# Moving fish from 20 gallon to 110 Gallon



## markneff773 (Dec 15, 2014)

Hello all, 
I had a 75 gallon tank for years and unfortunately lost most of my fish due to a heater malfunction, so, while moving to a new house, I've kept my remaining 4 fish (1 Cichlid, 1 Pleco, and 2 Clown Loaches - all 7 years old) in a 20 gallon tank. When I moved them into that tank, I just used existing filter media. I'm setting up a 110 gallon in the next week or, how would you recommend moving these fish into the new tank? If I add the water, substrate, decorations and filter media from the 20 gallon into the 110, do you think that will be enough to get the new tank established without cycling it? 
I would think this would be enough to get it going, and then just test water for the next 2 weeks or so before adding any new Cichlids. Thoughts?


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## noddy (Nov 20, 2006)

What will be feeding the filters for these two weeks before you add the fish?


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## Loume (Dec 27, 2014)

Noddy, I think he means to not add any additional fish for a couple weeks with the old fish in the new tank, so It sounds like a real good plan to me, provided he doesn't add too many new fish too fast.

Just one thing, if the 20 gallon has been neglected, as in the nitrates/pollutants have been allowed to rise substantially over time, I would do a series of water changes (smaller ones daily or every other day) first to bring them down before the switchover.

Most people only think about nitrate poisoning, but nitrate shock can also occur (suddenly going from polluted water to clean water.)


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## LeeAberdeen (Sep 4, 2014)

If your filter media is already coping with the bio load from your fish then it will be enough on its own, regardless of the size of the tank. There's certainly no need to use the water from the 20g, because beneficial bacteria lives on hard surfaces, not in the water column, so you may as well put clean water in the new tank. The substrate and decorations won't contain anywhere near as much beneficial bacteria as the filter media, so they won't particularly help in cycling.

I've just cycled a second tank and, as others on here will tell you, you get an 'insta-cycle' just by using your established filter media. I took a third of the media from my other tank and moved a third of the fish to the new one, so I knew it would cope with the bio load. As I presume you're not going to be using the 20g now, you can just take all of your media, and it's job done. By all means check it, but there shouldn't be any problems. The only thing that would cause problems is if you added a load of new fish because you've now got a bigger tank. You'd need to wait a while for that and then add slowly.


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

Agree with LeeAberdeen. Don't stock the 110 all at once. Wait a month after the original 4 fish go in and then don't add more than 4 more after a month of zero ammonia and nitrites. Wait another month, etc.


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## markneff773 (Dec 15, 2014)

Thanks for the tips , the 20 gallon has been maintained so I think I'll be good.


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## noddy (Nov 20, 2006)

Sorry, I thought the tank would sit empty for two weeks. I agree with all the advice given. As long as your fish are used to living in clean water you should be good.
I would treat the new water with Prime or Safe before adding the fish.


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## markneff773 (Dec 15, 2014)

One Last question, do I need to actually "run" the filter from the 20 gallon in the new tank or just place the media from it in a bag and set it in the water?


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## Loume (Dec 27, 2014)

You can put the old media in a nylon bag(s) and place inside a new filter, along with some new media, but you are going to need good circulation through that old media for awhile, don't just set it in the water. You'll be depending on it solely to break down the ammonia and nitrites, until new gets colonized. And watch your ammonia and nitrites closely for awhile....


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## Loume (Dec 27, 2014)

Mark, you could also add a liquid bacterial product to kickstart the new tank more. I can't vouch for the products personally, haven't ever used them, and to be truthful I've always been some skeptical about them. But I know people who have sworn by tetra safe start, and there's another by seachem. Actually there's all kinds of brands. If you do this, it's the one thing I would go to petsmart/petco to buy. I think the the turnover would be better, and maybe less worry about long or extreme temp storage, shipping, etc.


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## judyok (Aug 12, 2014)

That must fill like the Taj Mahal after being in a 20 gallon.


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## markneff773 (Dec 15, 2014)

Got the tank up an running and fish moved in, so far everyone is good


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## markneff773 (Dec 15, 2014)

How long should I leave the old media in the filter? I just put the sponge, bio chips and purigen into the top basket of one of my fluval 405 filter. Its been in there for a week, been doing water tests every other day, so for no ammonia and no nitrites.


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## Deeda (Oct 12, 2012)

I'd leave the mature media for at least a month to allow the new media to build up bacteria.


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## markneff773 (Dec 15, 2014)

2 and a half weeks later and all 4 fish are doing great, along with 4 new cichlids. So happy to have Cichlids again!


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