# Best way to store fish



## spit.fire (Jan 3, 2011)

So im planning on upgrading my 30gal to something larger and what is a cheep temporary way to store the fish until my new tank is properly cycled? (i have more tanks i can put them in but they would be quite overcrowded and they will eat half my guppies)


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## jobber (May 14, 2010)

if you use the same water from your 30 gallon in your new tank, then there should be enough bacteria in the water to be cycled well enough for you to just put the fish into the new tank. If you also have seachem stability, you could just follow their recommended dosing regime.


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## Adz1 (Apr 21, 2010)

using the water and filtration system from the 30g in the new tank will make it like you just did a water change....


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## mikebike (Sep 8, 2010)

If you know ahead of time.
get a spare Hydro Sponge Filter and run it in one of your tanks to get a head start on the beneficial bacteria.

Eric in Port Moody has a lot for sale this weekend.

I run a couple of them in my larger tanks so I always have a bio-load ready to add to a new tank. 
Wring out the sponges into the new tank and add the oldest one to the new tank.
I also use some of the water I remove before toping up my tanks and save it ready for the new tank.

I have a new clean garbage can on my back patio I dump my removed water into so I have some ready in case I get an attack of Tankitis.

It struck again today and I have a 37 gallon to start filling tomorrow<G>


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## charles (Apr 21, 2010)

that depends on how you setup the tank... 

1) old water contains nothing but waste. Bacteria does not live in water, very few... They colonize anywhere but water and glass. So putting old water in your tank do more harm than good.

2) If you are setting up say a 50g tank, best to do is age 50g of water. Use those.

3) use all your substrate, decor, filters on your 30g. Cut feeding in half. With the same amount of fish, you should not have any problem in a larger tank.

A common mistake of aging sponge filters or any filter in this matter... Here is an example....

say you have a tank with 10 fish with 3 filters and substrate and decor... The bacteria is not going to concentrate on growing in one place. And the amount of bacteria can only support your 10 fish. Now say you want to remove 1 filter to your new tank... You are basically taking 25% of bacteria from your old tank away. In another word, your new tank will now roughly have enough bacteria to support 2-3 fish. And your old tank will have only 75% of bacteria left to support 7-8 fish; assuming all your filters / substrate/decor seeds in a decent amount of time in your tank.

So don't just assume you have a tank and put a filter in there for a week and you instantly cycle a new tank. Very common misconception. Bacteria doesn't grow grow and grow. They can only grow with the amount of fish in there and that is about it.

Hope this help.


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## mikebike (Sep 8, 2010)

Thanks Charles,
I learned something new today<G>

Mike


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## charles (Apr 21, 2010)

No problem. I learnt new things here every day too.


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## jobber (May 14, 2010)

thanks for the write up charles. I love learning new things. Gosh, lucky i didn't swapped to a new tank with what i've done. wipe out my livestock...and will need to call up canadianaquatics 

does the bacteria cling and grow on almond leaves?


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## hillmar (Sep 25, 2010)

I'll add to charles great writeup with bacteria stats-
beneficial bacteria survive without ammonia, you would loose roughly 2-10% every 24hrs. 
And the stat that you are looking for-
the bacteria can multiply by 50% in 24hrs if there is enough ammonia/nitrite for them to feed on. So within a day your filter bacteria colony should be back to 'full capacity'


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