20g to 35g??????

mmccoy555

Few questions here. I just acquired a 35 gallon tank I want to transfer everything in my 20g to it. Can I just dump the water from the 20g into the 35g, add new water and be ok...? Or do I have to start over from scratch with the new tank. Also, I got some used rock. I was gonna let it soak in hot water mixed with vinegar then let it soak in hot water alone. Is that ok? I was also going to clean the tank with vinegar and paper towels as it is used as well. Is that ok? Last question, does anyone have experience with the Leaf Fish and/or know where to buy them? I would like to add one or two to the tank. Is that ok with the fish I have? I really want some Silver Dollars in this tank as well. Sorry for so many questions but I really want to make this tank awesome. 20g consists of 2 angel fish, 3 mountain minnows, 1 armored cat, 2 black neon tetras, 3 neon tetras, 3 rasboras, and is planted with some grass and hogwart. I know a little overloaded but it's been doing great. Any help would be greatly appreciated. I can post picks when I figure it out and if need be.

Nubster

As long as you use the filter media from the old tank and transfer over some of the stuff from in the tank you can start with fresh water. Just make sure it's conditioned and the temp is the same or close.

mmccoy555

I will be using a different filter cuz it's a bigger tank but its the same type of filter. Everything that's currently in the 20g will end up in the 35g.

TexasTanker

I think what nubster was getting at is use the filter media from your 20 to seed the bigger tank. When I do this I just drop the filter cartridge from the old tank in the new tank. It's not petty but you only need it there for a few days. If it's small enough I'd try slipping it into your new filter.

If substrate and everything is making the move.... I'd suggest putting all the fish in a bucket (with tank water in it) with an airstone and some media from the old tank. Then drain the rest of the water out of the tank. Then transfer the substrate and whatever other stuff you have into the new tank. Then fill and treat the new tank, give it a while then start a slow siphen from the new tank into the bucket so the fish can acclimate slowly to the new water. Meanwhile, (after treating the new water) you can put your old filter cartridge into your new tank for seeding. Remember, to scoop out some of the bucket water periodically. Do this for another hour or so, depending on how much water you have in the bucket. When you're sure they're in entirely new tank water move them to the new tank one by one. I've done this with two of my tanks as I took them down and transferred occupant to our larger tank with minimal fuss. The Neon Tetra got a little lethargic the first time. I turned down the bubbles and took greater care not to slosh anything and didn't have any issues after that.

Byron

Clean the tank with vinegar and rinse very well. I would not soak the rock in anything other than warm (hot out of the tap) water. Rock can absorb liquids and they can then leech over time. A stiff brush to scrub it under the hot water is fine; I use an old manual toothbrush saved for aquarium use (works on filter parts too).

Moving the water is counter-productive unless the tap water parameters in the new tank are vastly different from the existing tank the fish are in. I always set up new tanks with fresh water using a water conditioner of course. I do a major water change in the existing tank before moving the fish over. The new tank obviously needs seeding with nitrifying bacteria or live plants; if enough of the latter, that will do it. And any wood or rock from the existing tank moved over when or just before the new tank is filled (with dechlorinated water) will transfer bacteria too, do not wash or rinse the wood/rock transferred over.

You have some problems in the proposed fish stocking. Silver Dollars are not good companions with angels, and they eat plants; plus, there is not sufficient space in a 35g for a group of SD.

Leaf fish are predatory, so no small fish; also, very shy and retiring, needing lots of cover. And not good with angels, both are territorial. One species is in our profiles for more info, click the shaded name, Ctenopoma acutirostre.

The shoaling fish you mention need larger groups to be better off, so that will take up the space quickly if you keep all of them. I would remove the minnows, they need much cooler water than the other fish to be healthy.

And before anyone says it...yes, the fish may "seem" to be OK now, but that does not mean they are.

Byron.

mmccoy555

Wow. I'm glad i asked. Thanks for that info. Probly would have had some dead fish on my hands. I guess for now i will just transfer all the fish over and not add anything. I am slowly building to a larger tank so learning as i go. All these fish are basically starter ffish but i want to graduate to some more exotic fish later on. Thanks again.Posted via Mobile Device

mmccoy555

So i can just shake some of the grime off the filter and just let it fall into the rocks?Posted via Mobile Device

mmccoy555

So i can just shake some of the grime off the filter and just let it fall into the rocks?Posted via Mobile Device
Posted via Mobile Device

TexasTanker

Put the whole grimey filter media either in the new tank or in the new filter.

Nubster

This. You won't be able to shake off enough stuff to do anything. Just take the old media and like Texas said, put it in the tank or better yet, stuff it in the new bigger filter for a couple weeks. That way the bacteria will transfer to the new media. After 2-3 weeks you should be able remove it and have a seeded new filter.