[JaybieFromTheLB]

The current 10 gallon aquarium I have is beginning to look too small so I've decided to pick up a 29 gallon. I need advice on how to start setting up the new aquarium.

If I'm going to mix my current gravel with a new substrate, how do I go about doing that? Do I just transfer the old gravel directly?

And since I'm getting a bigger tank, how do you add water during a water change. Currently the bucket I have is 5 gallons and I know everyone says to prepare your water outside of the tank in a bucket/etc, but once I get larger tanks, how to I replace the water that was removed during the water change?

Last question, would adding my old gravel, decorations, and plants and possibly my old filter allow me to stock the new tank faster?

Thank you all in advance.

 

[avraptorhal]

The current 10 gallon aquarium I have is beginning to look too small so I've decided to pick up a 29 gallon. I need advice on how to start setting up the new aquarium.

If I'm going to mix my current gravel with a new substrate, how do I go about doing that? Do I just transfer the old gravel directly?

And since I'm getting a bigger tank, how do you add water during a water change. Currently the bucket I have is 5 gallons and I know everyone says to prepare your water outside of the tank in a bucket/etc, but once I get larger tanks, how to I replace the water that was removed during the water change?

Last question, would adding my old gravel, decorations, and plants and possibly my old filter allow me to stock the new tank faster?

Thank you all in advance.

I can't tell you exactly what to do step by step. But, this is what I would do. Rinse the old substrate in conditioned (chlorine removed) water, then mix it with rinsed new substrate. Put it in the tank.

I'm kinda short so handling several 5G buckets for each change was a problem. Fortunately, I live in a small condo so it was easy to use a Aqueon or Python clean and fill gravel vacuum from the kitchen sink. I highly recommend that for WC. The cleaner attaches to the kitchen faucet and it uses the venturi principle to create a vacuum to suck the old water out and by flipping a valve you refill the tank with the same equipment. You have to be careful to adjust the temp of the new water to the tank water.

Some people use a tote of appropriate size and fill the tote with water and have a heater set to heat the tote water to the same temp as the tank. They then use a pump to fill the tank from the tote. I don't have room to do that so I can't but I would.

 

[JaybieFromTheLB]

I can't tell you exactly what to do step by step. But, this is what I would do. Rinse the old substrate in conditioned (chlorine removed) water, then mix it with rinsed new substrate. Put it in the tank.

I'm kinda short so handling several 5G buckets for each change was a problem. Fortunately, I live in a small condo so it was easy to use a Aqueon or Python clean and fill gravel vacuum from the kitchen sink. I highly recommend that for WC. The cleaner attaches to the kitchen faucet and it uses the venturi principle to create a vacuum to suck the old water out and by flipping a valve you refill the tank with the same equipment. You have to be careful to adjust the temp of the new water to the tank water.

Some people use a tote of appropriate size and fill the tote with water and have a heater set to heat the tote water to the same temp as the tank. They then use a pump to fill the tank from the tote. I don't have room to do that so I can't but I would.

Thank you for the useful advice. Wouldn't having my water come directly from the sink be harmful because it's untreated water?
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[JaybieFromTheLB]

So I just got my 29 gallon tank and stand today for $50. Not sure if it was a good deal but the seller also gave me 2 HOB filters, 2 undergravel filters, 2 whisper 40 air pumps, 2 100W heaters, 2 timers, and the fluorescent hood (no bulb).

Unfortunately like I predicted, the tank was not in very good shape. He filled the aquarium with water to guarantee that there were no leaks, but I doubt this tank would pass the test of time.The tank was chipped in the outer corners of the right side. None big enough to cause a leak, but they were pretty big. There where scratches on the back glass of the aquarium too from the inside (probably from poor cleaning techniques). The scratches were deep enough for my fingernails to be caught in them.

To be honest I really just wanted the stand cause I thought it was simple, functional, but still appealing. The extras he threw in were also a bonus, but now I have an empty glass tank that I wont use. Time to save for a new tank.

 

[henningc]

Hey, use that old tank to condition water in either on the bottom stand, if you got one, or in the basement of what ever. Stick an airline in it and fill it. What better than cycled water.

 

[JaybieFromTheLB]

Hey, use that old tank to condition water in either on the bottom stand, if you got one, or in the basement of what ever. Stick an airline in it and fill it. What better than cycled water.

Wow thats really good advice. As of right now my roommate is willing to take the beat up aquarium for his own use. My old 10 gallon however will most likely be used for water or a quarantine tank.

I do need help however, I'm in the market for an aquarium kit since I'm on a tight budget of around 150-180 (starving college student budget) for a new 29 gallon tank kit with everything. I would buy everything individually but the prices for a glass tank and lighting hood are pretty high where I live. I'm trying to find out whats a good brand between:
1) Aqueon
2) Marineland
3) Tetra
4)Top Fin
5) Aquaculture
6) other

I really need help with which brand is worth investing in. I do plan on slowly upgrading parts such as a canister filter.
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[jentralala]

The water doesn't hold the bacteria from a cycle. The bacteria forms on surfaces, such as the tank walls, the substrate, the filter material, the decorations. If you used material from the old ten in the new tank you get when you move the fish over, you should be good to go. Stock slowly of course, and give it a few weeks to settle before you do.

If you use a Python or Aqueon water changer, what you do is empty the tank of X amount of water, and then dump in enough water treatment for however much water you're going to be adding back. For example, take a 35 gallon tank. You remove 20 gallons, so you're going to treat for the twenty gallons you're going to be adding to the tank. So just treat the water already in the tank and then fill it up.
It's how I do it and I've never had a problem. For people with large tanks this is really the only viable way (plus it's a lot faster.)

Sorry, I can't offer much help with a kit. I've only ever bought used tanks, or bought my tank in pieces. I'd say if you don't NEED to upgrade right now (ie too overstocked/fish outgrowing the tank), to just buy in pieces as you can afford it (and put certain items on your christmas list, like the light set or filter that you.)

That way you won't be getting rid of parts you don't want later down the line, and you can start off with good solid equipment. This is just my suggestion though.

 

[rsskylight04]

A budget of $150 is definitely enough for a29 gal setup if you already have your stand. Brand name AllGlass makes a 29gal for $54.00. You have a top so a light for it is less than $ 25.00.you have filters for now but a new Aquaclear 50 sells for about $40.00 You still have $30.00 for gravel and a couple plants. You'll need a couple other things but that's a good start.
Best of luck to you.

 

[JaybieFromTheLB]

As always great advice from you guys.

I heard All Glass became Aqueon? Because that's the route I've decided to take. The filter I'm thinking of getting is the Fluval Aquaclear 50. (Overfiltering isn't bad right?)

I'm planning on running my old and new filter together so I could have my biological filtration established. I'm just crossing my fingers that all goes well.

 

[rsskylight04]

Sounds like you have a plan! Just be very carful to fully cycle your new tank. Used mature filter and gravel will geatly expedite the process, but go slow. As far as water changes on bigger tanks, lots of people use the "python" waterchanger but I just use multiple buckets. For all my tanks I need 8 five gallon buckets of change water. Sounds like a lot, but the whole process only takes about a half hour, once per week.

 

[jentralala]

Man, you must have some awesome arms to be using buckets! I tried buckets for a few weeks and I got sick of it and made my own water changer (it's a glorified hose, hahaha).

 

[rsskylight04]

Yeah its pretty heavy work. I use a hose when the weather is better, my garden loves fishwater! But in winter it just makes icebergs.

 

[Hallyx]

WoW, Sky. I lift weight and I won't handle 40 lb buckets of water over waist high. My drain is a 2 gallon plastic jar (16 lbs= one bowling ball). I refill with a one gallon jar. My 10g is shoulder high, so I don't mind making several trips.

 

[rsskylight04]

An official water changer is probaly the way to go, I just hate the thought of spending 50$ on a rubber hose. Not that I don't have the $$$, its just my father would kick my a if he saw me shell out cash instead of doing a little (ok, a lot) of hard work! He was born in the early 1930s , hieght of the great depression, and if he were alive, I'm sure he would be disgusted by my " wasting" money on fishtanks. In memory of him I try to keep everything as low tech and chemical-free( and yes, as cheap) as possible.