# Three "Upgrading My Tank" Questions...



## marieb519 (Aug 6, 2010)

1


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## WhiteGloveAquatics (Sep 3, 2009)

use the filter and water and gravel from the 10g, put the gravel in a mesh bag that it wont fall out of and put it in the tank, run the 10g's filter still just transfer it and just put the 10g of water into the 55g. 
If the bioload is the same, it shouldnt be too bad if at all, I did a 75 and it went into a mini cycle(used all new gravel)for about 3 days but the fish were uneffected by it.


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

I would just take the gravel from the 10g and put it in as the bottom layer for your new gravel. No matter how you do it, you'll need to keep the gravel wet in-between your changes. It may be a pain in the butt to transport the water. Definitely use the old filter for a couple of weeks. Just watch your test results and act as necessary. Shouldn't be too bad and you'll probably get a little spike, but it should go away quickly.


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

With regular weekly water changes your water should be fine. I'd get rid of the carbon filters if they are clogging up and just use them when you need to. Just use filter fiber instead. Your equipment list is fine.


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## NoMoreToys (Mar 21, 2011)

Not to speak for "jrman83" but i think he is referencing buying the filter fiber separately and making your own. I do know that the carbon doesn't really last that long. Don't recall the specs. But what you can do is slice the filter and dump the carbon out and lightly wash the filter to get most of the grime out. I have done this in the past with no ill effects. 

Chime in all if not correct.


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## beaslbob (May 29, 2009)

setup a planted 55g and you should experience no ammonia nor nitrIte spikes even if the bacteria is not sufficient.


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## saltydad (Jun 27, 2008)

If you find the tank cycling too slow, you can add for your new plants Eco Complete gravel onto yours from the 10. It is great for the plants and already has the needed bacteria.


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## Gizmo (Dec 6, 2010)

marieb519 said:


> 1. HOW can I keep my new aquarium from re-cycling when I transfer the 10 gallon to the 55 gallon? Can I keep it from re-cycling?
> 
> 2. My question is why is the water always dirty? Despite my work, is it because there's simply too much pressure on my bio-load? WILL THIS BE FIXED ONCE I UPGRADE TO THE 55 GALLON? And WHY do my filters clog so quickly?
> 
> 3. This is my first "big" tank, and I want to make sure I'm doing everything right, and am using good equipment before I set it up tomorrow in my new home.


1. Transfer everything - filter, substrate, structures, everything over to your 55 gallon and try and keep it wet. If done properly, 100% of the nitrifying bacteria from your 10 gallon will be transferred to the 55 gallon. In addition, you could add a bottle of Tetra SafeStart from your local pet store - it's a bacteria-in-a-bottle supplement and may help, emphasis on MAY (it might be a waste of money in some people's opinions, but not mine).

2. Yes, it will be fixed when you upgrade. The tank will absorb quite a bit more of the mulm (decomposing bio-matter) into the substrate, and the filter will do the rest of the work. In your 10G, the filters are doing 90% of the work. Just keep on weekly water changes in your new tank. I change my water and filter media 1xweekly, as I'm carrying a pretty heavy bioload in my main tank as well.

3. Filter, heater, bubbler, and light. Sounds perfect to me.

One last thing - please consider a few live plants. They will supplement your filter in cleaning the water and substrate, lower the stress levels on your fish by giving them a more natural environment, and require only a root fertilizer tab or two to grow in an already running and populated tank. Plus they're REALLY pretty compared to the fake plastic stuff.


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

NoMoreToys said:


> Not to speak for "jrman83" but i think he is referencing buying the filter fiber separately and making your own. I do know that the carbon doesn't really last that long. Don't recall the specs. But what you can do is slice the filter and dump the carbon out and lightly wash the filter to get most of the grime out. I have done this in the past with no ill effects.
> 
> Chime in all if not correct.


You're right. Also, I would save my money on the safe-start stuff. If you are transferring everything from your 10g, no need. There is more than enough bacteria in the transferred stuff than that bottle will ever provide. You could consider it if you aren't going to transfer things, however.


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## beaslbob (May 29, 2009)

I would use anacharis and vals for fast growing plants. completely covering the back wall. and perhaps down the side glass as well.

the some small potted plants (anubias, crypst, small swords) at about 1/4 the way from the glass. Then an amazon sword centerpiece.

I also don't use filters so don't have to worry about clogging.

For a substrate I would use 1" peat moss ($10 for a ~2/3 cubic yard bale), 1" play sand ($3/50 # bag), pc select or aqurium gravel on top. Pro choice select red is a baseball infield landscaping material and I got it by sending an email to pro choice and they gave me a local source. You could also use aquarium gravel for the top material as well.


Check out the beaslbob builds on this forums.


my .02


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## Gizmo (Dec 6, 2010)

beaslbob said:


> I also do use filters so don't have to worry about clogging.


Pretty sure you meant don't. Otherwise, I would fear for your sanity bob


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## Gizmo (Dec 6, 2010)

marieb519 said:


> 1. I dont know HOW to get them out of the tank without crushing them accidentally. I really dont want to simply dump whats left in the 10 gallon into the 55 gallon for 2 reasons: (1) I know the gravel would come down and crush the fish - especially the super small ones, and (2) There's a TON of fish poop/nasty crap in the bottom of the 10 gallon, which would end up in the new/clean 55 gallon along with the baby fish during the "pour".
> 
> 2. Anyway, little pieces of java fern were CONSTANTLY coming off the plant and floating around the tank (which looked like crap). And the BIGGER PROBELM was that these little dettached pieces of java fern kept CONSTANTLY getting stuck in my filter and clogging it up!!!
> 
> ...


1. Actually, you will want to transfer the gravel and everything - fish poop and all - into the new tank, and keep it submerged while you do it. Cleaning the gravel will kill some of the bacteria in the gravel and you need that in a new tank. Plus, if you're going the new plant route, the more dirty the gravel the better for them since their roots will soak up nutrients from the decomposing mulm. Sadly, during the transfer you WILL lose some of them, but me I would drain almost all of the water then carry the whole tank over to the new tank, tilt it and let the gravel move slowly to the corner and pour the rest of the water into the tank, then scoop the gravel and pile it in a corner of the new tank's floor, then fill the tank most of the way, then smooth the gravel back out.

2. Sadly, there's no way to prevent plant debris from clogging the filter eventually. I have to clean plant matter from the inlet of my filter 2x a week on average. However, if you talk to beaslbob on the forum and follow some of his advice, you could grow plants big and dense and healthy enough that you don't even need a filter, or water changes, or cleaning of the tank.

3. I would do 2 things: 1. Research the region platies come from in the world, and research plants that you could purchase from that region, but in general that's a little overkill as most plant-fish combos work great together. 2. Invest in a breeder net or tank divider so the babies can get away from the bigger fish, but honestly I wouldn't bother with that since I'm a fan of the fish-eat-fish routine and don't want a million babies (which you will have eventually, whether you want them or not).

4. First off, what is "premium gravel"? Is it pea-sized polished stuff, or is it shale-like? Most of us consider "premium gravel" as things like Fluorite or Eco-Complete, which are designed specifically to grow plants in. Either way, you can grow most common aquarium plants in regular pea gravel just fine. Just stick them in there with the roots (if any, otherwise just the bottom of the stalk) in the substrate, leave your lights on 8-12 hours a day, and don't clean your gravel. In addition, I would suggest buying some root fertilizer tablets and following the instructions on when/where to put them in the substrate. I grew 3 big healthy plants in a 10 gallon using that method.


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

Sounds like your special gravel is closer to pebbles. Something large enough that allows big crevaces for the fish to enter into if necessary to save their life. I used to have it on my livebearer tank and used to watch it happen often. I used to call it river rock - just what it looked like to me. You will not want this stuff to grow plants in. You can, but some plants will not like it, even easy plants like anacharis. I tried it for a little while.

As far as debris on your filter intake, try getting a filter sponge and cut it to fit over your intake. Even my big canister filters usually will not hold a piece of a plant if it has a sponge on it. You'll want this for a fry tank anyway. It will reduce your intake slightly but shouldn't suck plants to it or suck up fry.

Here is a question: What do you plan to do with all these Platies? Platies will start to produce as young as 3-4 months old, but take a full year until they are full grown. I have adloscent Platies that are not even half the size they will be full grown already spitting out babies. Maybe you mentioned your plan in your first few posts? I need to go and read.


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## beaslbob (May 29, 2009)

[email protected] said:


> Pretty sure you meant don't. Otherwise, I would fear for your sanity bob


I didn't know it was insane to type too fast. *old dude

good catch so that must be the reason you'all are here.

corrected.


my .02


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