New aquarium?

Question

I'm upgrading to 29 gallon tank from a 16 gallon. If I just siphon the water from the smaller tank and use the same filter and gravel, plus the new filter and a couple extra pounds of new gravel, My tank would pretty much be cycled, right? Is this recommended?

Answer 1

You are right. The majority of the bacteria you need for your cycle is in the filter and gravel. If you move both of those things without letting them dry out or suffer a serious temperature shock you will be basically already cycled. The old water wouldn't really benefit the new tank much at all and isn't really needed. Be sure to treat the gravel and the filter media much like you would when you move fish, the bacteria is living and can be killed if it suffers a serious and rapid change.

Hope that helps and congrats on the new tank!

MM

Answer 2

Yeah but I'd do something a little different. Syphon the gravel like a regular cleaning. Let that water drain away. Don't use the hose you drain your tank with to fill the other. Get a hose from home depot to drain the tank into the other one or just use a clean bucket. You don't have to use much of the water. The fish have to be removed when you take the rocks out. Wash those in old tank water and then put into the aquarium. Put washed new gravel in at this point. Fill remaining water with fresh water. Refurbish your filter and keep the old foam pad or bio media, rinse in old tank water. Make sure the temp stays exactly the same for the fish. Drop them in. I recommend using aged tap water for the change with same declor that you've been using, or even buffered reverse osmosis water. That way the water will be ready to add the fish when you refill it. Watch the ph through out the process. Going from a low ph to a higher ph is not as bad as going from a high ph to a lower one. Its best to keep the ph consistant as you transfer fish from tank to tank. I recommend getting an additional 10 gallon to temporarily house your fish. A new rubbermaid tub, rinsed well might be a cheaper alternative. Do your filter first and use it in the temporary tank, drop the airstones in and the heater too. Then get the new tank all ready. When you change over run your old filter along side with any new filter in the new tank. The tank should not have to recycle, but if you want to be safe, feed your fish half rations for a couple of weeks, and test water daily. If everything tests perfect for the first 3 weeks I think you're safe. Keep the old tank and set it back up and get more new fish!!! Just return old filter to old tank after new filter is established. Hope this helps you.

Answer 3

Absolutely, this is how I've always upgraded (and I've upgraded many times).

First set up the new tank, get it filled with the equipment running. Let it go overnight - this will let the water heat up to match the old tank and aerate. Now it's ready for fish.

Move the filter, gravel, and decoration from the old tank to the new along with the fish. Same bacteria, same fish, same bio-load, and no cycle necessary. To complicate the matter further will only increase the chances of problems. Now that you have room for a few more fish, add them gradually so as to avoid any toxin spikes, and make sure the upgrade has gone smoothly first and the new filter has matured.

After running the old filter with the new one for about two weeks you should be safe to remove the old one (though if the current isn't too strong there's nothing wrong with continuing to run both) And you can use your old water or not, it's really no difference, especially if you maintain the tank properly.

Answer 4

I did the exact same thing i transferred water from my 10g to my 29g and i just let the water settle a little and took my fish net and swished it in the tank to take anything in the water out and then added the fish.

Short answer yes it will work just take debri out of the water with your fish net

Answer 5

Yes and no, depending on your current water conditions. Your tank ( you didnt say) could be overcrowded and that is why you are upgrading.Take a sample of your water to your
local pet store, like petsmart (they have free water testing) and make sure your amonia ( sorry about sp.) levels are not to high because if they are you wont want to use the same water in your new tank.
hope that helps.

Answer 6

Kind of... is the filter on the 16 capable of filtering something nearly twice as large?

Answer 7

i would leave the gravel and filter uncleaned and change all the water