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Consolidating Water?

992 views 4 replies 5 participants last post by  Byron 
#1 ·
I plan on getting a 55 gallon fish tank.

I currently have 2 10 gallon tanks and a 5 gallon tank set up with happily swimming fish.

I'm wondering if it would be okay to consolidate all the water in all the tanks (they all have to same EXACT parameters) into the 55 gallon? I would then fill the rest of the tank with treated tap water. Would this be okay?

Any help is great, thanks in advance!
 
#2 ·
it would be okay, but unnecessary. transferring water from an established tank to a new tank doesn't really do anything. if your reason for doing so is to help the new tank cycle faster, the water won't really help. the beneficial bacteria lives on surfaces, not in the water itself. if you transfer anything, it should be some gravel, decorations, plants, and filter media. that's what will transfer the beneficial bacteria to the new tank.
 
#3 ·
I plan on getting a 55 gallon fish tank.

I currently have 2 10 gallon tanks and a 5 gallon tank set up with happily swimming fish.

I'm wondering if it would be okay to consolidate all the water in all the tanks (they all have to same EXACT parameters) into the 55 gallon? I would then fill the rest of the tank with treated tap water. Would this be okay?

Any help is great, thanks in advance!
There is little benefit to saving the water from the three tanks.
A better option would be to set up the 55 gallon the way you want it,fill it with dechlorinated water,let the tank run for a few days to ensure that the heater and filter work correctly ,and then move one of the filters from the ten gallon tanks to the 55 gal and let it run along with the new filter for the 55 gal.(three or four weeks)
You could in this way SLOWLY add three or four small fish each week until the fishes have all been moved.
Could also scoop up a cup full of gravel from one of the other tanks and place this gravel in mesh bag or toe section of ladies nylon(clean:lol:) and place this in the 55 gallon tank and leave it for a couple weeks.
The good bacteria you need for a new tank will largely be found in the filter from one of your ten gallon tanks and in the gravel from same. By moving one of the filter's and the gravel from one of your existing tanks assuming they have been running with fish for a couple month's,,you will be transferring the good bacteria from one tank to the new tank.
this does not mean you can immediately stock the 55 gal to capacity but it will help seed the new tank with the needed good bacteria and cycling time is greatly reduced.
Were it me,, I would keep one of the ten gal tank's in operation and use it for quarantine tank for new fishes before placing them in the 55 gal.
 
#4 ·
+2, used water has no value, but you should xfer a filter and/or gravel from one of your stable, established tanks.
 
#5 ·
Agree with what's been said. But there is also the matter of differing water parameters/conditions that has to be considered.

If the new tank with fresh water that is conditioned (dechlorinator) is basically the same in hardness, pH, temperature as the existing tanks, that's good. There are also other conditions, such as nitrate, and un-measurable things.

When I set up new tanks, and a month or two ago I reset all but one of my 7 tanks, I only use fresh water, conditioned. Afore-mentioned parameters were near-identical, though i usually have the new tank just a tad warmer because moving into slightly warmer water is less stressful than moving suddenly into slightly cooler. I moved several plants and chunks of wood from the existing tank(s) to the new tank(s) as I did them. The fish were moved over the same day, netted from the old to the new tank. This is not advisable if the parameters differ much, as the shock is at theleast stressful but may be fatal.

Byron.
 
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