# 75 Gallon to 140 gallon upgrade question



## bigphil001 (Mar 26, 2011)

Hi, I currently have a 75 gallon with 2 mating pairs of severums, 2 humongous tinfoil barbs, and one fat axolotl. They've been in the tank for years together, but as they have grown they have run out of space. 

I'm upgrading to a 140 gallon aquarium. I already have the tank in place and am ready to do the transfer. My question is regarding the extra 70 or so gallons of new uncycled water I will have to add the the mix once I put the fish in the 140 gallon tank. The fish are all very old and I want to avoid shocking them as much as possible.

Any suggestions? I don't really have the option to setup and cycle the 140 gallon because I'm re using a lot of the equipment I currently have in the 75 gallon tank.


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## phys (Feb 4, 2011)

transfer everything over all at once without cleaning.. that'll help keep the bacteria on there. Watch all your parameters and make sure they dont go bad and do water changes if they do. Also, get the water temp, ph, etc. as close as you can on the new water before you mix it with the old and do a slow acclimation.


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

I would scoop out at least 5-10lbs worth of the gravel from the 75 and put in the new tank....didn't know if you were transferring gravel also. And also place the filter from the 75g onto the new tank. I wouldn't worry about transferring water. The water itself doesn't usually house most of your beneficial bacteria. Your gravel and filter does. If you did all the gravel and filter and kept them both good and wet during the transfer, you might see a small spike for a day or two, but as far as a cycle goes it would be very, very short. 

I moved a 125g 200 miles and put everything back in that I took out and never saw any ammonia for a cycle. You would be essentially doing the same thing.


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## bigphil001 (Mar 26, 2011)

Ok, I was planning on rinsing out the gravel and reusing it from the 75 gallon. So I guess I just wont rinse it out then, and just transfer it straight to the 140 gallon.

I'm getting excited to get this project done. Hopefully I should get the transfer done this weekend. 

The placement of the 140 gallon tank is about 5 feet from the 75 gallon tank. I was thinking of using my Magnum 350 to transfer a lot of the water from the 75 gallon to 140 gallon tank.


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

I wouldn't transfer more than 30-40%. Will this tank be a planted tank?


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## bigphil001 (Mar 26, 2011)

jrman83 said:


> I wouldn't transfer more than 30-40%. Will this tank be a planted tank?


The tank won't be planted


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

bigphil001 said:


> The tank won't be planted


That's cool. You may change your mind later. Big planted tanks are awesome.


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## bigphil001 (Mar 26, 2011)

jrman83 said:


> That's cool. You may change your mind later. Big planted tanks are awesome.


The problem I have with a planted tank is that I have a community tank and some of the fish will eat the plants. Although a planted 140 gallon would be awesome.


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## Gizmo (Dec 6, 2010)

For the new water, really just dechlorinate it using some tap water conditioner. The other BIG thing you'll need to do to avoid causing osmotic shock with your fish is to siphon the new water into your new tank once everything else is in there, and siphon it slowly. DO NOT DUMP the water in or you will seriously ruin your fish's day.


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## susankat (Nov 15, 2008)

When you tranfer the rock you can rinse it out in some old tank water and it will keep any bacteria growth on the rocks. You can probably do this in a tub with 5 to 10 gals of your tank water or use fresh water from tap that has been dechlorinated. transfer your rock deco and filter to the new tank put water from old tank then add water. It wouldn't be much different than doing a large water change. Let your old filter run with your new filter for 3 or 4 weeks and that should give time for the new filter to be colonized.


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## NursePlaty (Feb 5, 2010)

I dont think a planted tank will work anyways. His fish will tear them apart. Only works with peaceful fish.


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## bigphil001 (Mar 26, 2011)

Well I finally got the transfer done, all went well, and this fish were a little freaked out at first, but now they are just enjoying the space.


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## tinman (Nov 3, 2009)

bigphil001 said:


> Well I finally got the transfer done, all went well, and this fish were a little freaked out at first, but now they are just enjoying the space.


whats that fish in the last picture ?? 


Never seen that kind  

and your tank is just plan awesom  (even without anything lol


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

Cool.


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## bigphil001 (Mar 26, 2011)

tinman said:


> whats that fish in the last picture ??
> 
> 
> Never seen that kind
> ...


Thanks! I haven't had a chance to really start decorating it yet, I have some more driftwood to put in there.

The last fish in an axolotl. I've had him for about 6 months now, and every time someone sees him for the first time their reaction it "wtf is that?"


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## phys (Feb 4, 2011)

awesome build!


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