jono_nz Posted February 16, 2014 Report Share Posted February 16, 2014 So I've had my small 35L tank running for a year, and think it must be time to finally upgrade my tank! (Something I've been trying to fight off for a while...) Anyway, so I'm currently looking at getting an Aquaone 620, but I'm not too sure about the steps to upgrade. My understanding so far is that if I have established media, I should be using them all in my new tank, so if I transfer everything over the bio-load should still be the same. If I do this, I should not need to cycle my new tank, right? Although I am also assuming that if I transfer the substrate (fluorite in this case) I might be hurting some of the bacteria colonies in there, so I am expecting a slight ammonia/nitr*te spike, and will just keep up with the water changes. But essentially, I should be able to move my fish over to the new tank instantly, right? Unfortunately I don't really have the room in my house to have both tanks running concurrently, which is why I'd like the change to go as quickly and smoothly as possible. I'm intending to do the following: 1. Move all the fish to a new home (i.e., bucket) 2. Empty the water of the 35L tank to around 1/4 3. Move the substrate & plants, and attach filter 4. Move the old tank from its current perch, and move the new tank there 5. Fill new tank with a bit of the old water, and reintroduce fish (?) 6. Top off with new water 7. Fin! Now as all my projects go they don't typically go according to plan, so I'm hoping you guys would be able to help with figuring what I should or should not do before hand. I'm not particularly sure if I should do #5 or #6 in any particular order, or if I should have standing water set aside to match the parameters of the old tank as closely as possible, in terms of ph, hardness and temperature. I guess I should be doing this anyway, but as I only have one or two 20 litre buckets that I can reliably move around, I don't know if I can add enough water that way. Any help in auditing my moving steps would be appreciated! Some other questions: I intend to add bronze cories into my tank as well, but hear that fluorite will ruin their barbels, so was thinking that I'd mix my fluorite with some other dark sand substrate - any recommendations? Should I also be worried about the sand compacting? I'm intending this to be a planted tank. I was also thinking of adding a piece of driftwood into the tank - how do you guys prepare this? I heard that people boil driftwood but I don't really have a pot large enough for it... Would maintenance of this be as usual with other ornaments - taking it out of the tank and cleaning once every month? Thanks everyone Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blueether Posted February 16, 2014 Report Share Posted February 16, 2014 1. Move all the fish to a new home (i.e., bucket) 2. Empty the water of the 35L tank to as little as possible 3. Move the substrate & plants, and attach filter 4. Move the old tank from its current perch, and move the new tank there 5. Fill new tank with a bit of the old water 6. add dechlorinator 7. Top off with new water 8. And then reintroduce fish The changes I'd make, but more or less the same. "I was also thinking of adding a piece of driftwood into the tank - how do you guys prepare this?" Pick it off the beach/river and throw it in tank, maybe wash the sand/dirt off Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sophia Posted February 16, 2014 Report Share Posted February 16, 2014 I would put as much of the water from the old tank into the new tank. As the new tank is that much bigger than the old one, 35L would only be 'a bit' anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ira Posted February 16, 2014 Report Share Posted February 16, 2014 My advice would be to not go from one tiny tank to another tiny tank. Get a medium sized one, at least a 4X2X2. There are heaps for sale around Auckland. Not much point bothering with a tank any smaller than that. :slfg: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jono_nz Posted February 16, 2014 Author Report Share Posted February 16, 2014 The changes I'd make, but more or less the same. "I was also thinking of adding a piece of driftwood into the tank - how do you guys prepare this?" Pick it off the beach/river and throw it in tank, maybe wash the sand/dirt off Thanks! I promise you dechlorinator was something I intended in the list as well :sml2: With regards to topping off water then adding fish - will I have to reacclimate them? Or should I just try to match the water parameters to as close as I can? (On that note, I am assuming it's just water hardness, ph and temperature - am I missing anything else important?) With the driftwood, I saw some for sale at my LFS - is there any point to getting those or am I just wasting my money? Also, do I just add in the driftwood after washing as I'm setting up the new tank or should I let it sit in water for a bit? Sorry about these possibly obvious questions - I've never really looked into adding these before! I would put as much of the water from the old tank into the new tank. As the new tank is that much bigger than the old one, 35L would only be 'a bit' anyway. Thanks - I'll keep this in mind. I wasn't sure if I should even add any of the old water in, but I suppose the more old water I add the less change the fish will have to adapt to. My advice would be to not go from one tiny tank to another tiny tank. Get a medium sized one, at least a 4X2X2. There are heaps for sale around Auckland. Not much point bothering with a tank any smaller than that. :slfg: I definitely want a bigger one - but unfortunately I don't have any room in the house Admittedly, I've got space for an aquarium around 75cm long as opposed to 61 - but I just can't seem to find one that fits properly! I did think about getting one custom made, but just prefer the look of some of the commercial tanks - such as the AquaOne 620 or the Juwel 120. Unfortunately the latter is a little too small for what I'd like, but the next size up (Jewel 125) is too wide! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrienne Posted February 16, 2014 Report Share Posted February 16, 2014 Add as much of the old water as possible otherwise the bacteria in your filter will have nothing to feed on for a few days. Also yes do acclimatise them properly then you know they should be fine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
livingart Posted February 16, 2014 Report Share Posted February 16, 2014 as you have disturbed your substrate you will get a re cycle going on in the tank Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jono_nz Posted February 16, 2014 Author Report Share Posted February 16, 2014 Is it possible to minimize the cycle? I presume if I hook up the old filter to the new tank (An Eheim 2213) and leave it running for the first few weeks (or even permanently), this shouldn't be too much of an issue? For the first few days/weeks I am intending to do daily water tests, and change about 20% water if necessary based on what I read, and slowly reduce the frequency if the water is stabilizing, in hopes that it'll catch any problems early. When the water does stabilize, should I wait a few weeks before adding more fish? Or should I be okay to add a few at a time when I'm back to my weekly water changing? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NoFishing Posted February 17, 2014 Report Share Posted February 17, 2014 It hasn't been mentioned yet but I take it you are filling up the 'holding bucket' with water from your existing tank, then you can obviously just plop your fish straight into the bucket. Then once you have your new tank filled with the remaining old water and new water you can acclimatise the fish in the bucket with the new tank water. You can do this by as easily and just take a jug from the new into the bucket and then a jug from the bucket back to the tank and repeat a suitable amount of times (over a suitable time period) till the water is fairly evenly mixed. And if you left enough space in the new tank you can put the rest of the bucket water in there too once the fish have been moved. As for using fluorite, I have only fluorite in my tanks and both the SAE and the Dwarf Chain loaches dig through it with no damage to their barbells. If anything, they grow. I don't think the fluorite is quite as sharp as it looks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jono_nz Posted April 13, 2014 Author Report Share Posted April 13, 2014 Hi guys! Been a while since I got the aquarium upgraded, but now that I've got everything roughly where I want it to be, I'm finally happy to show some photos: So right now I have 6 bronze cories with 7 gold white clouds (and a single normal variant - survivor of my more inexperienced days :C) I wish I could've taken more pictures of the other bronze cories, but the only one that doesn't run away at any sign of my approach is that massive one in the foreground! I'm still tossing between getting some kind of gourami or ram or just throwing in another school of fish, like tetras. Thanks for everyone who offered suggestions, they definitely helped remove any potential headaches that might have occurred (Although putting that cabinet together was a royal pain in the buttocks!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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