How to move to bigger tank?

"teri" wrote in message
...
My 3 gallon tank with two platys finally shows no ammonia after about
9 weeks. So of course today I bought a new 20 gallon that I want to
set up in the next couple of weeks. So, a couple of questions:

Can these fish stand going thru an uncycled tank again so soon, or do
I get new fish to keep in it while it cycles?

How many fish to cycle a 20 gallon with a Penguin 100 filter?

Do I set it all up and run it for a few days with some of the "toys"
taken from the first tank along with a gallon or so of the water from
the first, then move the fish? (I hope no one hates me, but I don't
plan on having live plants.)

Do I then put the fish in a baggie and float it in the new tank like
when you first get them?

.... I am sure I will have more questions later. But TIA for now.
Teri

If you move the filter used on the 3g temporarily to the 20g, then the
20g is essentially cycled. The filter contains the waste processing
capability balanced to the requirements of your 2 Platys.

Set up the 20g, turn on its filter, match the water temperature and let
it run a day (to outgas). Then move the fish over, and install the 3g
filter for a couple of weeks (or take the filter media from the 3g and
install it in the 20g filter).

Cycling your first tank is a PITA. Cycling another tank (while you have
others running) is a breeze.
--
www.NetMax.tk

Set up the 20 gallon - leave some capacity free.

Run the filter on the 20 gallon for a while, let the chlorine get out,
temp stabilize, etc. Take the filter for the 20 gallon, run it on the 3
gallon for a few days. Take the inhabitants of the 3 gallon, some water,
and both filters, put them on the 20 gallon. After a week or two, you
can put the 3 gallon filter back on the 3 gallon tank; or put it away if
you won't be using the 3 gallon tank. If you want to be able to use the
3 gallon tank at a moments notice, just run both filters on the 20, and
you can instantly set up the 3. If you put it away, you'll want a week
or two of running the 3 filter on the 20 before setting up the 3 again.

Depending on media compatibility, you can do this faster if you need to
by simply stuffing media from the 3 gallon filter into the 20 gallon
filter, but if you're not in a hurry...