New Tank..how do I transfer everything?

Holly

I'm upgrading from a 29 gallon to a 55 gallon. Yipee!! So here's my questions. I only have one spot that I can put the tank so I can't fill the 55 and let it cycle plus I want to use my same substate, plants and everything else in the new tank. So here's my thoughts. Transfer the fish to a 'holding area", take the water, substrate and everything else out of the old tank and put it in the new one. This tank is coming with an undergravel filter, which I've never had before, but I want to run the undergravel filter with my canister. I'm not sure of the rating of the undergravel but the person I'm buying it from used it as his primary filter and my canister is for a 75 gallon. Plus there's no such thing as too much filteration right?

If I'm using all of my old stuff, will it still take a long time to cycle? I have to upgrade because my fav fish Plecy, a pleco, is too big for my 29 gal and I can't get rid of him. BTW, will my 55 big big enough for him? Anyone have any advise since this is my first time I'm upgrading?

jeaninel

I had the same situation as you a couple of months ago. I upgraded from a 20 gallon to a 55. I transferred my existing filter (along with a new one) onto the new tank. I did use all new gravel and water but I used a few handfuls of the old gravel and also put a handful of old gravel in a nylon stocking and put it in the new filter. I tested the water every day for a couple of weeks and never saw a mini cycle. I was able to put my fish in the same day I did the new setup once the tank was up to temp.

If you are going to transfer your existing filter onto the new tank you should be good to go. As long as you keep the filter running as long as possible before you transfer it over you should be able to keep the bacteria alive.