I have a 5 gallon tank and want to move my fish into a 10 gallon..Should I wait 24hrs after filling the?

Question

tank before adding my fish? I don't want to cause them undo stress.

Answer 1

Yes you need to make sure the water is at the proper pH level.
And when you do transfer them put them into a plastic bag with water a 1 gal. Ziploc will do fine. Then set the bag in the tank with the fish in the bag and let the temperature of the water match approx 10-15 Minn. You do not want to just dump them in. That could cause stress which in turn causes ick. (stress disease for fish) and it can kill them.

Answer 2

You want to make sure that your water is properly cycled before adding the new fish. You already have that great headstart because your water, presumably, is already cycled in your 5 gallon tank. I would start by transferring all your gravel, decorations, plants, etc. to the new tank. Then transfer the filter. Don't clean any of these things. Transfer them just as they are so that you retain all of the beneficial bacteria that has developed on and in these things. Dont' let them dry out as this will kill the beneficial bacteria. Then remove your fish into a temporary holding tank or bucket treated with Amquel, and transfer all of the water from your 5 gallon tank into the 10 gallon tank and just add 5 more gallons of new water that has already been sitting for 24 hours and has been treated with Amquel. Make sure that the new water is the same temperature as the old water. This procedure is just like doing a 50% water change and, other than the stress of the transfer, you should have no problem at all with the fish. I would suggest, however, that you test the water, get a master test kit if you don't have one, just to be sure that your water quality stays good. Good luck and I'm glad you're upgrading!

Answer 3

To answer your question directly, yes you do need to wait 24 hours after filling your 10 gallon tank. Adding water conditioner is a good idea too because it helps speed up the process of removing chlorine and other heavy metals, but you still need to wait for 24 hours before adding the fish. To help your fish not stress over the new tank, make sure that the temperature in the 5 gallon tank is relatively close to the temperature in the new tank, and add each fish with a cup half full of the de chlorinated water and place the cup into the water. Do not pour the fish in, it will cause it to be confused and stressed out.

Answer 4

The only way this would be okay is if you're using the gravel (or bacteria) and filter from their old tank.

One or two days isn't long enough for the bacterial population that converts the ammonia and nitrite to nitrate to build up. Without the bacteria, you will be exposing your fish to unhealthy amounts of ammonia and nitrite (both of these are toxic to fish) and they may die unless you're planning to do lots of water changes in the next few weeks.

Here's what you can do (even today). Start by rinsing out the inside of the 10 gallon tank. Put half the water from the old tank in. Slowly fill up the 5 gallon tank and fill the 10 gallon HALFWAY with fresh water about the same temperature as the water in the tanks now (add whatever you use to take the chlorine out of the water before you put it the tanks!). Then put in the gravel according to the following directions:

1) If you're going to use the old gravel, then move it from the 5 gallon tank (without cleaning it and keeping it wet) to the new one. After about 15 minutes, you should be able to move the fish, the water from the old tank, and filter to the new tank.

2) If you're using all new gravel, rinse it first then put it in the new tank. Take the old gravel out of the tank with the fish by using a net. Put the fish and the water from the old tank into your new tank.

Now, all you have to do is fill the tank the rest of the way with fresh, dechlorinated water.

If you have a new filter, it would be okay to run both on the 10 gallon tank - it will help since your water will be cloudy from the gravel, but this "dirt" is where the bacteria are and you want these to stay in the tank or filter. You should be able to adjust the flow if it's too strong for your fish. You should be able to take the old filter off in a few days.

This may sound like a lot of work, but it will be better (and healthier) for your fish. (see links below)

Answer 5

This is what you do
1-Fill the new tank half way with freshwater and declorinate it and heat it if you have tropical fish if you have goldfish dont worry about heating.
2-If you want the tank cycle to occur quickly, buy some stresszyme(a concentrated nitrogenating bacteria sold in all fish stores)
3-move half of the gravel from the old tank into the new tank so that the bacterial bed still exists.
4-after 12 hours preceed to put the rest of the gravel and all the water in the 5 gallon tank into the 10 gallon tank. Then wait about 12 hours and put the rest of your fish in. Or if your fish are small you can just put them in with the aquariums water.

Answer 6

I'd use as much of the water from the 5 gallon assuming everything is good there. Going to a 10 (or larger) is a great idea. Also use all the gravel and do not clean it.
One thing that will make the transfer less stressful is to use water conditioners to remove chlorine, help establish the biological filter, and reduce stress would be Stress Zyme and Stress Coat from API.
http://www.aquariumpharm.com/en_us/productCategory.asp?categoryname=WaterConditioners
You can get a package with small bottles of both products very cheaply. This will easily be enough to get you started with the 10 gallon. There will be no waiting period either.
Good luck.

Answer 7

I've also heard that filling a bucket with water and letting it sit for 24 hours is the best way to de-chlorinate water, due to it being a gas and evaporating over time. personaly id add the water to the tank, put the fish in, then add 25% of the total water in carbon filterd tap water thts been sitting for 24 hours, then fill the other 25% the following day using the same method, i have a bucket of water that sits in the corner of the bathroom everynight for the next day, its good to put a preset stubby heater (50watt,79 degree) in the bucket with an airstone, i use 79 because all my tanks are around 79. Its best to keep away from all te chemical healing aids, as the eco-system will become dependant on them, the only remedy u really need to use is aquarium salt, it helps the fish with their slime coat and helps them resist ick, just put under the recommended specifications, but, since it is a mineral, it will raise the ph over time, so dont use it often. In rare cases, i result to using natural bacteria boosters such as API's Stress Zyme, it contains dual action live bactieria and is a biological filtration booster and speeds up the development of the biological filter, works pretty darn good for me.

Answer 8

It would be better to let the 10 gallon tank set for 24hours some say 24hours to 48hours but they are already in a tank so I would let the new tank settle for 24hours. The best way to really do it is to maybe put some of the old water in the new tank that way it will settle quicker to them. Or even but them in plastic bags, the ones that they use in the pet stores, put a fish in a bag with the old water and set the bag in the new water for about 30min or so then let them go. But put the old water that is in the bag in the new tank. That way the will be used to it...

Answer 9

You need to wait at least twenty four hours, and make sure you put stress coat in their water. I would also recommend only filling their tank half way, and then use the rest of your old water. Otherwise, you have not allowed the water to be cycled, and may kill your fish.

Answer 10

You are moving fish from a teeny tiny home to a tiny home. Try going to at least a 20 gallon, it doesn't cost that much more and the equipment is the same.