Upgrading My Tank. Pointers anyone?

[fishquaria]

Last year around this time I set up my 24 gallon tank. This was the first phase of my planned tank. Now I am going to get my 120 gallon tank (4'X2'X2') done. This will go over the old tank and the old tank will become the sump.

In the last twelve years while i have moved my fish to new tanks I have never done an upgrade like this on an existing and running system. Please give me any advice you think would be useful.

I know I will need to upgrade lights, Main Tank Circulation and Heating along with more Live Rock.

Anything you could offer would be great.

Thanks in advance.

[Zappo]

Since it's such a huge change, you should probably do it in stages. I'd cycle the new system and move the fish over slowly, giving the new biological filter time to get going. Assuming your plumbing has no leaks, you can run a drilled tank sumpless for a while by keeping the water level below the overflow/return.

[Steve175]

I would just buy another 20G tank (or as large as will fit in space) at Petsmart/Petco and plumb in as sump to allow full cycle of new 120G while you leave your 24G nice and stable. Use all new sand, but add a cup of your existing sand and a small LR or two as well as a carbon source (raw shrimp, etc.) to the 120. Can later use your current 24G as either a refugium (small pump from sump with gravity back to sump or a Y with ball-valves from the main return pump) or as a QT tank.

Day of move (ideally after new 120G fully cycles), acclimate your fish/corals by taking water out of 24G to add to 120G and taking out water from 120G to add to 24G every 10 min or so. After ~ 2 hours, water will be nearly identical. A few clean 5G buckets will hold fish/corals while you aquascape, then add corals, then add fish. Throw out all of your old stinky sand (don't be tempted to use it as this will lead to a major cycle which may nuke your pets). Oh yeh, have a beer no less than every 60 minutes during the move.

Enjoy, my friend!!!