upgrading my tank

david0485 · 08/14/2017, 10:40 PM

Hey everyone, I have had some Hair algae grow rather quickly in my 29 nano cube that last few weeks and checked everything and the only thing that jumps out is that my water temp is about 4 degrees higher than normal. a deal fell into my lap the other day that I couldn't pass up. I got a 72 g bow front with stand, skimmer, powerheads, and a fluval 405, and about 40-50 lbs of dead rock. I know I will have to seed the dead rock and recycle the tank, the question is can or should I use sand from nano cube or start fresh? can I use the canister filter with only carbon, gfo, and bio pellets-no sponges at all with out having a nitrite factory? any and all advise welcome please.

david0485 · 08/14/2017, 10:43 PM

It also came with a 9 watt uv sterilizer

Nomdeguerre · 08/15/2017, 01:53 AM

You could thoroughly clean your sand but I would probably just start fresh and use a cup full of your old sand to seed your new stuff.
As for the "nitrate factory" I don't understand why people call it this. Nitrates don't just magically appear in the filter, you will only have as much nitrate as you stick in there with food and fish waste. It is no different to having a filter sock. If it's maintained regularly then it is just as effective.
If it's left with waste in it then yes it will turn the waste In to nitrate but it's no different to what would happen I you didn't siphon your sandbed or sump.
Maintenance is everything.

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RobZilla04 · 08/15/2017, 06:30 AM

Use new sand and as much water from the old tank in the new tank. Bring the livestock and rock from the old to the new. You won't get a cycle, but smart to monitor Amm, Nitra, and Nitri for the first few weeks.

If you add new base rock in addition, you may see nutrients leach out and create increases in Phosphates most notably.

Several threads out there on this including mine, 55g > 90g.

Best of luck.

ssky · 08/15/2017, 07:16 AM

If the sand is a couple of years old, you can reuse it after washing it good in the same saltwater. That will not destroy the beneficial bacteria developed in it. Of course if money is no problem then go buy new sand. I just upgraded my tank from 45 to 75 and reused most of my sand. It was couple of years old and washing showed it wasn't too bad.

My 2 cents.

david0485 · 08/15/2017, 09:53 PM

Thanks for the input, I may go with new sand, not really liking the black sand I have now. I was thinking of running my other skimmer(seaclone 100) as well as my aquamaxx hob1, is that overkill?

ssky · 08/16/2017, 06:56 AM

No need to run two. In my opinion Aquamaxx hob is a better choice than seaclone. I have only heard bad reviews about it.

08/14/2017, 10:40 PM	#1
david0485 Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: englewood ohio Posts: 32	upgrading my tank Hey everyone, I have had some Hair algae grow rather quickly in my 29 nano cube that last few weeks and checked everything and the only thing that jumps out is that my water temp is about 4 degrees higher than normal. a deal fell into my lap the other day that I couldn't pass up. I got a 72 g bow front with stand, skimmer, powerheads, and a fluval 405, and about 40-50 lbs of dead rock. I know I will have to seed the dead rock and recycle the tank, the question is can or should I use sand from nano cube or start fresh? can I use the canister filter with only carbon, gfo, and bio pellets-no sponges at all with out having a nitrite factory? any and all advise welcome please.

08/15/2017, 06:30 AM	#4
RobZilla04 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2016 Location: St. Augustine, FL Posts: 1,857	Use new sand and as much water from the old tank in the new tank. Bring the livestock and rock from the old to the new. You won't get a cycle, but smart to monitor Amm, Nitra, and Nitri for the first few weeks. If you add new base rock in addition, you may see nutrients leach out and create increases in Phosphates most notably. Several threads out there on this including mine, 55g > 90g. Best of luck. __________________ 90g Mixed Reef

08/14/2017, 10:43 PM	#2
david0485 Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: englewood ohio Posts: 32	It also came with a 9 watt uv sterilizer

08/15/2017, 01:53 AM	#3
Nomdeguerre Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2017 Posts: 10	You could thoroughly clean your sand but I would probably just start fresh and use a cup full of your old sand to seed your new stuff. As for the "nitrate factory" I don't understand why people call it this. Nitrates don't just magically appear in the filter, you will only have as much nitrate as you stick in there with food and fish waste. It is no different to having a filter sock. If it's maintained regularly then it is just as effective. If it's left with waste in it then yes it will turn the waste In to nitrate but it's no different to what would happen I you didn't siphon your sandbed or sump. Maintenance is everything. Sent from my Lenovo TB3-850F using Tapatalk

08/15/2017, 07:16 AM	#5
ssky Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2017 Posts: 115	If the sand is a couple of years old, you can reuse it after washing it good in the same saltwater. That will not destroy the beneficial bacteria developed in it. Of course if money is no problem then go buy new sand. I just upgraded my tank from 45 to 75 and reused most of my sand. It was couple of years old and washing showed it wasn't too bad. My 2 cents.

08/15/2017, 09:53 PM	#6
david0485 Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: englewood ohio Posts: 32	Thanks for the input, I may go with new sand, not really liking the black sand I have now. I was thinking of running my other skimmer(seaclone 100) as well as my aquamaxx hob1, is that overkill?

08/16/2017, 06:56 AM	#7
ssky Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2017 Posts: 115	No need to run two. In my opinion Aquamaxx hob is a better choice than seaclone. I have only heard bad reviews about it.