[bikingjim]

Hello. I've had a 16 gallon tropical tank for about 12 years now. As a kid I had a 38 gallon and a 30 gallon. I've decided I want to get maybe a 40 gallon now. So I'm trying to plan in my head how to make this happen and thought I could get some help here. I'm going to want to put the 40 gallon in the same place where the 16 is. I will be adding some legs to the table so it will hold the weight. I guess my first plan is to empty the 16 gallon enough so I can temporarily move it while I add some legs to the table. Then I guess I'm going to put it back on there while I buy all the supplies I need for the bigger tank.

Now once I have the supplies I guess I'll move the 16 gallon to a new location where I can keep it for a bit. I'm guessing even with much of the water out it will be a little on the heavy side, I read a full one is 170 pounds or so. So I'll somehow move it and get the new aquarium set up. I'll set it up with probably a few new decorations, but my intent is a lot of plants. My 16 gallon is loaded with crypts and a plant I haven't yet identified.

So I will eventually need to move my fish and plants into the new tank. My current tank has gravel for the substrate and the plants have done well with it. But it's old gravel that has seen a lot of fish, so I'm curious if things will go ok with fresh gravel? Just about every inch that doesn't have a decoration is crypts now in my 16. My fish are mostly danios with some white clouds, a dwarf gourami, and 2 kuhli loaches. Everyone gets along well. So how should I go about moving things over? Do I just move all the plants and fish over at the same time and hope for the best? How long should I let the new aquarium cycle before moving things over? Will good bacteria move with my plants? When could I add new plants?

I have to admit this whole thing seems like it's not going to be easy at all.

 

[susankat]

If you put the new filter on your 16 gal, let it run for a couple weeks, while you set up the new tank, you will be able to move filter, plants and fish at the same time. I would also put the old filter on new tank for a couple of weeks to insure that the tank is cycled.

 

[The Fish Lady]

Hello. I've had a 16 gallon tropical tank for about 12 years now. As a kid I had a 38 gallon and a 30 gallon. I've decided I want to get maybe a 40 gallon now. So I'm trying to plan in my head how to make this happen and thought I could get some help here. I'm going to want to put the 40 gallon in the same place where the 16 is. I will be adding some legs to the table so it will hold the weight. I guess my first plan is to empty the 16 gallon enough so I can temporarily move it while I add some legs to the table. Then I guess I'm going to put it back on there while I buy all the supplies I need for the bigger tank.

Now once I have the supplies I guess I'll move the 16 gallon to a new location where I can keep it for a bit. I'm guessing even with much of the water out it will be a little on the heavy side, I read a full one is 170 pounds or so. So I'll somehow move it and get the new aquarium set up. I'll set it up with probably a few new decorations, but my intent is a lot of plants. My 16 gallon is loaded with crypts and a plant I haven't yet identified.

So I will eventually need to move my fish and plants into the new tank. My current tank has gravel for the substrate and the plants have done well with it. But it's old gravel that has seen a lot of fish, so I'm curious if things will go ok with fresh gravel? Just about every inch that doesn't have a decoration is crypts now in my 16. My fish are mostly danios with some white clouds, a dwarf gourami, and 2 kuhli loaches. Everyone gets along well. So how should I go about moving things over? Do I just move all the plants and fish over at the same time and hope for the best? How long should I let the new aquarium cycle before moving things over? Will good bacteria move with my plants? When could I add new plants?

I have to admit this whole thing seems like it's not going to be easy at all.

Hi!!😃😃 nice to meet you!!
Wow! How exciting! It does seem like a lot of work, I know, but it's really worth it if you love the hobby; you know?
Yes, you must cycle your aquarium and Susan is completely right! 😃 also by placing your wonderful plants that you've seem to have a green thumb with (really lucky), this will also help a great deal too!😃 be sure to keep your areogation going in the aquarium so that your babies will have plenty of oxygen as they're waiting to be transferred to their new home!😃
Wow!! I even studied that using the same decorations in the new tank will transfer the "good" bacteria too!!😃😃
Post some pictures when you are finished!!😃😃