Hiya,

I would like to ask for some advice on transferring an existing tank to another bigger tank. The existing tank is my 18inch planted tank (Details here ). I would like to put everything in this tank into a 50cm cube tank. I would like to ask, what is the best way to do this.

The tank currently just holds some plants, but the water is quite old. I was thinking emptying the 50cm cube, give it a quick scrub, then take all the plants and fish (out of my 18inch) and put them in buckets. Then take the water out and put them with the fish. The gravel, I would like to take it out and give it a quick wash then mix the gravel with Red Sea's gravel enricher and place it in the 50cm cube. Add some stored water from my storage water tank (currently a 4X2X2 with air pump, filter, UV sterilizer and heater, tap water is placed in and stored for a week before using the water for waters changes for other tanks) and add the filter, heater and co2 unit. Let it run for an hour or so, and then aquascape it. Leave it for another few hours and add the fish.

I dont know if this is suitable, thus asking for your advise.

Thanks
Mango :wub:

Clean what ever you want right. But the new tank must be at least 50% full of the old tanks water. Run the filters on it for at least 2 or so hours with everything that you want in it already as this will add all the good bactiria to your new tank. Then add the fish.

Yea you're absolutely gonna want to use as much from the exsisting tank in the new one to minimize the cycling process. What kind of fish are they? YOu may need to keep as much of the exsisting tank running as you can while the new one cycles.

Yep, as much of the old water and filter media as possible...I wouldn't even touch the filters, just move them to the new tank...do not let anything from the old tank touch chlorianated water, so treat the new water before you add it to the new tank.....What kind of filtration are you using?

If you are buying a new filter to go with the new tank then be sure to transfer over a bit of the old media to help jumpstart the bacteria colonies in the new filter.

If you do it right, you shouldn't have any break in or "cycling" period with the new tank...also, make sure the temperature is the same in the old tank as in the new, you can mix hot and cold water in a bucket untill you get the right temp, then treat your water with waterever it is you use (amquel, prime, salts, buffers, whatever you need for your particular water parameters)...if you are careful to match the temps and chemistry then you should be able to just "net and splash" your fish once the new tank is ready for their addition....It should be no more stressful than a decent sized water change...

Good luck!

What im going to do is use all of the water in the old tank and transferr it into the bigger tank. All the equipement is the same as the old tank. The only thing new is the tank. Im just worried about the gravel...the gravel havent been touched for a long time so it should be very dirty, especially for all those catfish in it. If i clean the gravel...will it kill the bacteria in it?

Fish wise...a few guppies, 3 abino bn (1.5inch), 5 common bn (1.5inch), some sparkling gourami, a gold plec (1inch) and a Sailfin Pleco (2cm).

depends on what you mean by "clean"....

Soaps, detergent, bleach etc should always be avoided when cleaning the aquarium....(although with proper rinsing and dechlorinating bleach can be used to steralize rocks...but it should be used with extreme caution)

It also depends on if you run an under gravel filter (UGF) or not...if you are not going to run a UGF then go ahead and rinse maybe half the gravel....if you are going to use a UGF then you need to just move the gravel and not rinse it in chlorinated water...Ideally, if you HAVE to clean the gravel I would buy a bottle of distilled or dechlorinated water and use that to rinse it....

Cleaning the equipment is just scrubing it with a sponge, no chemicals. Im only having an internal filter, heater and co2 unit, thats it. Internals seem great in my planted tanks. Gravel is going to be cleaned in aquarium water, then adding the RedSea gravel enhancer into the gravel, mix it well and then into the aquarium. The water from the old tank is going into the new tank then I will start to plant away. I got recommended to put all equipment into the tank with the plants etc for 2hours b4 the fish goes in.

That sounds like a plan!

Just an update, I done the plan on Sunday night @ 11pm to Monday morning @ 2am. All seems good, fish and plants are happy but cloudy water. On Monday night, the water was cystal clear, fish are feeding...which is good. Today I bought meself a bag of AquaClay substrate...very lite stuff...gave it a nice wash and redone the gravel. Now the bottom layer is the lite clay and the top is the black gravel. The water is coudy once again. I also some water which filled the tank...the water now is 2/3 filled in the tank. Hopefully the water is clear over night and should have some pics soon. I noticed the filter isnt big enough...i need to get another filter from somewhere...or purchase another small filter.

Hope all goes well
Mango yoda

I would purchase the size filter that you want, but let it run for about 2 to 3 weeks before taking out the old filter, that way the new one will have time to establish enough bacteria. I keep the filter for my quarentine tank going in my main tank at all times and when I need to use the quarantine tank I just fill with water to same temp. declorinate it then add the filter and its ready to go. Tank doesn't cycle as the bacteria is already there.