3 Gal. Transfer

FlameTetra333

FlameTetra333

Large Fish
#1
Jul 18, 2011
291
0
0
underwater
#1
Hi everyone,
So, my cousin's b-day is coming up in about a month, and her friend is getting her a Betta. The tank size is 1 gallon. Well obviously it's too small. So I'm donating my 3 Gallon to my cousin, so her betta can live happily. The only problem is, my tank is going through a cycle, and how would I get my tank to her house without killing any beneficial bacteria? Her house is about a 45 min-1 hour drive. Thank you!

P.S.: This tank has NO inhabitants in it.
 

O

OrangeCones

Elite Fish
#2
Feb 27, 2009
4,395
0
36
#2
Good for you for helping to provide a better environment for the betta!

How are you feeding the beneficial bacteria now with NO inhabitants in it?
 

Last edited:
achase

achase

Large Fish
#5
Feb 1, 2010
765
0
0
British Columbia, Canada
#5
As long as the bacteria remains wet they should survive the trip to your cousins house.
The good bacteria can usually survive a day without an inhabitant. I know when I cycle my tanks I stop using ammonia (instead of fish flakes) the day before I get my fish.

Out of curiosity...what are your current "exact" (numbers) readings for ammonia, nitrite and nitrate??
 

FlameTetra333

FlameTetra333

Large Fish
#6
Jul 18, 2011
291
0
0
underwater
#6
achase said:
As long as the bacteria remains wet they should survive the trip to your cousins house.
The good bacteria can usually survive a day without an inhabitant. I know when I cycle my tanks I stop using ammonia (instead of fish flakes) the day before I get my fish.

Out of curiosity...what are your current "exact" (numbers) readings for ammonia, nitrite and nitrate??
Click to expand...
So far Nitrites and Nitrates 0, Ammonia, I'm not sure... I have only 1 Ammonia reader, and it's a crappy one at that. It takers a few days to get the correct reading. >_>

Also, I thought of taking some filter media and putting it in the 3 gallon. On a video on Youtube, there was a guy who took his filter media, washed it in a cup of his own tank water, making the water a "chocolate milk" color, as he described it, and put it in his new aquarium, and the water didn't turn brown or anything. Is this safe?
 

O

OrangeCones

Elite Fish
#7
Feb 27, 2009
4,395
0
36
#7
FlameTetra333 said:
So far Nitrites and Nitrates 0, Ammonia, I'm not sure... I have only 1 Ammonia reader, and it's a crappy one at that. It takers a few days to get the correct reading. >_>
Click to expand...
If nitrates are zero, the tank did not cycle or lost the cycle.

There is no ammonia 'reader' that takes a few days to get a correct reading that I've ever heard of. Who makes it?

FlameTetra333 said:
On a video on Youtube, there was a guy who took his filter media, washed it in a cup of his own tank water, making the water a "chocolate milk" color, as he described it, and put it in his new aquarium, and the water didn't turn brown or anything. Is this safe?
Click to expand...
If the tank the media is coming from is healthy, then yes, you can do this to 'seed' the new tank. Its better to pour this 'chocolate milk' colored water in the new tanks filter box, rather than in the tank itself, from my experience.
 

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FlameTetra333

FlameTetra333

Large Fish
#8
Jul 18, 2011
291
0
0
underwater
#8
It's a Seachem Ammonia alert. When my aquarium suffered a massive outbreak of ammonia, I cleaned the tank, then put the ammonia reader back in. It was a pinkish color for about a week before turning yellow again (yellow signifies safe levels of ammonia).
The three gallon tank has only been set up for about 5 days, so the cycle has just started. However, I am doubtful that the tank is even cycling, A) because the Ammonia Reader has been in the 3 gallon tank for about 2 hours, and it's less than .02 ppm, although from my experience, the ammonia reader needs more time to display the correct level. And B) I'm only a kid...>_>.
 

KcMopar

KcMopar

Superstar Fish
#9
May 11, 2011
1,854
1
0
Louisiana
www.americanhotrodsolutions.com
#9
I would treat this like a new tank regardless. It does not sound like its cycled really. Keep as much water over the rocks as you can and put the filter media in the water, it will be OK for the trip. Fill it with treated water when you get there and go through the new tank procedures. Also you might want to get a test kit.
 

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