate as I have gravel in my old tank and in my new tank I'll be using sand.

 

[JasonMichael]

Hmmm, sounds good! Do I place in the old media with the NEW media all in one? And if so do I need to then remove anything down the track or just leave it all together? Do I not need to worry about the water conditions (like pH, ammonia etc..) in the new tank as the filter holds all this and I'll be placing it into the new one? (Sorry, might seem like a silly question but just want to make sure I'm doing this 110% haha)

Yep, squash it all in. Cut it up if you need to

Down the line, if you plan on setting up your 60l again as well as your new 350l, you can take some of the media back out of the filter that you've put in and use it in the filter for the 60l. Only after a couple of months though so that the 350l has had time to settle down and get its own bacteria.
No need to worry about water conditions. The majority of the water is going to be pretty much the same as its the same water coming out of your tap. Transfer the water if you like, but there's no need. It doesn't hold any benefit to the tank. As long as it's dechlorinated and up to temp when you add your filter and fish, it'll be fine.
Avoid putting the lights on straight away when you put the fish in - I know it's exciting and reaaaaally tempting to have a good look once you've got it set up, but leave them off at least for a few hours, even till the next day, to give the fish some time to settle into their new home before being all lit up

Wow awesome, not as hard as I thought by the way do I run my external filter while the water is heating up etc.. or should I wait until my fish are in the new tank with the old media and new media together, then turn it on? Or can I turn it on while the water is heating up with the new media only?

 

[Alm0stAwesome]

You can run it at the same time, but there's no benefit (unless you've got an external heater ) and it'll just fill with water making it more of a pain to add your old media later. Be sure to rinse all of your new media well before using it, it may cloud you water otherwise.

I just asked delta but ill check with you too for confirmation, once I fill my tank up with water and condition it, temperature is right, I can move all the old media and place it in with the NEW media in the filter, transfer the fish and live plants over and it's all good? I won't be moving my substrate as I have gravel in my old tank and in my new tank I'll be using sand.

I would move the plants first as you don't want your hands in there stressing the fish out more after you've moved them. Plus it's WAY easier to catch fish in a tank without plants and ornaments. You'll be better to lower the water level when you're trying to catch them as well

 

[alistairw]

What fiter did you end up going for?

Don't worry about transferring over the filter, it really does work!! I did it a couple of weeks ago when mine brok and I was that paranoid I was testing the water whenever a fish went near the surface!!!

I think you should be OK running your filter while the water is heating up. I am not really sure if the water temp will affect your bacteria. It may be worth just waiting till you water is up to temp, get the filter started and then you can put your fish in.

Hopefully someone more experienced can clarify this for you!

 

[JasonMichael]

You can run it at the same time, but there's no benefit (unless you've got an external heater ) and it'll just fill with water making it more of a pain to add your old media later. Be sure to rinse all of your new media well before using it, it may cloud you water otherwise.

I just asked delta but ill check with you too for confirmation, once I fill my tank up with water and condition it, temperature is right, I can move all the old media and place it in with the NEW media in the filter, transfer the fish and live plants over and it's all good? I won't be moving my substrate as I have gravel in my old tank and in my new tank I'll be using sand.

I would move the plants first as you don't want your hands in there stressing the fish out more after you've moved them. Plus it's WAY easier to catch fish in a tank without plants and ornaments. You'll be better to lower the water level when you're trying to catch them as well

Sounds great, thanks heaps for the advice! All ready to go now! Just gotta pick up the lovely 350l tomorrow *fingers crossed*

 

[JasonMichael]

What fiter did you end up going for?

Don't worry about transferring over the filter, it really does work!! I did it a couple of weeks ago when mine brok and I was that paranoid I was testing the water whenever a fish went near the surface!!!

I think you should be OK running your filter while the water is heating up. I am not really sure if the water temp will affect your bacteria. It may be worth just waiting till you water is up to temp, get the filter started and then you can put your fish in.

Hopefully someone more experienced can clarify this for you!

I ended up with the Fluval 406, if I find I need more filtration down the track I'll add another its easy to use etc... and generally people enjoy it! Awesome man, thanks for the tips