I've posted my problems with the Seaclear II 46 gallon bow I have. I am giving up on this tank, it is impossible to keep a planted freshwater tank with shrimp in it due to the filtration system. An expensive mistake that I am over.
I would love to have some input on how to switch to a "normal tank". Here's my problem. I need the new tank to be placed in the same place as the current tank, I have no other place to put it.
The only way I can think of to do this and preserve my animals and plants is to get a 10-20 gallon tank and put my animals in that after cycling. Break down the Seaclear and set up the new tank (using the sand, plants and bogwood from the old so it will cycle quickly) and then transfer my animals to the new tank. after 2-4 weeks.
This means buying the new large tank, a small tank and filter/heater before I start. I hate to buy a tank just for this transfer. I'm wondering, has anyone moved a large tank without killing everyone? Like, would it be possible to drain the current tank to a few inches of water, slide it and then put the water back? Any good ideas about doing this? or other ways to make the transfer?
And since I'll be starting from scratch....please tell me which filtration systems you prefer and WHY, so I'll do better this time!
Current animals:
2 vampire shrimp
2 amano shrimp
2 asian filter feeders, one looks like a wood shrimp
6 kuhli loaches
6 cardinal tetras
if the only option is moving them to another tank, would a 10 gallon be sufficient for a month with the animals I have?
thanks,
~D
Advice on replacing a tank
Moderator: Mustafa
Can you access the bio filter media in your Seaclear--meaning can you take it out and transfer the balls into another filter?
When I set up a new tank, I usually put extra filter media in the existing tank. If they fit in the filter, well and good. If not, then I put them in a mesh bag and place them somewhere in the tank itself. Then I wait about a week. Two weeks and more filter media, if your new tank is larger.
In your case, if you can reuse the existing media, then prep your new tank and filter. Then drain your old tank water into a clean pail/s. Put your fauna into the pail for temporary safekeeping. Switch tanks. Then put some of your old water (assuming it's relatively clean) into the new tank. Pour some new treated water into the tank. Pop the old filter media into the new filter.
Voila! You have an instant cycled tank. Now, you can put the fish/shrimp into the new tank.
You don't really need to re-use the old tank water; I don't. But if you just want to play it extra safe, then re-use it.
The thing with seeding cycled filter media is that you need to put the fish in the new tank ASAP after the new filter is up and running. I had a friend who waited a week before transferring his fish. Unfortunately, the filter needed the fish wastes to keep the bacteria going. So one week later, his instantly "cycled" tank was "cycled" no more. He had to do it all over again.
When I set up a new tank, I usually put extra filter media in the existing tank. If they fit in the filter, well and good. If not, then I put them in a mesh bag and place them somewhere in the tank itself. Then I wait about a week. Two weeks and more filter media, if your new tank is larger.
In your case, if you can reuse the existing media, then prep your new tank and filter. Then drain your old tank water into a clean pail/s. Put your fauna into the pail for temporary safekeeping. Switch tanks. Then put some of your old water (assuming it's relatively clean) into the new tank. Pour some new treated water into the tank. Pop the old filter media into the new filter.
Voila! You have an instant cycled tank. Now, you can put the fish/shrimp into the new tank.
You don't really need to re-use the old tank water; I don't. But if you just want to play it extra safe, then re-use it.
The thing with seeding cycled filter media is that you need to put the fish in the new tank ASAP after the new filter is up and running. I had a friend who waited a week before transferring his fish. Unfortunately, the filter needed the fish wastes to keep the bacteria going. So one week later, his instantly "cycled" tank was "cycled" no more. He had to do it all over again.
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badflash
- Master Shrimp Nut
- Posts: 2542
- Joined: Sat Sep 24, 2005 1:06 pm
- Location: Wappingers Falls, NY
- Contact:
When I relocate my shrimp I re-use as much stuff as I can, sand, filter media, water, etc. If moving up to a larger tank I definitely re-use the old water. When I recently set up my 300 gallon "pond" I took the entire week's water change from all my aquariums and cleaned all the filters into it. No losses from the fist or shrimp that went into it the next day. That was about 20 gallons of water and 8 filters.
As long as your water is properly conditioned, it shouldn't be a problem.
As long as your water is properly conditioned, it shouldn't be a problem.
If you're moving the entire contents and bioload (plants/fish/shrimp) from one tank to another, it shouldn't need to be cycled again. The tank itself and the water contain very little of the cycle bacteria -- it's all in your gravel, media and on plants/decorations.
What you could do is put everything into a rubbermaid tote (plants/fish, etc.), remove the old tank with the gravel, put the new tank in place, transfer the gravel (keeping it moist), then put all the critters back in. Don't forget to put the filter media from the old tank into the new tank.
Just remember to leave yourself enough time to do whatever it is you need to do. Breaking down a tank takes several hours.
What you could do is put everything into a rubbermaid tote (plants/fish, etc.), remove the old tank with the gravel, put the new tank in place, transfer the gravel (keeping it moist), then put all the critters back in. Don't forget to put the filter media from the old tank into the new tank.
Just remember to leave yourself enough time to do whatever it is you need to do. Breaking down a tank takes several hours.
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frugalfish
- Shrimp
- Posts: 162
- Joined: Fri Apr 01, 2005 6:32 pm
- Location: Scappoose, Oregon
thanks for all the input, ya'll rule!
I never even thought of putting everyone in a tub and just setting up and moving them to the new tank. I can see this would take many hours of concerted effort but it seems worth it to me.
Yes, I can transfer my bioballs, sand, bogwood, plants, etc. I'll just need some more five gallon buckets and a large item from the container store for the animals, that I can re-use to store clothes. Cool!
Thanks for pointing out that if I do this moving the animals in right away is logical to keep the biology working!
And to the last question, I plan to replace it with either another 46 gallon bow or go as high as a 55 gallon. On that note, this was my first acrylic tank and I wasn't happy with it so I'm going back to glass, helluva lot easier to deal with algae (ye ole razor blade rules) and it just isn't as clear as glass. My husband is still feeling guilty for scoring the tank cos he caught some sand in the algae sponge.
I will have to wait a bit longer to do this though cos my knee has not recovered sufficiently from surgery to do a day long move. I can just see myself sitting next to the tank half done while my knee blows up!
thanks all! Keep the ideas coming!
I never even thought of putting everyone in a tub and just setting up and moving them to the new tank. I can see this would take many hours of concerted effort but it seems worth it to me.
Yes, I can transfer my bioballs, sand, bogwood, plants, etc. I'll just need some more five gallon buckets and a large item from the container store for the animals, that I can re-use to store clothes. Cool!
Thanks for pointing out that if I do this moving the animals in right away is logical to keep the biology working!
And to the last question, I plan to replace it with either another 46 gallon bow or go as high as a 55 gallon. On that note, this was my first acrylic tank and I wasn't happy with it so I'm going back to glass, helluva lot easier to deal with algae (ye ole razor blade rules) and it just isn't as clear as glass. My husband is still feeling guilty for scoring the tank cos he caught some sand in the algae sponge.
I will have to wait a bit longer to do this though cos my knee has not recovered sufficiently from surgery to do a day long move. I can just see myself sitting next to the tank half done while my knee blows up!
thanks all! Keep the ideas coming!
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frugalfish
- Shrimp
- Posts: 162
- Joined: Fri Apr 01, 2005 6:32 pm
- Location: Scappoose, Oregon
I would add that it is always good to have an extra sponge filter, airpump and heater around for just an occasion. I would als like to recommend that you be careful when transferring the substrate, especially if it is an older well established one. When you disturb an old substrate you release alot of waste and built up mulm which can cause an ammonia spike. I think it is best to gently rinse the substrate using only the old tank water and then transfer it to the new tank. You will still maintain the important bacteria and limit the chance of a spike. Think of this as a another way of doing a gravel vaccuming. And yes, please make sure you are physically fit and a free day to take on this project.
I did exactly whats described here, when swapping my old 3ft tank for the new 4ft one.
Start early in the day, and get friends to help if you can.
I used a big plastic crate/tub that i could run a mini heater in, and filled that with some water from the old tank.. put the plants in it and then the tank inhabitants in carefully.
Then drained the old tank into buckets and tubs, put the substrate straight into the new tank, swapped the tanks around and refilled the new tank with all the old water, filter etc.
I let it settle for a couple of hours, syphoned off a load of the settled mulm and put in a bucket of clean water (at the right temp), and then, crossed my fingers, hoped for the best and put the inhabitants back in.
Ok they had to swim around in a slightly murky tank for a few hours, btu amazingly, it cleared up damn fast nad NO DEATHS at all, not even the bamboo shrimp i had at the time!
That tanks now been running nearly 6 months with nothing untoward happening at all.
Its a messy, tiring, long job, but its worth it in the end!
Em
Start early in the day, and get friends to help if you can.
I used a big plastic crate/tub that i could run a mini heater in, and filled that with some water from the old tank.. put the plants in it and then the tank inhabitants in carefully.
Then drained the old tank into buckets and tubs, put the substrate straight into the new tank, swapped the tanks around and refilled the new tank with all the old water, filter etc.
I let it settle for a couple of hours, syphoned off a load of the settled mulm and put in a bucket of clean water (at the right temp), and then, crossed my fingers, hoped for the best and put the inhabitants back in.
Ok they had to swim around in a slightly murky tank for a few hours, btu amazingly, it cleared up damn fast nad NO DEATHS at all, not even the bamboo shrimp i had at the time!
That tanks now been running nearly 6 months with nothing untoward happening at all.
Its a messy, tiring, long job, but its worth it in the end!
Em
well, he's good for other things non-tank related...
Thanks to all for how to make the move. Now I need to research the best filtration for the new tank. I keep a pretty heavily planted tank, it is "landscaped" so I don't want a filter that will interrupt the view 
.
Mustafa recommends in an article "the most suitable filters for the shrimp tank are sponge filters" I'd love some advice on specific filters ya'll would recommend of this type but also of the type that is off the back or under the tank out of sight. The new tank will be 46-55 gallons.
tanks,
~D
. Mustafa recommends in an article "the most suitable filters for the shrimp tank are sponge filters" I'd love some advice on specific filters ya'll would recommend of this type but also of the type that is off the back or under the tank out of sight. The new tank will be 46-55 gallons.
tanks,
~D
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frugalfish
- Shrimp
- Posts: 162
- Joined: Fri Apr 01, 2005 6:32 pm
- Location: Scappoose, Oregon
I would first recommend that you get a canister filter for your tank. I personally favor Eheims. Main body sits in the aquarium cabinet and only the intake and outflow are visible in the tank. Canisters tend to need less frequent cleaning and have very large biolad capabilities. Of course with any filter other than a sponge you will need to cover the intake to avoid baby shrimp from being sucked into the filter. Covers include cut sponges, netting, and one time Mustafa put a link to a site that had attachments for intakes to prevent this problem. However, many people have discovered even if tiny shrimp get into the canister filter that many times when they go to clean it out they find shrimp alive and simply dump them back into the tank. Second choice would be a hang on the back power filter. Simple to set up and monthly cleanings are necessary. Again cover the intake, etc. I like AquaClears.
Filter recommendations, was Replace Tank
Since only Frugalfish noticed and responded to my filter question, thought I'd repost. (thanks Frugal!)
Thanks to all for how to make the move. Now I need to research the best filtration for the new tank. I keep a pretty heavily planted tank, it is "landscaped" so I don't want a filter that will interrupt the view .
Mustafa recommends in an article "the most suitable filters for the shrimp tank are sponge filters" I'd love some advice on specific filters ya'll would recommend of this type but also of the type that is off the back or under the tank out of sight. The new tank will be 46-55 gallons.
tanks,
~D
Thanks to all for how to make the move. Now I need to research the best filtration for the new tank. I keep a pretty heavily planted tank, it is "landscaped" so I don't want a filter that will interrupt the view .
Mustafa recommends in an article "the most suitable filters for the shrimp tank are sponge filters" I'd love some advice on specific filters ya'll would recommend of this type but also of the type that is off the back or under the tank out of sight. The new tank will be 46-55 gallons.
tanks,
~D
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badflash
- Master Shrimp Nut
- Posts: 2542
- Joined: Sat Sep 24, 2005 1:06 pm
- Location: Wappingers Falls, NY
- Contact:
I don't like sponge filters myself. I tried them for a while, but didn't find they worked that well and you needed to clean them a lot, at least I did.
I ended up building a really simple system that works really well.
I take a standard under gravel filter and a standard whisper type over the tank filter and put them together using an o-ring from home depot to seal the connection so the suction is good. This turns the entire gravel bed into a huge filter and also allows you to put special filtration in the whisper filter if you need it. I've changed over all my tanks to this system and am really happy with it. The gravel prevents the little shrimp from getting sucked in. The tubes are easy to cover with plants so you don't see them. That black thing on the side is an elite mini filter I use for flow to keep the bamboos happy.
I ended up building a really simple system that works really well.
I take a standard under gravel filter and a standard whisper type over the tank filter and put them together using an o-ring from home depot to seal the connection so the suction is good. This turns the entire gravel bed into a huge filter and also allows you to put special filtration in the whisper filter if you need it. I've changed over all my tanks to this system and am really happy with it. The gravel prevents the little shrimp from getting sucked in. The tubes are easy to cover with plants so you don't see them. That black thing on the side is an elite mini filter I use for flow to keep the bamboos happy.