Cycling new tank

[S13DWS]

I have read through the fishless cycle How To in the forums here. and read about how some people have a hard time cycling with fish in the tank.
I am wondering something as I am going to be getting a new tank soon which is larger for my Demasoni.

If I was to half fill the new tank with fresh water, add my new filter, a heater and start to heat the water to the right temp while everything is running then instead of adding chemicals like ammonia etc etc, Could i add the gravel and rocks and stuff that is in the old tank with the fish living in it into the new tank and then add the water from the old tank which is already set up ok for them?

If i can do this it would be alot like doing a huge water change for them would it not? and therefore wouldnt be so harmful for them???

Cheers!

[A340]

I'm quite sure that most others will disagree with me on this one :hmm3grin2orange: , but if I were to move a fish into a bigger tank, this is what I would do ....

1) Set up the new tank
2) Depending if I wanted different substrate, add new substrate, the old stuff or a mix
3) Fill up half the tank with clean and treated water (I always use Seachem's Stability)
4) Fill the rest with water from the old tank
5) Get the new filter running and add then sponge from the old filter for a few weeks so the new media gets some of the old bacteria
6) Move the fish

[Drumachine09]

Using water from an established tank does nothing but transfering the ammonia/nitrates/nitrites from one tank to the other. Bacteria does not dwell in the water column. Bacteria anchors itself to surfaces, such as gravel, decor, filter media, and even the glass.

Try transfering gravel/filtermedia/decor from the established tank to the new one.

[S13DWS]

Using water from an established tank does nothing but transfering the ammonia/nitrates/nitrites from one tank to the other. Bacteria does not dwell in the water column. Bacteria anchors itself to surfaces, such as gravel, decor, filter media, and even the glass.

Try transfering gravel/filtermedia/decor from the established tank to the new one.

thats exactly what i am meaning to do. Keeping the old gravel in the new tank and maybe topping up with newer gravel rocks hidey holes etc...

So my way is ok to do?

[A340]

Using water from an established tank does nothing but transfering the ammonia/nitrates/nitrites from one tank to the other.

Which will help reduce stress when moving the fish. The fish is used to certain water parameters and by filling the tank with 1/2 old and 1/2 fresh water, the stress is minimized.

[S13DWS]

Wow i started this thread before id even bought a new tank. Then just tonight dad told me hes getting a new tank for his turtle as the current one (which he built himself) is too LARGE for the one turtle it holds. So it will be mods to the turtle tank. I.E ramp cut out of it, thouroughly cleaned, Bigger filter(fluval 105 should do it.) Gravel in turtle out prepared for my fish heated and bobs your uncle i have a 140 litre tank for my Demasoni to breed!!!! :D :D :D
Got it cheap too $80 towards his new tank and I have it :D
Yay!!!