The Big Upgrade

[Mandabear]

As some of you know, I have a Green Spotted Puffer that I have been housing in a 5 gallon tank. I am upgrading him to 30 gallons (rather than re-homing him) and wanted some advice on how to switch over tanks. I know that moving the substrate, filter, and decorations directly over to the new tank will preserve some of the bacteria but;
1. Is the new tank going to re-cycle?
2. How do I start the process while still trying to maintain the current aquarium housing my fish? (I can't transfer over the gravel and the filter medium immediately because they're being used to keep the current tank running?)
3. How long should I let the new tank run before transferring my GSP?

[Nick]

What else is in the 5 gallon tank? If nothing, you just add everything to the 30 gallon. Leave the filter intact and run it as is on the 30 gallon. That way, in a month or so when the 30 gallon has bacteria in it's own filter, you can put the 5 gallon tank's filter back on the 5 gallon, along with new gravel and decorations, and it will be cycled from the start. Not much you can put in a 5 gallon tank tho. My suggestion is one dwarf puffer.

[Brandon8521]

Im glad you have gotten another tank for him this soon. I would definitaly move everything over like Nick said. If you dont there will be alot of issues and trying to cycle a new tank with him in it will kill him so it would have been for nothing.

[purplecandle]

if it were me..

The 5 gallon is completely unsuitable and unable to keep up with a puffer. If the five gallon were uncycled..I would just go ahead and put the puffer in the 30 gallon and forget about maintaining the 5 gallon.

I would use the old filter media to introduce bacteria to the 30 gallon, however, I would also add bacteria, like from Dr. Tims or something like that.

The new tank will not recycle on it own...you have to add bacteria and ammonia...and do something like a fish less cycle.

But, since you cannot keep a puff in a five gallon, an emergency cycle will have to do.

Just my opinion

If you do keep it in the five gallon you need to check your levels daily and do frequent water changes

[Mandabear]

I am planning on just retiring the 5 gallon. I'm not going to keep anything else in it, so I will just transfer everything over.
Nick, I don't understand the part about one month? How long will I need to wait before I transfer over my fish?

[Hilly]

I think Nick was referring to a filter rated enough for a 30 gallon tank which the filter in the 5 probably wont be able to manage.

As for the 5gallon. Use it as a snail breeder.

[purplecandle]

he is saying to use the filter media from the five gallon in the 30 gallon.....and then when the 30 gallon is nice and cycled you can put the five gallon's media back in it and have a nice cycled five gallon for another fish like a betta.

[Brandon8521]

Dont wait at all as soon as you transfer the gravel, decorations, and filter put the gsp in it. Nick was talking about haveing the filter that is going to stay on the 30 gallon along with the 5 gallon filter. If you run them both on there at the same time eventually the filter "for" the 30 gallon will get all the bacteria needed to sustain the tank and then you can take the 5 gallon filter off and put it back on the 5 gallon tank.

[Brandon8521]

LOL i think that was repetative.

[Mandabear]

if it were me..

The 5 gallon is completely unsuitable and unable to keep up with a puffer. If the five gallon were uncycled..I would just go ahead and put the puffer in the 30 gallon and forget about maintaining the 5 gallon.

If you do keep it in the five gallon you need to check your levels daily and do frequent water changes

The 5 gallon tank is not un-cycled. I cycled it for over three weeks before adding my puffer. But yes, you're absolutely right that the 5 gallon tank is unsuitable. I have learned that this week. I am doing constant water changes in the mean time, and taking all the steps I can to care for my puffer while he is still in the 5 gallon tank.

[purplecandle]

LOL i think that was repetative.

Great minds think alike!

[Hilly]

LOL i think that was repetative.

Great minds think alike!

Lol. I refreshed the page just before posting so as not to double post, that was a fail.

[purplecandle]

if it were me..

The 5 gallon is completely unsuitable and unable to keep up with a puffer. If the five gallon were uncycled..I would just go ahead and put the puffer in the 30 gallon and forget about maintaining the 5 gallon.

If you do keep it in the five gallon you need to check your levels daily and do frequent water changes

The 5 gallon tank is not un-cycled. I cycled it for over three weeks before adding my puffer. But yes, you're absolutely right that the 5 gallon tank is unsuitable. I have learned that this week. I am doing constant water changes in the mean time, and taking all the steps I can to care for my puffer while he is still in the 5 gallon tank.

[Mandabear]

Dont wait at all as soon as you transfer the gravel, decorations, and filter put the gsp in it. Nick was talking about haveing the filter that is going to stay on the 30 gallon along with the 5 gallon filter. If you run them both on there at the same time eventually the filter "for" the 30 gallon will get all the bacteria needed to sustain the tank and then you can take the 5 gallon filter off and put it back on the 5 gallon tank.

Won't I need to let the new 30 gallon tank run for a few days? I'm worried about pH mainly. . . I'm really afraid I'm going to make a mistake in this transfer and it will all be for nothing. I am also worried because the filter medium on the current 5 gallon tank is fairly new. . . I just changed the bag and carbon two days ago. I'm afraid there's not going to be enough beneficial bacteria.

[J-P]

If your 5 gal is cycled, you could just transfer over everything. That is EVERYTHING... that bacteria is already adjusted to the GSP's ammonia output (hopefully).

Don't worry about the PH too much. +/- a couple degrees should be ok (you RARELY hear of people matching the PH of an LFS) You can add water to the new tank and match the PH of the old tank (leaving room for 5 gals) and basically dump everything in.

BUT wait for confirmation on this idea. I have done it a couple times but not with puffers.