Changing from 29gal to 40gal

[Pencapchew95]

I have a 29gallon tank with one Oranda and one Pearlscale oranda. I’m looking to upgrade them to a 40 gallon tank in the near future. The tank I have them in is well established and is sitting on the only real stand that can hold a tank of its size. So I’m trying to figure out how I could cycle a 40 gallon tank and put it in its place with the lack of room. I don’t really have anywhere to put the 40 gallon long enough to ensure it’s cycled properly. If anyone has any ideas or suggestions I’m super open to anything! Thanks ahead of time ! 

[jwcarlson]

Drain water into 5 gallon bucket, net your fish and anything else over into it.  Also put your plants in there.

Throughly vacuum your gravel (assuming you have gravel) or sand or whatever substrate.  Get it as clean as you can.  Drain all the water while you're doing this.  

Move 29, put the new 40 up.  Have the 40 prepared for water (do any cleaning you're going to do before hand).  Move the substrate over, adding any additional you need to.  Fill the tank with water, make sure you dechlorinate with Prime or similar, you can start planting along the way.  Move over your filtration from the 29 (keep this damp while you're draining 29 and setting up the 40.  Get the water to the correct temperature and plop your goldfish in.  Instant cycle.  Would suggest not doing any major filter cleaning at the time of tank swapping.  Give it a couple weeks.  The goal here is to not destroy all your BB.  Even if all you transfer over is the filter from the old to the new, I wouldn't be worried about having a cycle issue at all.  

[lefty o]

pretty much the above. everything in your 29 has all the good bacteria you need on it. a few buckets or tubs to put the fish, gravel, etc in while you drain the 29. move the empty 29 put the new tank in place, add gravel, filter, decorations etc. fill with water close to the right temp, then move the fish into their new home. should be a 1-2 hour job. none of this cycling sillyness as you already have good established bacteria.

[Pencapchew95]

@lefty o @jwcarlson So I have three sponge filters in there as media, will that be more than enough BB in the transfer than? Thank you again for the responses!

[jwcarlson]

Unless you are adding more fish, the bioload remains unchanged (just more diluted).  So yes, it will handle it.  You will lose some from other surfaces, but an established colony multiples rapidly and you are transferring that over. 

[nabokovfan87]

On 2/21/2023 at 11:04 AM, Pencapchew95 said:

If anyone has any ideas or suggestions I’m super open to anything! Thanks ahead of time ! 

How soon are you planning to do this?

On 2/21/2023 at 5:47 PM, jwcarlson said:

Unless you are adding more fish, the bioload remains unchanged (just more diluted).  So yes, it will handle it.  You will lose some from other surfaces, but an established colony multiples rapidly and you are transferring that over. 

100%. Just keep the filter and rocks and hardscape wet.

[DeadStang]

I moved from a 20 to a 29 w/o issues. The tank was cycled by not seasoned.

I put all my plants and "furniture (rocks, wood, and plastic stuff) in buckets and added tank water to cover them.

Then I took out my filters and put them in other buckets with tank water.

Then I took more tank water and put my fish in that with a single sponge and heater and ran those while I kept working.

Then I took the rest of the water and put it another couple of buckets.

I transferred all the gravel into the new tank I had pre-tested for leaks and had already cleaned. It was a dirty mess! I added back all the furniture, rocks, and wood, and put my plants in (I have very few planted plants -- mostly wired on java ferns and anubias. Then I added all the left over water and put all filters except the one in the bucket with the fish. I was changing over heaters (to an ACO one), so I got that running and waited about 4 hours until the water cleared mostly, then put back my fish and their sponge. I ended up only adding about 2 more gallons of fresh, Primed water and I added the stinky Microbe-Lift at a new tank volume. No ammonia or nitrite spikes and all is well -- the new tank has been up and stable a couple of months.

[Pencapchew95]

Wow , thank you all for the replies! I hardly use my phone so I haven’t gotten to take a look on here in a day or two !