Best way to do the switch

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Crazy mike

Crazy mike

Fire Eel
MFK Member
Sep 22, 2012
3,570
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Vacaville,California
I need some suggestions. I'm buying a 90 gallon tank and wondering how I can make the switch from my 55 to the 90 easiest on my fish. Also I currently have gravel in the tank and am planning on switching to PFS. Questions. 1. How soon after I setup the 90 can I put the fish in? 2. How will the sand effect the switch?thanks in advance


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I would drain the 55, then move it out of the way with fish still in, then refill. Start setting up the 90, fill, then move the filters from the 55. Treat the 90 with prime and then put fish in.


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strollo22 said:
I would drain the 55, then move it out of the way with fish still in, then refill. Start setting up the 90, fill, then move the filters from the 55. Treat the 90 with prime and then put fish in.


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Ok and will the sand effect this in any negative way


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Crazy mike said:
I need some suggestions. I'm buying a 90 gallon tank and wondering how I can make the switch from my 55 to the 90 easiest on my fish. Also I currently have gravel in the tank and am planning on switching to PFS. Questions. 1. How soon after I setup the 90 can I put the fish in? 2. How will the sand effect the switch?thanks in advance


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If the 55 is heavily stocked, and well established, then I'd probably take it slow. If you wanted to actually put the 90 in the same spot the 55 is currently in, I'd drain the water, but retain it, then move the 55, then refill it with the original water and then set up the 90. There is a sticky on cycling that I think is worth reviewing. I think I'd start there since you know more about the planned tank setup than we do.

If the 55 is way understocked, and fairly new, then you may have a little more cushion, but it's still worth taking some time. Saving the water (55 --> 90), plus the filter media, and a few pebbles might get you through it if you are very understocked in the 55, but I'd still be prepared to do a lot of testing and more water changes than normal.
 
^ there is no reason for any of that. The tank itself doesn't become cycled, it's the filters. The water itself contains no BB. If he does it the way I said, and uses the pre-existing cycled filters from the 55, then he will have zero problems with a smooth transition.


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strollo22 said:
^ there is no reason for any of that. The tank itself doesn't become cycled, it's the filters. The water itself contains no BB. If he does it the way I said, and uses the pre-existing cycled filters from the 55, then he will have zero problems with a smooth transition.


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I see what you're saying. Yes, in that case, it makes sense. The water I was thinking more about reducing any possible changes in chemistry, rather than the BB, but assuming the water is the same, there's no need to use the same water. And assuming he can bring all the BB with him that would work too!
 
just get a plastic tub, fill it with tank water, put your fish in with a heater and attach the filter to it. empty the 55 move it.
put the 90 in its place, fill it with water and put a heater in there. when the water is at the right temp put your filter onto the 90 and move the fish over.
 
If it were me I'd go ahead and use some of the same water from the 55 to the 90, if only to help lessen the possible shock to fish. It is not so much as keeping the same bacteria, but maintaining a pH and so on that is similar enough to what the fish were used to. There's always going to be a little bit of fluctuation for the fish to adjust to, but there'll be less of that. Consider it more like a 30-40% water change into a different container.

Otherwise, go ahead and fill up your 90 with new water, then treat your fish like you just got them from a pet store and acclimate them that way. Much riskier though, with then having to later worry about a water crash.

If you can, use the same filter media from the 55 to the 90. That'll help with the tank cycling. Especially if you decide to use all newly treated water.
 
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