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Think Fish Tropical Fish Forum => Welcome to our Tropical Fishkeeping Forum - Please Read => Topic started by: Amlaikin on April 02, 2014, 09:29:35 PM

Title: Hi I recently upgraded my tank to a 120l from a previous 70l tank
Post by: Amlaikin on April 02, 2014, 09:29:35 PM
Hi folks
I've been keeping fish since October 13 and this site has been so valuable in helping me so far but now I have a question I'm unsure about?!
I've recently upgraded my tank to a 120l from a previous 70l tank.  I had the new tank set up for a week with just the new filter running with some 'filter start' (for what it's worth). Then I transferred the substrate, approx 30l of water, plants and old filter, then the fish.  A week later the fish are doing fine and so are the water levels.  Can I consider the tank fully cycled or is it too early to say?!
Thanks in advance!
Title: Re: Hi I recently upgraded my tank to a 120l from a previous 70l tank
Post by: dbaggie on April 02, 2014, 09:55:13 PM
Hi Amlaikin  :wave:

Using some of your existing tank contents, particularly the filter (as long as it wasn't left out of water for any length of time) should help - I used a similar method when I set my tank up last year and found that it cycled very quickly. However I was doing daily tests using the API Master test kit to check the state of play.

You would need to test yours to be sure - do you have a test kit? If not, I think most people on here would strongly recommend that you invest in one (liquid tests, not strips) - buying off the internet is probably your best bet as they can be around half the price of the ones in the shops. They can seem a bit expensive but they're not just useful during the cycling process - it's good to carry out routine testing and they can sometimes help find the cause any problems you may have with your tank water at a later date and therby enable you to take corrective action quickly.
Title: Re: Hi I recently upgraded my tank to a 120l from a previous 70l tank
Post by: SteveS on April 03, 2014, 04:17:21 AM
The major task in the cycle process is cycling the filter. As such you are almost there. You just need to allow enough time for the bugglies to settle down in their new home, just as you do for the fish. If you havn't had any ammonia or nitrite spikes in the week or so, then I would be quite happy
Title: Re: Hi I recently upgraded my tank to a 120l from a previous 70l tank
Post by: Amlaikin on April 03, 2014, 07:51:32 AM
Hi. Thanks for the quick replies!
Yes I have the API test kit but haven't been testing every day do will change that! The old filter didn't dry out and I intend to leave it in there for a good while. Also planning weekly 30l changes. Good to know I'm on the right track. Thanks  :)
Title: Re: Hi I recently upgraded my tank to a 120l from a previous 70l tank
Post by: Sue on April 03, 2014, 09:57:00 AM
It is always a good idea to test daily whenever you do something to the tank, just in case. A couple of months ago I upgraded from 125 to 180 litres using the same filter and decor although the heater and sand were new so I would have lost the bacteria that were on the sand and glass of the old tank. I tested daily and did not see any trace of ammonia or nitrite for the following week, then I stopped checking.
As the others have said, as long as your ammonia and nitrite stay at zero, you are cycled. But don't forget to check the levels again if you get more fish.

Do you intend keeping the old filter long term? I only ask because a lot of people just take the old one out and put a new, bigger one in.......
Title: Re: Hi I recently upgraded my tank to a 120l from a previous 70l tank
Post by: Amlaikin on April 03, 2014, 05:50:42 PM
Well the tank (Fishpod 120) came with a filter but it's quite noisy. My old filter - a fluval U2 - is not big enough for the new tank i think so for the time being I'm using both until I can maybe afford a U3 which I think would be ok on its own (and hopefully as quiet as the U2!)
Title: Re: Hi I recently upgraded my tank to a 120l from a previous 70l tank
Post by: Sue on April 03, 2014, 07:51:33 PM
The danger comes with just swapping filters over or running two together for a couple of weeks. The best way to do it is to put all the media from the old filter inside the new one and use some new media to fill the spaces. The filter bacteria don't readily migrate into the new media, it does take a while. If the old and new media are not in physical contact they take months to colonise the new. When I've swapped filters I crammed all the old media into the new filter with some new filling it up, waited 2 months, removed a small part of the old and replaced it with new, waited another month then swapped a bit more and so on till all the old had gone.
Title: Re: Hi I recently upgraded my tank to a 120l from a previous 70l tank
Post by: Amlaikin on April 03, 2014, 08:44:59 PM
Great advice, thanks Sue.  I had not thought of that but will do it  :D
Title: Re: Hi I recently upgraded my tank to a 120l from a previous 70l tank
Post by: Christine Snape on April 07, 2014, 05:40:47 PM
Hi everyone
Many thks for all your suggestions.