Swapping tanks and the residents

[Michaelt]

Hi,

I've a query, I need to think about downsizing slightly, from 7 tanks to perhaps three. At this point the largest tank is 450l, with several smaller from 70 to 220.

I'm thinking of creating at most three tanks, 1 for Africans, 1 for everyone else, and a smaller as a Q or maternity ward tank. The 450 is the community, it has 1 2400l canister on it, plus a less than smashing internal thing for flow, the cichlids currently have two canisters combined 2400 as well.

Anyways, I'm wondering if I can just remove all the plants, wood and fish from the 450 over to the current chichlid tank, and vice versa, so swapping community and Africans around. If I pretty much empty the cichlid tank, then Refill, plant, scape etc will that be ok for community (from platys to discus), OR should I empty everything from both, clean it all and then return, rescale etc. I was thinking of setting up the three canisters to run via a laundry sink whilst all this was happening with treated water.

Besides probably sitting in plastic bins for awhile, can anyone forsee any issues with doing this?

Thanks

Michael

Ps. Apologies for any bad typing, iPads suck.

[Michaelt]

Hi,

I've a query, I need to think about downsizing slightly, from 7 tanks to perhaps three. At this point the largest tank is 450l, with several smaller from 70 to 220.

I'm thinking of creating at most three tanks, 1 for Africans, 1 for everyone else, and a smaller as a Q or maternity ward tank. The 450 is the community, it has 1 2400l canister on it, plus a less than smashing internal thing for flow, the cichlids currently have two canisters combined 2400 as well.

Anyways, I'm wondering if I can just remove all the plants, wood and fish from the 450 over to the current chichlid tank, and vice versa, so swapping community and Africans around. If I pretty much empty the cichlid tank, then Refill, plant, scape etc will that be ok for community (from platys to discus), OR should I empty everything from both, clean it all and then return, rescale etc. I was thinking of setting up the three canisters to run via a laundry sink whilst all this was happening with treated water.

Besides probably sitting in plastic bins for awhile, can anyone forsee any issues with doing this?

Thanks

Michael

Oh yeh, would it be harmful or ok to leave the substrate in situ? Pretty much just sand/gravel in both of these tanks, or given the differences in water params is this a potential bad idea, and same with the filters, the two that are on the cichlid tank would be much easier left there and vice versa, so could that be a problem?

Ps. Apologies for any bad typing, iPads suck.

[Silverdollarboy2]

Yeah if the substrate is coral sand or something that makes the ph higher you will have to remove that.If the filters have anything that alters the ph you will need to remove that into the new filter.So yes it probably would be better clean out both tanks.

 

[snookie]

Keep media and some tank water , should be fine just try not to let bacteria in media to die , as can cause havoc and may start cycling again....

[Michaelt]

Thanks for the advice guys, I ended up just getting another tank. Not quite the downsizing plan, although its a 400l, so, going to upsize the Africans from the 3 various tanka they are now in, to the single larger tank that is currently doing the 250. I will at least cut down slightly in having two less heaters running and a couple less filters. But the council water bill horrors will continue!

Wish me luck, or should I say wish the fish luck.