Switching Tanks different PH, HELP

[nyinfamous2k2]

Whats up, heres the deal, I have two tanks been up and running for years a 55 gal with african cichlids "live sand" coral and 2 aqua clear 70 hob filters.

then I have my 125 gal , with 2 large oscars and a large jag, lots of drift wood and 2 canister filters.

So I have to take down one of my tanks unfortunately so Im selling my oscars and jag, and decided to keep the africans but put them in the 125gal. As you know the PH difference between the 2 tanks is pretty drastic so my plan was to completely remove everything from the 125, switch over the sand, decor and coral from the 55 for a less stressfull transition.

my question is what do i do about the 2 canister filters, I want to use them with the 125 but Im afraid if I clean them out, on top of the the fresh 70 gallons of water I have to fill in the tank will be to stressfull. but if I leave them the way they are it will change the ph.
can someone shed some light please. thanks
A thought I had was to clean them in a bucket of water from the 55 gal. idk

 

[franlovera]

Just an idea that probably wont work that well, how about u put the 2 hob filters for the time they are adapting to the new water, and clean the canister filters and leave them out for a bit. Then once the water is stable, you add the other filters so you wont stress the fish out as much.

Just an idea, let me know what u think.

 

[mos90]

i dont think the canisters have anything to do with the ph of the tank. unless u have peat in them.

i would leave the canisters as is for a while. switch everything over. u could even add the water from the 55 to the 125. then top off the tank and buffer the ph to where u want it.

wait a while until the tanks settle in to clean the filters. u dont want to kill the bb.

 

[franlovera]

I'm guessing that when he says "I want to use them with the 125 but Im afraid if I clean them out, on top of the the fresh 70 gallons of water I have to fill in the tank will be to stressfull" he means he'll add the 55 gallons from the old tank + 70 new gallons to fill his 125g.

I'm no genius with filters, but if they have nothing to do with the ph, then im guessing that just by adding the water from the old tank, the sand, and decor you should be fine with as far as bacteria goes, and the ph would be relativly close because of the 55 gallons from the old tank. Again, this is just my opinion.

 

[mos90]

I'm guessing that when he says "I want to use them with the 125 but Im afraid if I clean them out, on top of the the fresh 70 gallons of water I have to fill in the tank will be to stressfull" he means he'll add the 55 gallons from the old tank + 70 new gallons to fill his 125g.

I'm no genius with filters, but if they have nothing to do with the ph, then im guessing that just by adding the water from the old tank, the sand, and decor you should be fine with as far as bacteria goes, and the ph would be relativly close because of the 55 gallons from the old tank. Again, this is just my opinion.

for the most part. adding the fresh water may cause a slightly lower ph then desired until the sand can buffer it. that also depends on tap water ph. i think u may want to use something to stabilize the ph at lets say 8.0 until the natural buffers kick in. i was guessing that 8.0 was his target.

 

[nyinfamous2k2]

Yes, thats what I meant I was going to fill the 125 with the water from the 55 add the decor and sand and top off the water with fresh water. So your saying even though the canisters are filled with bacteria and everthing else from the original lower ph tank if I leave them alone and run them after I do the switch it would be fine?

I was thinking of doing that also franlovera, or I was thinking even running all the filters the 2 hobs and the 2 canister for a few days. but I dont know the "right" way to do it ya know.

 

[nyinfamous2k2]

for the most part. adding the fresh water may cause a slightly lower ph then desired until the sand can buffer it. that also depends on tap water ph. i think u may want to use something to stabilize the ph at lets say 8.0 until the natural buffers kick in. i was guessing that 8.0 was his target.

yes, and yes, my tap water is farely low ph I dont remember the exact number. and yes my target was 8.o thats around what it is now.

 

[franlovera]

Just a question, lets say the bacteria in the canister filters is used to a lower ph, if you change its ph too drasticly will it die?

 

[mos90]

that is a good question. i would say no.

it would be a good idea to run the hob's for a while with the old 55 media still in it. dont wash it.

 

[nyinfamous2k2]

that is a good question. i would say no.

it would be a good idea to run the hob's for a while with the old 55 media still in it. dont wash it.

I think im going to do that and also wash the canister media in water from the 55, and run all the filter for a week