setting up new tank question

souperman · Posted: Mon Apr 02, 2007 11:19 pm Post subject: setting up new tank question

Hey guys, im new to this and i dont really know what i should do, and was wondering if any of you guys could help me with this (im a newbie)... i already have a 25 gallon set up, water all cycled, and i just bought a 50g tank, should i reuse the water from my 25g? or start all over with new water? any reason why i should or should not? thanks guys Smile

Bob · Posted: Mon Apr 02, 2007 11:42 pm Post subject:

The water want do any harm, but very little of the bacteria needed will be in the water, most of it is living on all the tanks surfaces like the substrate, glass, decor and filter media.

I assume both tanks will be kept running.

If so you could use some of the media from the 25's filter and put it in the 50's filter, or at worst squeeze the old cycled filter into the new one.

This will give you a head start and is called Seeding a tank.

If the 50 is to replace the 25 then just clone the old tank, take everything out of the old tank and put it in the new one. Just don't add any extra fish until the tank has settled down for a few weeks

Do a search on the board for the following words "Cloning" and "Seeding"

Bob
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Fish keeping since the 1960's, started with Goldfish, got interested in breeding back to basic forms, then discovered ponds and Koi. Also kept a few tropicals at times, but only really go fully interested in them a few years ago. I think I understand the basics of the hobby, but learning all the time

JBC223456 · Posted: Tue Apr 03, 2007 12:11 am Post subject:

Also, if you are'nt going to be running both tanks, you could run the filter for the 50 gallon alongside the 25's filter for a couple of weeks. This would give the new filter a decent amount of bacteria to start with. I think this has part to do with seeding, but I always thought of seeding a filter would be to add media from a seperate filter. Confused

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Kept tropical fish since 98. Mainly livebearers, and then moved onto Corydoras catfish, barbs, tetras, rainbowfish, dwarf cichlids and many others in planted tanks. Now trying rainbowfish.
I have recently had a group of Corydoras trilineatus spawn.

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BenScoobert · Posted: Thu May 10, 2007 10:23 pm Post subject:

I am seeding like you are suggesting, I have a fluval 4 on my 4 footer, I have a 700lph filter on it also for 2 or 3 weeks which i will then move to my new 7 foot tank.

Only thing i found is the little 4 foot tank flow like a river with 700lph going thru it.
I'll have jolly fit fish Very Happy

They seem to like playing in the jet stream
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Ben

Teddy · Posted: Thu Nov 29, 2007 8:45 am Post subject:

I would run the 50's filter on your 25 for a little while for the bacteria to get going in it, then put it on the 50g. This will give you a headstart on the cycle.

gemma0303 · New Member Joined: 20 May 2007 Posts: 3

yh i seeded my 4ft, and i then checked it and it was perfect!
all fish are still to this fay healty and living and eating!

DonnaMarie · Posted: Wed Dec 26, 2007 1:34 pm Post subject: reusing h2o

Hi souperman! I think that since you've got a tank already cycling that using that same water shouldn't hurt yout tank (as long as your chemicals are within healthy limits) and you have to add more water to the new system as well, so using the old water has established bateria in it!
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Ippus · Posted: Sun Dec 30, 2007 2:59 pm Post subject:

Like Bob said, if you're just replacing the 25, you'd be best off to clone it to the new tank. The water won't do that for you.

The difference between cloning and seeding is really how likely you are to put the new tank through a mini-cycle. The idea is to get as much of the established bacterial population into the new tank as possible (while still providing sufficient nutrients for them - they'd die off in an empty tank).

The more thoroughly you seed, the more likely that you won't put any additional stress on your fish - the whole point - beyond being netted and relocated. Just keep a really close eye on your ammonia and nitrite levels in the new tank.

Example: About six months ago, I got a ten gallon foisted on me by a buddy who was tired of the hobby (lazy sap...). I got new gravel, new heater, filter, everything... but I put the new filter on my existing 10 gallon, which had plenty of bacteria on the plants and rocks already, and put the old filter, biowheel and all on the new tank when I added fish. Never even saw a hiccup in ammonia or nitrite, let alone a new spike.

Just keep a close eye on it, and make sure you keep up with water changes.
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Been fishkeeping since 2002 (age 22), not counting that disaster with the goldfish and the 5gal in the 6th grade...

10gal - planted (hybrid dwarf lily, java fern, amazon sword) - recently decimated... 1 betta

10 gal - planted (aponogeton, java fern, amazon sword), guppies (population undetermined), 2 otocinclus

36 gal - planted, 6 tiger barbs, 6 zebra danios, 3 otocinclus, 1 sailfin plec.

KatAttack-x · Posted: Fri Jul 10, 2009 2:11 am Post subject:

add a few pebbles from your existing tank instead to your new one. It'll get it started. Smile

maximumbob · Posted: Fri Jul 10, 2009 8:52 am Post subject:

FYI this post is from 2007
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Keeping fish is the same as keeping an Ulsterman - good food and water, the rest falls into place quite easily!

3 years experience pond keeping. Transferred to tropical 2005 as my toddlers wanted to swim in the pond.
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KatAttack-x · Posted: Fri Jul 10, 2009 6:35 pm Post subject:

LMAO.
Fail from my part.
I didnt see the date XD
Embarassed

_________________
35 gallon (canadian gal)with:
3 various small tetras, 2 gupies,
1 snail, 3 ghost shrimp,
3 cory cats, 2 swords,
3 mollys, 4 danios, 2 dwarf frogs,
1 unknown algea eater (was a gift)

-Still working on filling it.
-Still working on getting another tank with a few chilids or with some large fancy goldfish assortment

catfish · Member Joined: 09 Mar 2008 Posts: 86 Location: Cheshire

Welcome to the forum Kat.
Its been a bit quiet here recently, so nice to see you.
How about posting us some pics of your tank ?
Cat x
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Fluval Vicenza 180
1 Angel fish
4 Corydoras Sterbai
12 Rummynose Tetra

KatAttack-x · Posted: Mon Jul 13, 2009 6:35 pm Post subject: :D

Umm my tank is under construction at the momment. What I mean is that its not how I like it, Im really paticular about my art (yes i consider my tank a piece of art) but after i "renovate/update it" sure. Or maybe i'll just show you guys a pics and ask for sugestions. Yup that's what I think i'll do. n____n'' Sorry for the rambling, Im like that lol. Smile

Thanks for the warm welcome Cat. Its well aprechiated (: xox. -> KatAttack-x
_________________
35 gallon (canadian gal)with:
3 various small tetras, 2 gupies,
1 snail, 3 ghost shrimp,
3 cory cats, 2 swords,
3 mollys, 4 danios, 2 dwarf frogs,
1 unknown algea eater (was a gift)

-Still working on filling it.
-Still working on getting another tank with a few chilids or with some large fancy goldfish assortment