Help with shifting fishes from old tank to new

[demonknight]

Hi,

I live in a flat and have a 60 Gallon tank with clown loaches, yo-yos, some juvenile plecos and indo dats. Few days back had a water incident with one of the filter pipes leaking onto the stand [think it's made of plywood]. Long story short, now the wood seems to bulged out at places and am really worried for the tank.

I have no spare tank and since the glass in this tank is also scratched here and there, the wife is asking me to get a new setup done.

So i buy a new setup bring it home. Remove water, gravel, fishes from old tank into buckets. Shift out the old tank, place the new tank there and refill? I run two canister filters. If i keep them oxygenated will they be enough to help cycle the new tank or am i risking it?

What are my options please.

 

[Ihsnshaik]

Never ever put fish in the same day as a new tank running. It won't be cycled. If this was me go to Walmart or Home Depot get some tote containers and get some sponge filters at a lfs. Cycle the sponge filter in your tank for as week or two and then put it in your totes. It's a mini aquarium so they'll be fine.

Do not again I repeat just put your fish in with the new tank.

 

[demonknight]

Never ever put fish in the same day as a new tank running. It won't be cycled. If this was me go to Walmart or Home Depot get some tote containers and get some sponge filters at a lfs. Cycle the sponge filter in your tank for as week or two and then put it in your totes. It's a mini aquarium so they'll be fine.

Do not again I repeat just put your fish in with the new tank.

Thanks. That's what i thought as well. Good to get confirmation from more knowledgeable people I had to google what a tote container was

Shall get a couple and work it out. So keeping the external filter open with an air stone will help keep the bacteria stay alive?

 

[Ihsnshaik]

No problem. Just a heads up pet supplies plus have the dollar per gallon sale you can either buy another tank or get totes. I would get totes much cheaper and you can use it for storage after lol

The bacteria is in the media and substrate so just add those back in the tank and can take a few days to 1 or two weeks to cycle. Take the water to petco or petsmart to get water tested periodically to know when it's cycled.

Sponge filters are your friend I always use them to cycle new tanks and takes a few days for me.

Make sure to put your heaters in the totes You can make a water bridge if you use more than 1 tote.

 

[skjl47]

Remove water, gravel, fishes from old tank into buckets.

Hello; If the old tank was cycled and you have kept the substrate and perhaps some of the other solid items (decorations and such) in water in the buckets, then the beneficial bacteria (bb) you need to start may still be alive. There is not enough information in your initial post to determine if the bb are still good.

An answer to these questions may be of help.
How many days has the substrate from the old tank been in the bucket?

Was the substrate always kept in water?

Has anything soild from the old tank such as decor, live plants, heater, substrate, filter material, live snails and such been in the same buckets as the fish?

If it turns out that your bb are still viable there is no reason to wait for weeks to introduce the fish back into the new setup. You may only need to allow the new setup to run for a time to get the temp stable and to be sure all systems are working as needed. Maybe a day or so. Some of the old substrate can be put into the new tank to seed it with the bb.

There is more but lets see where you stand for now.

 

[skjl47]

Aquarium cycling link below. A long read but with good information.
http://www.americanaquariumproducts.com/nitrogen_cycle.html

 

[Frank Castle]

Never ever put fish in the same day as a new tank running. It won't be cycled. If this was me go to Walmart or Home Depot get some tote containers and get some sponge filters at a lfs. Cycle the sponge filter in your tank for as week or two and then put it in your totes. It's a mini aquarium so they'll be fine.

Do not again I repeat just put your fish in with the new tank.

Really? I just use the old stuff, water and everything....if I move from a 30 gallon to a 60 gallon, I use the old tank water and 30 gallons of fresh dechlorinated water, same filters, gravel, décor, etc. Why not, everything is already cycled....why NOT use your already cultivated natural bacteria? I've done it dozens of times and never had any issues besides the typical "I'm not eating for a week cuz you moved me 3 feet away to a bigger tank"......IMO, it's just the equivalent of a 50% water change with a little stress from moving around. No?

Even new tanks, I pinch bioloads all the time....24 hours, no nitrate or ammonia spikes, stable water quality, good 2 go........




....then again CA/SA-Cichlids are pretty bullet-proof. Thoughts?

Am I just lucky or is it just because my fish just don't care as long as they eat and have caves?

 

[Ihsnshaik]

Really? I just use the old stuff, water and everything....if I move from a 30 gallon to a 60 gallon, I use the old tank water and 30 gallons of fresh dechlorinated water, same filters, gravel, décor, etc. Why not, everything is already cycled....why NOT use your already cultivated natural bacteria? I've done it dozens of times and never had any issues besides the typical "I'm not eating for a week cuz you moved me 3 feet away to a bigger tank"......IMO, it's just the equivalent of a 50% water change with a little stress from moving around. No?

Taking your old water from the old tank will do nothing in terms of beneficial bacteria if anything your polluting the new tank.

This topic is beat to hell. Look up cycling new tank there will be thousands on this
Even new tanks, I pinch bioloads all the time....24 hours, no nitrate or ammonia spikes, stable water quality, good 2 go........




....then again CA/SA-Cichlids are pretty bullet-proof. Thoughts?

Am I just lucky or is it just because my fish just don't care as long as they eat and have caves?

 

[demonknight]

Why not, everything is already cycled....why NOT use your already cultivated natural bacteria?

what i thought as well.

No problem. Just a heads up pet supplies plus have the dollar per gallon sale you can either buy another tank or get totes. I would get totes much cheaper and you can use it for storage after lol

The bacteria is in the media and substrate so just add those back in the tank and can take a few days to 1 or two weeks to cycle. Take the water to petco or petsmart to get water tested periodically to know when it's cycled.

Sponge filters are your friend I always use them to cycle new tanks and takes a few days for me.

Make sure to put your heaters in the totes You can make a water bridge if you use more than 1 tote.

Thanks. You didn't notice but we Indians are not so lucky to have a petco or a petsmart The hobby is still in its infancy i guess. Sponge filters are a good idea and don't think being in the tropics require me to get a heater. It's like 35 degrees here

Hello; If the old tank was cycled and you have kept the substrate and perhaps some of the other solid items (decorations and such) in water in the buckets, then the beneficial bacteria (bb) you need to start may still be alive. There is not enough information in your initial post to determine if the bb are still good.

An answer to these questions may be of help.
How many days has the substrate from the old tank been in the bucket?

Was the substrate always kept in water?

Has anything soild from the old tank such as decor, live plants, heater, substrate, filter material, live snails and such been in the same buckets as the fish?

If it turns out that your bb are still viable there is no reason to wait for weeks to introduce the fish back into the new setup. You may only need to allow the new setup to run for a time to get the temp stable and to be sure all systems are working as needed. Maybe a day or so. Some of the old substrate can be put into the new tank to seed it with the bb.

There is more but lets see where you stand for now.

Sorry if my OP was not clear. But the current tank is still running. I have not taken anything out. I was listing out my plan in case i get a new tank. I wanted to know if i get a new tank, i just dump everything into different containers [fish, gravel and wood], remove old tank, bring in new tank, fill up gravel, water and wood. run the canisters and just introduce the fish.

Aquarium cycling link below. A long read but with good information.
http://www.americanaquariumproducts.com/nitrogen_cycle.html

Thanks. Long reads are usually filled with good info. Shall be sure to check it out.

 

[Frank Castle]

LOL huh? You quoted me and didn't type in anything.....I don't get it Ihsnshaik