I want to upgrade my 20gal tank to a larger one. I have a 20gal that is at slightly over 100% capacity based on the fish-inch per gallon rule. I change about 4 gallons of water a week, and the tank is doing well, with all the chemical parameters good, but I have live plants that I have to keep thinning, which I’d like to allow to grow more, and I worry about the fish not having enough room. Also, I have a loach that I got because I had nuisance snails (which is when I went over 100%), and he may grow another inch, plus, I’d like to add another loach, because I keep reading that it shouldn’t be a solitary fish.
It’s a tropical freshwater.
I have never moved fish, and I’m not really sure how to do it safely. I’m also not sure whether it’s better to have two 10-20 gal filters, or one 20-40. I already have two 10-20, because I keep a spare in addition to the one on the tank. I can see the advantage, if one broke while I was away, and they would be less likely to pull up a fish, which the stronger single filter could (I have some small danios), but I wonder if the 10-20 would circulate the water from the bottom of the tank, and I have corys in addition to the loach.
I have the same question about heaters: one or two?
I’m thinking that to move the fish, I can get a ten gallon tank (I can get a cheap one for $10, which probably isn’t a great tank, but I don’t need it to last long) and a five gallon bucket, in addition to the bucket I have when I change the water.
One problem I have is that the new tank will have to go where the current tank is.
I figure I get the tank stand put together, and ready to go, and have my extra substrate and decorations ready, then put the 10gal tank on a table near the current tank, and siphon water out until it’s full, then put a heater and filter on it, and net the fish into it, and leave it while I put the rest of the water into the buckets.
Once the water is out, I can move the tank and stands, and then pour the current substrate into the new tank, and add the new, and mix them, then arrange the decorations and move the plants. At that point, I can add the water from the buckets, and five gallons of new water. Then I’ll put in the heater and thermostat, and wait for the water to get to the same temperature as the water in the 10gal tank.
Once the temp is right, I’ll net the fish in, and add the water from the ten gallon tank. Then I can put on the filter. I thought for the first day, at least, I would put the current filter on, even if I have a larger, new filter on it, just because I have all the good bacteria on the current one.
I should probably add the other five gallons of new water, because the filter will need it. I can warm it a little by putting the jugs in the tub. It’s 1/4 of the water, but that shouldn’t be too much, if I have the old filter on the tank, so that I have the bacteria there.
Should I add tank starter or stabilizer? I usually add a little Prime when I change the water, even though I use bottled water-- there is ammonium (the non-harmful form) in my tap water; it doesn’t hurt the fish, but it gives me false high ammonia readings. I also add freshwater aquarium salts.
Does that sound like a workable plan? are there any alarm bells for people who have swapped aquariums (spellcheck flags “aquaria” :dubious:) themselves? I know it’s complicated, but I have the issue of needing to put the new one in exactly the same place. Also, the best time to do it is either when the boychik is at school, and the cats are shut in a bedroom, which means DH is at work, or when DH takes the boychik and the dog out. DH is better at handling the boychik and the dog at the same time, and he’s a little klutzy at things like netting fish, or not tripping over buckets of water, so even though he’s stronger when it comes to things like moving big objects, it’s probably better for me to do it. Plus, I’m the one who cares for the aquarium, and I’m not sure he can do everything alone. It may be that if we wait, we’ll have a chance to do it together, but all that really means is that we might not need the buckets.