Transferring to a new tank

[Coread]

Hi Everyone

I’m not sure if this is the right section, but I’m due to move my live stock from an existing (112 Litre) tank, to a new (200 Litre) tank.

My new tank is set up and is planted moderately in Tropica aqua soil , it has a new 407 filter running on it and has been running for around a week. I’ve done 3x 30% water changes (I’ve only just discovered the gold standard of water changes, so missed the numbers). I’ve seen no detectable ammonia yet, although I was expecting some from the soil - and I’m not adding in any ammonia except from a small amount from the fertiliser.

After searching the forum, I’ve found bits of answers but really unsure on what my next step should be.

My old tank has a small canister filter and air filter.

Can I move all of the filter media from my old tank into my new tank along with the fish (6 Cory, 8 Cherry barbs) - as there is plenty of room in my 407. If so when is best to do this?

Other options being seeding the new tank with some of the filter media from the old - although I’m a little worried about a crash as I’ve taken plants from the old tank and moved them into the new already.

Or leaving the tank to mature (cycle) on its own (testing regularly)?

Or adding in extra ammonia to kick start the cycle?

 

[richardcunliffe]

If you are shutting down the old tank I would definitely keep all the filter material into the new filter. Sounds like you've already planted or I would recommend taking a bunch of old substrate with you too.
I would think if you take over the whole contents of your old filter now and sprinkle in some flakes every other day you'd be good to keep everything going. After a couple more weeks check your ammonia nitrates and rites and if 0 then take over the barbs. Give it a week or so and then take over the Cory's. Your old tank should have plenty of goodness in the substrate to not worry about fresh filter materials causing you issues.
You could just wait, but to me that is making things more difficult than they need to be when you have a mature tank on hand.
Maybe someone else will give a different opinion. Fundamentally, if you are testing and watching and reading around you're doing all the right things

 

[keef321]

If you are shutting down the old tank I would definitely keep all the filter material into the new filter. Sounds like you've already planted or I would recommend taking a bunch of old substrate with you too.
I would think if you take over the whole contents of your old filter now and sprinkle in some flakes every other day you'd be good to keep everything going. After a couple more weeks check your ammonia nitrates and rites and if 0 then take over the barbs. Give it a week or so and then take over the Cory's. Your old tank should have plenty of goodness in the substrate to not worry about fresh filter materials causing you issues.
You could just wait, but to me that is making things more difficult than they need to be when you have a mature tank on hand.
Maybe someone else will give a different opinion. Fundamentally, if you are testing and watching and reading around you're doing all the right things

Can I ask, do you know, if moving the filter material over could possibly introduce algae spores from the previous tank, or is it more the case of, if the conditions in his new tank are not conducive to algae, he will not have a problem?

I'm asking this question, I have a similar situation. I have an existing tank that I will be closing down, but it has always had BBA (although under control). I would like to introduce some of the filter material to my new tank to seed it, but I was a bit worried of introducing BBA. The same with re-using plants.

Thank you

 

[richardcunliffe]

There are people more qualified than me to answer but I'd think if it was BBA you're worried about then the tank conditions are going to be much more impactful than something you introduce. BBA is inevitable whether you start with it or not, if there is something off (the alignment of the stars in some cases)
For other things it may be the case that you don't want to reuse (duck weed etc) but maybe the plants are more likely to introduce those things than the filter material? Not sure. @dw1305 ?

 

[Coread]

I would think if you take over the whole contents of your old filter now and sprinkle in some flakes every other day you'd be good to keep everything going. After a couple more weeks check your ammonia nitrates and rites and if 0 then take over the barbs. Give it a week or so and then take over the Cory's. Your old tank should have plenty of goodness in the substrate to not worry about fresh filter materials causing you issues.

Thank you Richard, I’m going to move over the media from my old canister, to my new canister now - but I’ll leave the air filter where it is (I don’t want one in my new tank).

I’ll pop some flakes into the new tank and start testing both tanks every other day 😊.

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,

For other things it may be the case that you don't want to reuse (duck weed etc) but maybe the plants are more likely to introduce those things than the filter material?

I'd guess that plants are much more likely to introduce algae than filter material. Black Brush Algae (BBA) is a <"bit of a strange one">, it has a <"very complex life cycle">.

cheers Darrel