Switching to bigger tank: Prime? Dual Filter? SafeStart+?

[Doug_E]

I have a planted 20g tank with 8 White Clouds, 6 local minnows (1-1.5"), 6 amano shrimp, and 4 Nerite snails. I am moving them to a 40g. I have already moved most of the rocks, but am using new substrate in the 40g (Flourite black sand and Eco Complete). I've also moved some plants and will move some more when it is time to move the fish. 

I had two filters on the 20g for the last month. I put the media from one into my Fluval 307 that is on the 40. It has been running for almost a week and I've been putting flake food into the tank every 24-48 hours. 

The 40 has a pH of 8, ammonia 0.5, and nitrite 0.5. So it isn't quite cycled. 

I'd like to get them into the new tank as soon as I can. They are a bit stressed with all the changes (removing rocks and plants), but otherwise healthy and eating. 

I have a few options, any better than others or any to avoid?

1. Move 20g water to the 40g; Move Fish; Move the 207 filter on the 20g to the 40g and run both filters for a week or so.
2. Move 20g water to the 40g; move bio media from 20g filter; dose with SafeStart+; move fish.
3. Move 20g water to the 40g; move bio media from 20g filter; dose with Prime; move fish. 
4. Move 20g water to the 40g; move bio media from 20g filter; dose with Prime; move fish; dose with TSS+ in 24-48 hours.
5. Wait until new tank cycles on its own, then move water and fish.

I can find information that says any one of these is right, safe, bad, wrong. At the end of the day I want to do this quickly, but also without killing or harming the fish. 

Edited January 18, 2021 by Doug_E

[FrozenFins]

I think I would 2 or 3

[Doug_E]

2 minutes ago, James Black said:

I think I would 2 or 3

Thanks. Reading about Prime it sounds like an ideal product for this sort of thing IF it really does bind up the ammonia and nitrite, yet still allow BB to consume it. The only ones who seem to say the BB bacteria cannot eat the bound up toxins when using Prime, are competitors who make BB in a bottle.

[redmare]

If it were me I would do a large water change on the 40 and then move the fish and any other media/plants over. I would then just keep an eye on parameters and do water changes when necessary to keep ammonia and nitrite under 0.5ppm until your tank can fully convert your fish load.

[lefty o]

with plants, rocks, and filters from the old tank, either 2, or 3 will work just fine.

[Doug_E]

I moved the water, plants, and remaining rocks. Added Prime (1.5x the dosage) and then added the fish and shrimp. Ammonia was maybe a hair over 0 and nitrite around 0.25. I'll go easy on the feeding and test regularly for the next few days. The fish are all very active and their color is back. They were pretty pale and hid among the plants in their old tank since removing the big rocks. Seems they are not stressed anymore and settling in. 

[Doug_E]

Follow up for anyone who wants to learn...

I've been checking the Ammonia and Nitrites for the last few days every 4 hours. 30% water changes daily. Ammonia never rose higher than 0.25ppm, nitrite hit 0.5ppm one test (about 30 hours after stocking the tank). I added a bit more Prime and 12 hours later I added 3-4oz of Tetra Safe Start I had in an open bottle from the fall. I figured it can't hurt anything. Readings were 0.25 for both ammonia and nitrite, did a second 30% water change last night (two 30% changes yesterday) dosing Prime at the standard water change level. This morning readings were 0 for ammonia and 0.25 for nitrite. Water is pretty clear, fish are active, colored up nicely, and looking good. 

Giving the tank and filter time to cycle would have been much easier. However, the fish look much healthier in the new tank vs the old. For some reason when I removed the rock and half the plants they spent most of their time hiding in the remaining plants and were quite pale. I don't like seeing anything but 0 for ammonia and nitrite, but for the short time those non-toxic levels seemed to not bother them and they were much less stressed. 

I will still monitor parameters and do water changes, but so far so good.

 

Edited January 21, 2021 by Doug_E