I have a baby/young GSP in a 20 gallon that was just cycled with bio-spira for fresh water (what he was living in at the LFS). We are placing an order tonight on Big Al's for some items and going out shopping this weekend for a new 30 to 40 gallon tank. The helpful posters one of the other forums told me I should leave the tank alone for a week now that I've cycled it, and after that I can start doing water changes & slowly turning it from FW to BW. However I'm not sure of the best way to do that being that I'll be changing tanks.
Assuming we get everything ready for the new tank by next week will I be alright with moving my GSP, his "stuff", and water over to the new tank, and adding in fresh tap to fill up the difference in the new tank (assuming we get a 40 gallon the 20 gallons with the biospira would go in that, adding another approx 20 gallons which would almost be the equivilant of a 50% water change right?)... at that point can I start adding the instant ocean, or would I be better off to let the new tank get "cycled/settled" a bit more before I start adding the salt (I know the bacteria need to change from FW to BW and I don't want to kill them off)
When I do start adding the instant ocean how much should I start off with per gallon, or what reading on my hydrometer?
Do you think that moving over the current bio-spira treated water will be sufficient or should I plan to purchase another package of bio-spira for the new tank? I'm also going to be getting a new filter, but figured I could run both my current bio-wheel and the new filter on the new tank at first to help establish the bacteria?
Sorry for all the questions, I'm trying to learn as much as quickly as I can (not an easy feat for the sleep deprived mother of a very needy 2 yr old who hates sleeping LOL )
THANK YOU!
Going from fresh to brackish after using bio-spira?
-
ChesapeakeSwellfish
- Mentor
- Posts: 283
- Joined: Mon Nov 21, 2005 9:54 pm
- Location: southern Maryland
Wow, lots of questions. They've all been answered before, so try using the "search" feature at the top of the page - you'll be amazed (and learn a lot!).
I'll try to answer your questions in order. When my answer is my opinion or experience, I'll say IMO or IME.
1. IMO, the only reason to leave a new tank sit for any time is to wash away the residual acetic acid from the silicone. That said, I've never heard of the small quantity of acetic acid harming anything. This is what I do with a new tank: rinse repeatedly, fill with fresh water, let it sit for an hour to a few hours, then drain & refill with your fresh water, de-chlorinated of course if you are on public water.
2. Install your filter(s) that were running in your cycled tank on the new tank along with any new filter. Also, add gravel/substrate from the old tank - they will have beneficial bacteria attached, so don't wash in tap water.
3. Let the filters run for a while, maybe a couple of hours to get your dissolved oxygen (D.O.) up. IME, well water typically comes out of the tap with 0 or very low DO, so you need to allow the filters to aerate & saturate the water. You could bubble an airstone if you like also.
4. Once the temperature of both tanks is the same (you DO have a thermometer, right?), add your fish.
Don't net him or allow him to stress enough to inflate.
I would put a piece of food inside a plastic peanut butter jar or similar container & then when he swims inside, put the lid on and transfer him. There are various traps made to do the same thing.
5. Start monitoring your water quality - temp, ammonia, nitrites, mitrates, pH at least until the tank has stabilized. It wouldn't hurt to do it every day until you see 0 ammonia, 0 nitrites, and as close to 0 nitrates as possible with your water source.
6. If the water parameters are good, you can plan to change 50% of the tank water after 1 week. Otherwise, it will be sooner and larger. Drain through the gravel-vac (unplug heater etc.), then refill with fresh water of the same temp. Now is the time to start bringing up the salinity - slowly. The max salinity increase is often stated as "no more than SG of .002". There's no harm going up more slowly. Once you get your salt, read the instructions and remember that they are for full-strength seawater. I would start with 3% of that amount, so multiply by .03. Check with us when you get your salt and we'll review your math. You will need to test salinity with a meter, refractometer, or hydrometer, but the first salt addition is just a simple math problem.
I'll try to answer your questions in order. When my answer is my opinion or experience, I'll say IMO or IME.
1. IMO, the only reason to leave a new tank sit for any time is to wash away the residual acetic acid from the silicone. That said, I've never heard of the small quantity of acetic acid harming anything. This is what I do with a new tank: rinse repeatedly, fill with fresh water, let it sit for an hour to a few hours, then drain & refill with your fresh water, de-chlorinated of course if you are on public water.
2. Install your filter(s) that were running in your cycled tank on the new tank along with any new filter. Also, add gravel/substrate from the old tank - they will have beneficial bacteria attached, so don't wash in tap water.
3. Let the filters run for a while, maybe a couple of hours to get your dissolved oxygen (D.O.) up. IME, well water typically comes out of the tap with 0 or very low DO, so you need to allow the filters to aerate & saturate the water. You could bubble an airstone if you like also.
4. Once the temperature of both tanks is the same (you DO have a thermometer, right?), add your fish.
Don't net him or allow him to stress enough to inflate.
I would put a piece of food inside a plastic peanut butter jar or similar container & then when he swims inside, put the lid on and transfer him. There are various traps made to do the same thing.
5. Start monitoring your water quality - temp, ammonia, nitrites, mitrates, pH at least until the tank has stabilized. It wouldn't hurt to do it every day until you see 0 ammonia, 0 nitrites, and as close to 0 nitrates as possible with your water source.
6. If the water parameters are good, you can plan to change 50% of the tank water after 1 week. Otherwise, it will be sooner and larger. Drain through the gravel-vac (unplug heater etc.), then refill with fresh water of the same temp. Now is the time to start bringing up the salinity - slowly. The max salinity increase is often stated as "no more than SG of .002". There's no harm going up more slowly. Once you get your salt, read the instructions and remember that they are for full-strength seawater. I would start with 3% of that amount, so multiply by .03. Check with us when you get your salt and we'll review your math. You will need to test salinity with a meter, refractometer, or hydrometer, but the first salt addition is just a simple math problem.
Thank you so much for the answers, I have been using search and reading/remembering/taking notes on what I can (I also have a 2 yr old daughter who HATES when I'm online so its a bit of read online, dance to the wiggles, read online, feed her a grilled cheese, read online, try to get her to take a nap, etc LOL so I GREATLY apprecaite your repeating the info for me 
Yes I have a therm (three actually, one for the tank and one for refills and one "just in case"), waiting on a whole bunch of extra stuff I ordered from Big Al's last night and obviously still need to go get the new tank this weekend. I bought some instant ocean so once I have the new tank I'll come back and get some math help to figure out the salt
One last question... do I need to worry about my own hands? We always use antibacterial soap, as long as I rinse really well before setting up the new tank I don't have to worry about causing problems do I? Is there something in particular I should use to wash my hands/arms before doing tank mantainence?
THANK YOU!!!!
Yes I have a therm (three actually, one for the tank and one for refills and one "just in case"), waiting on a whole bunch of extra stuff I ordered from Big Al's last night and obviously still need to go get the new tank this weekend. I bought some instant ocean so once I have the new tank I'll come back and get some math help to figure out the salt
One last question... do I need to worry about my own hands? We always use antibacterial soap, as long as I rinse really well before setting up the new tank I don't have to worry about causing problems do I? Is there something in particular I should use to wash my hands/arms before doing tank mantainence?
THANK YOU!!!!
-
lisalisa
-
ChesapeakeSwellfish
- Mentor
- Posts: 283
- Joined: Mon Nov 21, 2005 9:54 pm
- Location: southern Maryland
Great question. I see long gloves for sale for tank maintenance, but I've never used them - let's hope we get lots of opinions on this one.
I do the same as you do - wash well with anti-bacterial soap before & between tanks. And I either air-dry (summer) or dry with clean paper towels.
At the hatchery, I use disposable latex or nitrile "exam" gloves when I remember & have time to slip them on, but most people don't bother.
I do the same as you do - wash well with anti-bacterial soap before & between tanks. And I either air-dry (summer) or dry with clean paper towels.
At the hatchery, I use disposable latex or nitrile "exam" gloves when I remember & have time to slip them on, but most people don't bother.