(forgive spelling) Well it started when I had a 20L going just fine. And then I gotta few silly little loaches and started thinking... this is going to be an issue. My two clown loaches might bust out when they grow up, hence driving my cats crazy. The Zebra is already a half inch longer than he was a few weeks ago and the yoyos are the same. My beta was happy, the few cory's were happy. But me... no me the guy that comes down with the case of gotta have's more often than not decided to take matters in my own hands. So after just installing my new T5 lighting with ACI awesome bulbs on the 20L I decided to get something else and move my sons little 10G mystery snail tank (along with the pretty little cardinal tetras and cherry barbs he had to the 20L. That was the justification, I was really doing it for the four silly fish and of course who could deny my nine year old from his dad getting a bigger tank. That would be terrible fathering!

Since money IS a HUGE issue, I started on Craigs list and found zillions but decided on the brand new Marineland 55G LED Tank kit which included the LEDS for both brilliant day and the blue moonlighting that is bright enough to use along with the day lights and look great. So we set it all up. We, meaning my wife and I cuz I cant lift that huge thing alone. NO I didnt fill it with water and then try to lift it. Nevertheless we put it on a great marble sofa table we had. Ill send some pics when I can but this is just day two. I moved over all the gravel from the 20L along with of course adding a healthy bed of new under it, moved the plants, picked up a few more and hope that the plants will grow with the LED's. But it does pick up some real sunlight which might help but not sure since its through the window of course. So the 55 is on day two, also moved the bio wheel over from my old bio filter over to the new one which uses two. It is as follows:
55G tank
Twin tops with dual led light fixtures with all on or just daylight or moons on.
(white and blue) Marineland 200 Watt heater set of course at 80 my perfect betta temp, and the 350 gallon per hour dual bio wheel HOB filter. I added two black fluval sponges for baffles on the powerful flow out of the thing for the betta. All is well so far.... of course added the Tetra Safe Start for up to 75G and as much bio material as I could get from the 20L (the gravel, ornaments, slabs of stone etc.).

So we will see but the 55G residents are all active and no bio cloud yet. The tank just houses the 5 cats, betta and 5 loaches and is 48 inches long.

For the 20L I did the same sort of transfer over from the 10G and did the same combo of bio from the 10 to the 20G. Again Safe Start also. Both tanks I also used Fluval little marshmallow thingies stuffed infront of the filter for more bio storage and moved that over as well that was dripping with live bacteria and added more for future growth.

Hopefully we will be okay we will see. I am a HUGE believer in cycling but also understand the benefit of moving over live bio matter from one tank to the next. Again we will see. (forgive spelling)
thanks for all your help and advice from those of you who know who you are.

Hoopman

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Hoopman
Sunny Orlando FL
55G W/Angel, loaches/cats, tetras, rasboras, Two Bio Wheel 350's (8 cartridges and 4 wheels) Dual T5 ATI bulbs which are blue & blue-plus (white), give a saltwater tank look/moons. - 37G w/Angel, Mystery snails, tetras/cherry barbs. Dual 24 inch T5 with same ATI bulbs/moons. Bio wheel filter (dual cartridges and one wheel) and Aqueon single filter Bio cage cartridge, both designed for larger tanks. n

PICTURES!!!! haha sounds great!

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"Being ignorant is not so much a Shame, as being unwilling to learn".-- Benjamin Franklin

Cool. The tank will still probably decide to cycle, although it may be a little abbreviated. I would test the water daily for the first week. If you don't see any ammonia or nitrites, I would assume it's not going to cycle. I also wouldn't add anything else until you are sure how the tank is doing or it has completed whatever cycle issues that may have arisen.

Pics!We need pics!

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http://bountifulbettas.blogspot.com/

"Come to the dark side....we have cookies...and filters/heaters/and water changes!"

Here are some pics of the 55G and the 20L ... the 20L is the one with the T5 lightining on top.

https://picasaweb.google.com/1031340...OU6d-w5cSPlQE#

__________________
Hoopman
Sunny Orlando FL
55G W/Angel, loaches/cats, tetras, rasboras, Two Bio Wheel 350's (8 cartridges and 4 wheels) Dual T5 ATI bulbs which are blue & blue-plus (white), give a saltwater tank look/moons. - 37G w/Angel, Mystery snails, tetras/cherry barbs. Dual 24 inch T5 with same ATI bulbs/moons. Bio wheel filter (dual cartridges and one wheel) and Aqueon single filter Bio cage cartridge, both designed for larger tanks. n