Alrighty need some good advice here

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A

adamstv

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Oct 20, 2006
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costa mesa
So as some of you know I am finally getting my 12" silver and my LMB their 180 gal... not 150 decided too get that extra foot.
Now how should i go about transfering my fish.
What are all the steps to doing this and one of the big problems is, that im gonna put the new tank is where the old one is. So what do i do there..... how do i "cycle my new tank" what do I do with my fish if I have to move their old tank and put the new one there for cycling.

might be confusing but see if you guys can help me.:nilly:
 
This is what worked for me....U2 CAN CYCLE A NEW TANK IN LESS THAN 2 WEEKS

The best thing going for you is you have a current set up in place already. I did too, so One thing that worked out GREAT for me was that I used much of the same decor and water out of my old 135 tank for my new 220 gallon. If you have a new filter, run it AND the old filters as well for a while to circulate the beneficial bacteria. I did not want to use the old gravel because I wanted sand, but I used a container filled with the old gravel and placed it in the aquarium with the new water. I would stir the gravel once a day and release some of the bacteria that way. I did this for about a week. WHATEVER YOU DO NOT GET CLEAN THE OLD FILTER, LET IT GET THAT NEW WATER DIRTY. IT WILL NOT BE DIRTY LONG.
(I did the next process in addition to the above process from a friends cycled tank)
IF YOU DO NOT HAVE THE OLD TANK SET UP ANYMORE...TRY THIS.
If you know someone with a large tank, ask them if you can "borrow" a filter or have their old media. Sometimes a LFS (reputable ones) will give you old media as well, they have plenty of it. Dirty, nasty old media is a GREAT way to get a new tank going quicker than any chemicals you can buy, especially the expensive ones that are availablebecause it is full of good bacteria to break down ammonia and food particles. I took the old foam media in a large plastic bag and then literally poored the dirty water directly into my tank. I then squeezed the foam and dispersed it throughout the aquarium. It will cloud the water real bad, but after 12 hours it will begin to clear up nicely. 24-30 hours later that tank will be VERY clear. With a week, that tank WILL BE CYCLED. Conduct a 25% water change weekly. Test water perameters daily.

I purchased my 220 gallon around January 3, 2007.....and it is already cycled......:D .
 
If you keep the old gravel wet and use the same old dirty filters like the above post then you will have no problem cycling. Save some of the old water also. I like to put filter floss in my Python and siphon the gravel and take the brown innoculated filter floss and throw it in the new tank. You should not have any problems. Add plenty of declorinator and you might want to mix it with the new water in a bucket before putting it into a tank. I just put the new water in my 120 with my Python and had some Amquel that I added. The fish that I moved with the tank in coolers were added back the next day.
 
The worst thing you can have happen is having your fish in an uncycled tank. Excessive ammonia is very dangerous, ecspecially for the arowana. If you are not very experienced your best bet would be if you can move your 55 gallon to another location, then set up the 180 and cycle it. Once cycled you can then transfer the fish. Depending on what type of filter you have on the 55 gallon and what type you are going with on the 180 gallon you could transfer the fish much quicker but you need to get the new filter cycled.

What type filter(s) are on the 55 gallon?
What type filter(s) will be on the 180 gallon?

Tankyou's method works, I transfer fish and set up new aquariums ussually in a day, I also have 8 tanks all with double established filters so I have many options. But unless you are in this situation I wouldn't recomend it.

Just realize this if you transfer your fish into an uncycled tank with elevated ammonia levels, you are going to need to do 50% daily water changes to save the fish.
 
Bderick67;669179; said:
The worst thing you can have happen is having your fish in an uncycled tank. Excessive ammonia is very dangerous, ecspecially for the arowana. If you are not very experienced your best bet would be if you can move your 55 gallon to another location, then set up the 180 and cycle it. Once cycled you can then transfer the fish. Depending on what type of filter you have on the 55 gallon and what type you are going with on the 180 gallon you could transfer the fish much quicker but you need to get the new filter cycled.

What type filter(s) are on the 55 gallon?
What type filter(s) will be on the 180 gallon?

Tankyou's method works, I transfer fish and set up new aquariums ussually in a day, I also have 8 tanks all with double established filters so I have many options. But unless you are in this situation I wouldn't recomend it.

Just realize this if you transfer your fish into an uncycled tank with elevated ammonia levels, you are going to need to do 50% daily water changes to save the fish.
Click to expand...

Good point Bderick. water changes will need to be implemented to maintain low levels of ammonia. I would use as much of the old media and decor as possible. Whatever method you use, ensure you vigorously monitor the ammonia levels to maintain safe levels (none). The type of filters used can definitely impact cycling as Bderick pointed out.

One positive aspect is that the bioload will be lower considering a 12" arow and LMB (I am assuming the LMB is small) in a 180. A lot more volume of water than if they were in that 55. Lower than normal feeding during the cycle process can eliminate the bi-products of those contributing decomposing food particles. If you tried to put any more fish than that it would spell trouble though until it is cycled, so I would not risk any more than those 2 fish until the cycle process is complete. Good luck and make sure you post some pics of the new tank when it's complete!!!:headbang2
 
Ok i have the penguin bio wheel.... the one rated for a 90 gallon and im thinking of getting a nother one but a bigger one. I have plenty of the actual filters them selves left over and will use them on the new bio wheel. Do you think if i put in most of the old tanks water in the new tank and put in all the gravel and drift wood then put on the old filter and new wheel with old filters on them. And added new water and dechlorinated the hell out of it I could dadd the fish after about a day of running. Then I woould monitor the fish and do changes rigoriusly for about a couple weeks.?
 
adamstv;669639; said:
Ok i have the penguin bio wheel.... the one rated for a 90 gallon and im thinking of getting a nother one but a bigger one. I have plenty of the actual filters them selves left over and will use them on the new bio wheel. Do you think if i put in most of the old tanks water in the new tank and put in all the gravel and drift wood then put on the old filter and new wheel with old filters on them. And added new water and dechlorinated the hell out of it I could dadd the fish after about a day of running. Then I woould monitor the fish and do changes rigoriusly for about a couple weeks.?
Click to expand...

I think that would work out for you very well. The fish could definitely be added at that time.
 
adamstv;669639; said:
Ok i have the penguin bio wheel.... the one rated for a 90 gallon and im thinking of getting a nother one but a bigger one. I have plenty of the actual filters them selves left over and will use them on the new bio wheel. Do you think if i put in most of the old tanks water in the new tank and put in all the gravel and drift wood then put on the old filter and new wheel with old filters on them. And added new water and dechlorinated the hell out of it I could dadd the fish after about a day of running. Then I woould monitor the fish and do changes rigoriusly for about a couple weeks.?
Click to expand...

Penguin does not make a bio wheel rated for 90 gallons. the biggest (350) is rated at 70 gallons. With the type monster fish you have your gonna need a ton of filtration. Look into building a DIY wet/dry sump.

What I would do now though is go buy 2 AC110 filters and get them going on your 55 as soon as possible, this will start cycling those filters. The AC110 will also work well with the Wet/dry sump you are going to build or will go well with a good canister filter. If you have petsmarts where you live, go to thier website and print out the page for the filters take it to the store and buy them, you'll get the 2 for about 80 bucks plus tax. If not order from http://www.petsolutions.com/AquaClear+110+Power+Filter-I-15510620-I-C-19-C-.aspx they run 40 bucks each and shipping will be 9.99.

With the penguin and the 2 Ac110s you'll be able to run your 180. Once those fish grow bigger you gotta get on upgraing that filtration though.
 
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