cycling a new tank

[Kerrin]

Just picked up a 4ft 215L full set up at a bargain price and will use it to house my large rainbows I currently have in a 165L tank. The problem I have is that the new tank is going to replace an existing 80L, and the stock in the 80L will be transferred to the 165L. I would normally just cycle the new tank and move the fish when it is ready but being that I will be placing it where the 80L currently sits it is going to be a 1 day job.

The filter which came with the new tank is an aqua clear 800, and it will be joined by an internal power the will move about 800lph so the total will be 1600lph when done.

What I was planning was to use the existing internal power filter from the 80l, and an internal I am running in the 165l (which should give me about 1000-1200lph turnover) to cycle the new tank, so that I can do the swap in a day. The 2 tanks that I will be moving fish from have been running for over 2 years each so the filters are well established, what I am wondering though is will the two internal filters provide enough bio filtration to handle to swap, and allow the aqua clear to establish a bacterial colony and effectively have the tank immediately cycled.

[Ant]

To be safe I'd still cycle the filters externally and transfer water and filters once cycled. It is a bit of organizing but much safer in the end.

[Gav]

if you are simply moving fish from the smaller tank to the larger tank the bio load wont change. as such the current filter would be enough to prevent any issues with your nitrogen cycle. i think your plan would work fine simply because I have done the same sort of thing in the past many times with no issues at all.

[Kerrin]

The only filter that wont be cycled is the aqua clear, which will account half of the total filtration turnover in the end, the two power filters I plan to use in the tank are both well established, and will be coming from well established tanks. The tank that the rainbows are in currently is an aqua one 820, so it is filtered with an all in one that turns over 1000lph. This is the main body of filtration in that tank, but I also run a 600lph internal sponge filter for added turnover, and it is this sponge filter that will be taken from that tank, as well as the sponge filter from the 80l, which will be pulled down to be replaced (in location only) by the 215l.

Sorry, hope I'm making sense, in short, I will use two internal sponge filters (both well established) to cycle the tank while the aqua clear establishes. I will also use about 100l of water from the current rainbow tank to fill the new tank.

I think I should be sweet.....I hope!

[Josh]

I agree with Gav. Use the filters you have cycled now, you will be fine.

[GundamCichlid]

It should be fine if you move all the water in the 80L tank to the 215L tank, it will fell like a massive 60% waterchange in the new tank. plus if you use the existing internal filter from 80L and 165L. The cycle is going as per normal in the 80L and it will accelerate the new aquaclear 800.

This is what I would do in my tank if I assume you would have space to run the 165L and 215L at the same time. I will move the fish in the 80L tank to a bucket with air. Keep the remaining water in 4 (20L bucket) and keep the internal filter in the 80L in one of the bucket.

Quicky, set up the 215L tank in the existing 80L tank.

When it ready, I would move all water in the bucket to the new tank, set the heater and set the previous filter ready and move the fish in the bucket in the new tank. slowly add new water in the new tank plus add seachem safe. When the water level ready, I would turn on the aqua clear 800. The water should be getting clearer within few hours. Pinch small amount of food for the fish in the new tank in the evening.

The next day, I would slowly climatise all the fish in the 165L to the new tank and move all filter from the 165L to the new tank.

Reduce the amount of food within one week.

All the best

[Kerrin]

Thanks for the advice folks,

Yes in the end I will have the 165 and the 215 running, the fish from the 165 will go to the 215, and the 80 to the 165, I intend on using half the water from the 165 (and in turn doing a 50% water change in that tank) and as much water as is usable from the 80, as this tank is to be pulled down completely. I will be relying on the 2 cycled internal filters, as well as the exhisting water from the tanks to cycle the new tank. I think it should work

[Ant]

>>>Lol....exposed as conservative when giving advice <<<

[GundamCichlid]

For a peace of mind, get small bottle of stability and add it in the new tank