How long before transferring coral to replacement tank?

[audiophile42]

I've had a 90g mixed reef running for around a year and a half. It's fully stocked - lots of fish, clams, rbtas, sps, lps, and ricordea. Everything has been running great, except for a type of algae that got introduced from a monticap frag over a year ago. I've posted threads on the algae in the past, and have never been able to make any headway with it. It's a stubbly red hair algae that grows directly into the rocks, so it can't be pulled off. I've found some crabs that pick at it, but never enough to make a significant dent. It's not very pretty, and I can't in good conscious sell frags to others for fear of infecting their tanks with this algae.

ANYWAY, I've pretty much given up hope of ever ridding the rocks of the algae. I think the next step would be to setup another tank with all new rock and sand, get it stable, and start moving fish and coral over to it. My question is - how long do you think I would need to have both tanks running simultaneously? I live in an apartment and having two 90g tanks running at the same time isn't ideal.

I waited about a year before getting my rbtas, and wouldn't feel comfortable putting them in a month old tank, even with good quality live rock (all live straight from a 1000+ gallon system 10 minutes away from me). Plus all the sps and lps I have, I'm nervous about putting it all in a young system. Also, my current tank is fully stocked with fish and it would be a pretty big bioload to put in a relatively new tank. Thanks in advance for any input!

[jeff@zina.com]

Originally Posted by audiophile42

I think the next step would be to setup another tank with all new rock and sand, get it stable, and start moving fish and coral over to it. My question is - how long do you think I would need to have both tanks running simultaneously?

As you posted, until the second tank is stable. Could be 4-6 weeks, could be six months. Nothing good happens fast.

Jeff

[Sk8r]

I'd do it by moving the hardiest species of both fish and corals first, once the tank is cycled. Give each move a week, then test, move another set. wait, and then gradually increase to moving 2 at a time. always wait and test.

Then I'd cook the rock or banish it to a refugium where its algae can live unmolested. Or in the tank as it sits, a tripneustes gracillis urchin can strip anything to bare rock. They're big, they shove rock, but they are efficient.

[mike_cmu04]

If it is the same algae I had I bought a yellow tang and he loved that stuff. He ate it all.