Setting up new tank

Dec 8, 2016
1
0
1
#1
I just got a new 75-gallon tank and I am looking for some tips on startup. I am not new to this but it has been a while since I started from scratch. I currently have a 55-gallon tank that's about 20 years old and the 75-gallon tank is replacing that. Once the new tank is cycled I will be moving the fish from the 55 to the 75. The fish in the 55 are currently an assortment of tetras (neons, black neons, serapes, balck tetra) and a few corys.

What's the best way to get the 75 going? In the past I have cycled a new tank by taking some of the gravel and a lot of the water out of the old tank to get it started and that's worked fine. The 55 gallon has snails though (Malaysian trumpet snails) and I would like to avoid getting those into the new tank.
 

FreshyFresh

Superstar Fish
Jan 11, 2013
1,337
23
38
East Aurora, NY
#2
Canyoncat, welcome! You've got the ideal situation going to setup a brand-new tank. There will be some of the beneficial bacteria you need for your nitrogen cycle in the gravel and hardscape of your 55g, but the majority reside in the bio media portion of your filtration. Typically, all you need to do is transfer the established filtration over to the brand new tank and you'll be off and running. The nitrifying bacteria in the filter will process the ammonia, with the end-game being nitrate that we control with our weekly water changes. Get new substrate or wash the heck out of the old with hot water to get rid of the MTS is you don't want them. I like'em personally. If you have an abundance of them it means you feed too heavily.
 

Oct 17, 2011
70
1
8
Santa Monica, CA, USA
#3
I just got a new 75-gallon tank and I am looking for some tips on startup. I am not new to this but it has been a while since I started from scratch. I currently have a 55-gallon tank that's about 20 years old and the 75-gallon tank is replacing that. Once the new tank is cycled I will be moving the fish from the 55 to the 75. The fish in the 55 are currently an assortment of tetras (neons, black neons, serapes, balck tetra) and a few corys.

What's the best way to get the 75 going? In the past I have cycled a new tank by taking some of the gravel and a lot of the water out of the old tank to get it started and that's worked fine. The 55 gallon has snails though (Malaysian trumpet snails) and I would like to avoid getting those into the new tank.
Hi Canyoncat,

Congratulations with your new purchase :)
I think fish will like it!

Have you thought about getting some new fish?

Zhenya