I am getting a new 90 gallon tank and i was wondering how i can do this with out having to recycle it? I can't move a filled up tank and the new one is going right where the old one is. I was thinking that i could just take the water and put it in big buckets and they syphon it in the new tank. Or is there are way that i can do this with out moving all 50 gallons of water? Could i just keep some of the water and then add new will that keep me from having to cycle it because they have to go back in there the same night. I have a little 10 gallon that i can put them in (the largest BP is 4 inches) They would be in there for an hour or to it takes to set up the tank and they will just hide in a corror anyway or is this way to small even for an hour? It is that or 5 gallon bucket and i thought the tank would be better. The gravle in the old tank is going in the new one along with the plants and drift wood. Is that okay? will the bacteria be on those things? A new fiilter comes with it but i could see if the filter things(you out inside the filter) are the same size. If i do all these things do i have to save all the water? Just a little bit(a few gallons)? or would none be okay?
I know they will be really freacked out with me moving them and i just want it ti be as easy as possible on them so i don't want the water to change dramaticly. Oh yea i have 5 BPs largest is 4inches the smallest is 1 1/2. And i have some bottom feeds(4) and a louch they are all small and i have 1 medium-small angel and 2 rosey barbs.
Thanks for any help
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tank change
my situation was identical,first I syphoned 1/2 the tank into buckets,and put them out of the way, then I took all the decor, lines ,heater and filter out, then bagged the fish into buckets too(spent a bit at the hardware store for buckets,)then ran the rest of the water off(its the gravel that holds most of the beneficial bacteria)then put as much as the gravel as you can into buckets until you can lift the tank away, new tank in,add remaining gravel from old tank, then all gravel from buckets, half fill with water from buckets, add filters decor heater ect and get fish back as quick as poss, top up with new treated water(I had to mix hot and cold water to get the temp right,) I put my old filter in alongside the new one and ran it for 4 weeks,took about 2 1/2 hours!would recommend lots of towels for spills and cover the buckets when the fish are in!!