Need advice on moving tank

[Alin10123]

Ok, I have a 29 gallon that's currently setup with a bunch of community fish. Some some of those fish had fry (about 20). By the time those fry start growing to their adult sizes, this tank will be way overstocked. So my parents offered me their 75+ gallon sized tank (not sure of the exact size, but it's big).
I want to put that new tank where the 29 gallon is, and move the 29 gallon to a different spot. I know you're not supposed to move an aquarium when it's full. So how do i manage to cycle the new big tank, move the fish from the 29 to the new larger tank, and then have that new larger tank where i had the 29 gallon tank before. I know the filter on my 29 needs to be running the whole time otherwise the water may get too polluted.
Not sure if i want to drain 75% of the water in my 29 gallon just so that i can move it and then fill the water back up again, i may be endangering the developed bacteria in there, i dont want to have to re-cycle that tank again.

Any advice?

[maxpayne_lhp]

The tank is just 29 gal so it's not a really big problem as you move. Well drain half of the water , remove the larg rock. Then move yor tank carefully to the new place. Than drain the old water back in. If you can manage to have new water or water from an establised tank (must be healthy) than great. Then put the bigger tank your parenst offered to the place and run the cycle.

[mrmoby]

Once you have the new spot for the 29 picked out, I'd drain the tank down into a holding container ( I have used clean plastic storage totes). Do yourself a favor, go to Sears, spend $60, and get yourself a submersible sump pump, it will make the water transfer easier, (and is good to have if you ever need to drain the tank in an emergency situation.). The pump will allow you to pump the water back into the 29 from the holding container. It will be a pain in the ass, having to move the fish and whatnot, but it doesn't seem like you have much choice. If you reuse your water, and the tank is only empty for the time it takes to move it, I doubt you will do anyhting to harm the bacteria.

[Fishfirst]

I would have the water level be lower than half way... half way means theres going to be 14 gallons in the tank... thats about 102lbs at least minus the gravel and the actual tank weight its self. Also you have the "slosh" effect to consider. I've moved MANY tanks, and draining a tank halfway and moving it is a great way to get wet! Your bacteria is mostly in your filter and your gravel... as long as they both don't dry out, 99% of the bacteria will live. In order to do a quicker cycle on the bigger tank, I'd look into a fishless cycle and adding a culture of bacteria to your larger tank via filter or some gravel. Of coarse add an ammonia source for these buggers. This may speed up your cycling process to a week!