Going from 5x2x2 -> 8x3x2 HOW???

[jonoz]

Hey all,

Finally decided to go the big indoor tank up from the 5x2x2 and with the pool table all I can fit is an 8x3x2.

So, my question is, I have a 26cm silver arowana, 17cm RTC, 4 silver dollars, 2 geophagus brasiliensis and some plecos in the 5x2x2.

What is the best way to get the fish out, water out, tank out, new tank in, fish in the new tank?

 

[cr8on]

From personal experience, it would be best to use all of your filter media that already has bacteria established from your 5x2x2 and move that all into the filter of your 8x3x2, and top up with new media if necessary. Also, save as much of the old water from the 5x2x2, (use barrels or large storage containers) for use in the 8x3x2. Put your fish into a large container with tankwater, the heater and an airstone running. Get your new tank in place, fill with the old water from your 5x2x2 and top up with new dechlorinated water of the right temperature and you should be right to add your fish straight away. This is sort of what I did when I moved from a 5x2x2 to a 6x2x2, and it worked fine.

 

[QueueBa11]

It's going to be a nice sized tank. What cr8on said is what I did when I replaced the floors in my house. As long as you use water from your tank and colonized filters, your fish should easily be okay for a week or however long it takes to move tanks.

 

[jonoz]

Ok, well I have my FX5 will full media etc and I was going to go sump, so maybe I could run the FX5 aswell as the sump on the tank while the bacteria colonization begins in the sump?

Also, what if I cant save any water at all? Should it be fine with chlorinated water? Like I mean double dose Prime like you do when your setting up the aquarium?

 

[QueueBa11]

I wouldn't risk losing your fish. I tried the same thing when I started keeping fish and ended up losing all of my guppies. As for running the fx5 and the sump, I'm currently doing something similar. I had a colonized fluval 305 and it's running on a 125g with a uncolonized 30g sump. I also went to a fish store and the owner gave me a bag filled with bacteria squeezed from a sponge filter. It's been 2 weeks and the fish and water are fine. If worst comes to worst, you could save the water by using a ton of rinsed plastic beverage bottles. That would take a lot of time and bottles but it's something I've done in the past.

 

[Steve_89]

I agree with what the others are saying.

It would definatley be better if you could save most of the water out of your 5x2x2.

It will be a massive effort having to take down and then set it all up in one day....when I set up my 8x4 I think I spread it over a week

Can I ask who is building the tank?

 

[yemista]

i would setup the new tank, move over all the filters and equipment, and if you have a sump im assuming you have some kind of pump, use the pump to just pump all the old water into the new tank, and once most of it is moved, move the fish then move the rest of the water and fill it with clean water. thats basically what i did to go from 55 to 90, but i didnt have a pump so i had to do it with buckets, but i think this is the quickest and most efficent way to do it. it shouldnt take more than a few hours