(12-25-2013, 06:46 AM)AerBear2 Wrote: Alright so new question! I'm pushing my grandfather into buying me a 10gal tank because he owes me about $30-50. I should be getting it as soon as I get the space to put it. so my concerns are what do I do with the water plants I have in my 3 gal?? I guess maybe someone tell me the whole process of moving one tank system into another?
And yes I am definitely going to do a fishless cycle in the 10gal if needed. So any help? Because I want to move my plants, decoration, and filter into the 10gal and I'm going to buy a new heater because the one I have right now won't heat a 10gal.
Right now the 3 gallon tank needs to be upgraded as soon as possible. Fishless cycling would be good if you don't have the fish yet. Unfortunately, you already have the fish, and it is struggling in your 3 gallon tank.
Just move the filter over to the 10 gallon without letting its filter media dry for more than a few minutes. You will retain all of the good bacteria.
However, the filter in the 3-gallon might not be enough for a 10 gallon. You need to get a new one and let it run along side of the old filter. After a few weeks, you may remove the old filter and let the new filter take it over completely.
You might want to transfer as much water as possible from the old tank to the new one. (This is not for transferring bacteria, since the water has next to zero of them). This process is entirely for not shocking the fish from too large of a swing in water conditions.
Full steps of transferring
1. Set up your 10 gallon, fill it up with de-chlorinated water. Install both the new filter, and the heater.
2. Turn on the filters and the heater. Let them run until you see the temperature of the water is the same or really close to the water temperature from your older tank.
3. Move over the old filter.
4. It is a good idea to transfer as much old water as possible from the older tank.
5. Take your fish out with a fish net and put it into a plastic bag or other small fish container along with the water from your old tank.
6. Get rid of 20~30% of the water from the plastic bag, and add the water from the 10 gallon tank back into the bag. (repeat that every 15~20 minutes until almost all of the water in the plastic bag is from the new tank).
7. Just release the fish into the new tank.
As for the plants, you can transfer it any time before or after you have transferred the fish. The plants are hardier than the fish.
