Need 'advice on Moving To New Larger Tank

[Mrs. J]

New 90 Gallon About Two Weeks away from being completed. What is the best way to move our 4-1/2 to 5 inch babies to their new home? Water supply will be the same and will be transferring two Fluval 70 from 60 gallon to 90 gallon, and will add AC110. Planning on setting up 110 with some "extra" media which has been running in one of the 70s. Thinking a large water change 24 hours (?) before transfer and using most of the water from the 60 to the 90 then adding new water, with Prime, of course. Same temp, source, etc. I have read that netting them is not a good. Husband wants to bucket transfer - one at a time ( ?) Best time of day....low light and no food before/after. Any help is appreciated. These are Stendkers, but want to stress as little as possible. Thanks Julia

[rickztahone]

This is a lot easier than people make it out to be.

On the day that you plan on moving them, you will do the following:

-do a large WC on the new tank and use your regular dechlorinator.
-make sure the water temp is close to the old tank.
-disconnect filters/heaters/air from the old tank and add them to the new 90g tank.
-transfer all fish/plants over
-turn everything on (but consider leaving lights off first day)

No need to transfer any water from old tank. Filters are the ones that hold the BB (beneficial bacteria)

[Mrs. J]

Thankyou. Best way to transfer fish? Net, bucket, drop and plop....these come to my hands to eat....

[rickztahone]

Thankyou. Best way to transfer fish? Net, bucket, drop and plop....these come to my hands to eat....

The way I have done it for a while is very cheap. You go to the 99cent store and buy a plastic lemonade pitcher ;)
http://s7d2.scene7.com/is/image/BedBathandBeyond/23954740676913p?$478$

Simply put the pitcher in the water, if you have a clear pitcher, even better, then approach the discus slowly. Get it in the pitcher and drain a little bit off the top. Transfer over and bam! you are done. No stress, no damage to the discus. The slower you approach the discus, the better your chances are of it not darting off. I have done this with a full tank with no problems. You just have to know how to corral them. You'll get it after a while.

[Mrs. J]

What A Great Idea! I tend to slowly and gently around them, so this is perfect. Love it Julia

[Surfnturf]

You can try herding them into the pitcher with a net or even your hand

[Mrs. J]

Thank you...the fewer times to try to catch the better. Think I can get more at a time with slow "herding". Appreciate the suggestion. Julia

[dactylus]

That's great advice rickztahone. I am planning on moving my fish from a 72g to a 135g soon and was wondering how I can do this without adding any extra stress to my Discus. Actually I'm more stressed about the move then they will be. I don't wan't to do it, but they are getting bigger. :thumbsup:

[rickztahone]

That's great advice rickztahone. I am planning on moving my fish from a 72g to a 135g soon and was wondering how I can do this without adding any extra stress to my Discus. Actually I'm more stressed about the move then they will be. I don't wan't to do it, but they are getting bigger. :thumbsup:

If you knew how some breeders handle discus, you wouldn't sweat it so much ;)

[Mrs. J]

I am not looking forward to it either, but anxious to get them into new digs. They outgrew their sixty gallon in six months. There are only six, hope to add a couple of more after QT, etc., but want to see how these continue to develop before I do...Going to go slow even though I really want them NOW! Julia

[DiscusDirect]

Hey Rickztahone,
Great advice, I tried it last night when moving my Mosaic Leopard and Neon Sapphire. Was a little challenging at first as you had mentioned, but I got the hang of it and really like it better then using a net. Thanks for the great tip!

[rickztahone]

Hey Rickztahone,
Great advice, I tried it last night when moving my Mosaic Leopard and Neon Sapphire. Was a little challenging at first as you had mentioned, but I got the hang of it and really like it better then using a net. Thanks for the great tip!

Glad it worked for you. A net can be really stressful and damaging to a discus' fins. I hope they like their new diggs :)

[DiscusDirect]

@Ricardo,
Oh yeahhh, they are happy:)

[Frankr409]

Glad it worked for you. A net can be really stressful and damaging to a discus' fins. I hope they like their new diggs :)

Nice advice Rick, you are one of the many reasons I love this place.

[Mrs. J]

Thank all of you for your advice and support. I really have been working to get this going sooner than later, I can hardly wait feel bad they don't have much swim room in the old tank. Looking at python, etc. to fill it and do wc. Been using bucket brigade on the 60. House is on a slope so siphoning out isn't an issue, filling the tank is...no more buckets. Going bare bottom to encourage more growth...these are not yet a year old. Had some egg laying, but want them growing not necessarily practicing at this point! This has an is such a journey for me, thanks to all for the hand holding. Julia

[rickztahone]

Nice advice Rick, you are one of the many reasons I love this place.

I'm glad to help wherever I can :)

[Mrs. J]

Well after balancing the PH between the tank, testing, worrying, etc. I moved the kids to the new tank today. Used the pitcher method, and after the first fish or two it went well. Found that "herding" with my hand was effective as long as I took it slow. Boy can these guys jump! First try produced a lot of water on the floor! Got the hang of it and all went well. They are schooling in dark tank....something they have not had room to do for some time. No clamped fins, no injuries. THANK YOU for your help. Hopefully it will all continue to go well. Julia

[rickztahone]

Keep us updated Julia :)

[Mrs. J]

It's now been a little over 24 hours since the move. At first light they decided to hide (looked like a parking lot, all lined up) behind and around their new "driftwood root".
Peeking out at the new room they are in....came out more today after some adjustment in their environment to give them a little more cover. Ate some bloodworms, will put them back on their regular beefheart tomorrow if all is well. Ammonia 0, Nitrates 0, Nitrates a little high for me between 0 and 25 on API test. We transferred our biomedia, etc. to the new AC 110 and are "seeding" the second one with sponge and fluval biomedia from our other 70 which had been cycled and on the original 60 gallon. They are staying in a group, rather than pushing each other, which had recently started in the smaller tank. Colors great. Will do a wc tomorrow. Tank has a few artificial plants in it, easy to clean and started using the Eheim vacuum a couple of weeks ago, can't believe how easy it is to clean with no substrate. I used white foam core cut to fit and attached to the underside of the tank, and painted the back. THANK YOU all for your suggestions regarding set up, etc. and advice and help. I would send a picture but have only my phone and a small pentax camera, don't know how to put it together. Good cameras abound in the house, husband a great photographer, had some sell and won prizes from the art museum when we lived in Arkansas. But, sadly I don't know how to use them. I sent some pictures to Hans by e mail from my phone but that is the extent of my expertise. Again, thanks to all of you.....Julia

[rickztahone]

It's now been a little over 24 hours since the move. At first light they decided to hide (looked like a parking lot, all lined up) behind and around their new "driftwood root".
Peeking out at the new room they are in....came out more today after some adjustment in their environment to give them a little more cover. Ate some bloodworms, will put them back on their regular beefheart tomorrow if all is well. Ammonia 0, Nitrates 0, Nitrates a little high for me between 0 and 25 on API test. We transferred our biomedia, etc. to the new AC 110 and are "seeding" the second one with sponge and fluval biomedia from our other 70 which had been cycled and on the original 60 gallon. They are staying in a group, rather than pushing each other, which had recently started in the smaller tank. Colors great. Will do a wc tomorrow. Tank has a few artificial plants in it, easy to clean and started using the Eheim vacuum a couple of weeks ago, can't believe how easy it is to clean with no substrate. I used white foam core cut to fit and attached to the underside of the tank, and painted the back. THANK YOU all for your suggestions regarding set up, etc. and advice and help. I would send a picture but have only my phone and a small pentax camera, don't know how to put it together. Good cameras abound in the house, husband a great photographer, had some sell and won prizes from the art museum when we lived in Arkansas. But, sadly I don't know how to use them. I sent some pictures to Hans by e mail from my phone but that is the extent of my expertise. Again, thanks to all of you.....Julia

Well, aren't you a lucky one, we just happen to have a Photo Center (http://forum.simplydiscus.com/forumdisplay.php?326-Photo-Centre) here that will get you to not only pic up that camera, but to put it to good use :).

Can't wait to see the pictures.

[Mrs. J]

Me either.....when will they be ready? ?)I have used the sim card in the pentax to put on computer, and then e-mail to others. Don't know about photo bucket (?) or others to go from here to there. Fear I have already made some mistakes with these babes my Marlboros have fat heads. These may not ever be the quality or size I would like to have, but they are mine, and I am responsible for them. Their color is fantastic tho and are beautiful to look at....probably not as round as they should be...live and learn, and move forward....Julia

[rickztahone]

Me either.....when will they be ready? ?)I have used the sim card in the pentax to put on computer, and then e-mail to others. Don't know about photo bucket (?) or others to go from here to there. Fear I have already made some mistakes with these babes my Marlboros have fat heads. These may not ever be the quality or size I would like to have, but they are mine, and I am responsible for them. Their color is fantastic tho and are beautiful to look at....probably not as round as they should be...live and learn, and move forward....Julia

darn tootin'. Head over to the Photo Center and we can go through getting your pictures to display however you want them. That is why we offer that service for free :)