upgrading from 16g to 49g help!

jxpars004 · 06/27/2014, 09:23 PM

Hello all. I am upgrading my 6 month established 16 gallon tank to a 49 gallon tank with a sump. I bought an ro unit to set up the new tank with and was wondering which way the best way to go about this would be... Should i set up the new tank and let it cycle? seed it with sand and water from established tank? do frequent water changes and put all old water in new tank? this is my first time trying something like this. this is my first tank and im proud and happy its going along good, im nervous to switch tanks but i know that my fish will be much happier! thanks!

Pife · 06/28/2014, 04:59 AM

Set it up and let it cycle then move stuff over. I wouldn't use your old water either.

Nina51 · 06/28/2014, 05:48 AM

i recently combined a 14g and a 29g into a 75g.

i assume you are getting new sand. you can use a little (a cup or 2) of your old sand to seed the new tank. how much live rock do you have in your 16? the bacteria you want is what lives in your live rock, the old water won't do you much good in that respect.

what fish do you have? we just moved everything (fish, corals, inverts) into tubs with heaters while we switched everything else over. once we got it all switched, all of the livestock and corals went right into the new tank. i experienced absolutely no cycle, not even a mini one, and i didn't lose a single thing. took a lot of time and a lot of work but i had several RC'ers here to help me make the switch.

asudavew · 06/28/2014, 07:16 AM

I moved mine from a 55 to a 180. I had new sand. Then filled it with new water. And then moved my rock and fish over a few days later. I also added lots of new dry rock. The fish and corals did fine.

jxpars004 · 06/28/2014, 08:39 PM

Thanks for the replies! Filled the tank halfway with ro water today as thats all my work schedule would allow me to make, but none the less super excited! I have probably about 30 lbs of live rock in my 16, its 2 huge pieces that almost take up the whole tank except for 2 arches. I have an ocelaris clown, blue velvet damsel, black and gold chromis, scooter blenny, and a baby sabae anemone (my main reason for bigger tank even though i hear hell probably outgrow the 49 as well). Also have a whisker coral frag and a ricordia mushroom. really hate that the only way to post photos on here is through a third party like photo bucket.. It's a pain in the ***! but will post pictures soon. I will not be using any of my old water ive decided because its not RO and im doing all RO in my new tank.

06/27/2014, 09:23 PM	#1
jxpars004 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2014 Posts: 25	upgrading from 16g to 49g help! Hello all. I am upgrading my 6 month established 16 gallon tank to a 49 gallon tank with a sump. I bought an ro unit to set up the new tank with and was wondering which way the best way to go about this would be... Should i set up the new tank and let it cycle? seed it with sand and water from established tank? do frequent water changes and put all old water in new tank? this is my first time trying something like this. this is my first tank and im proud and happy its going along good, im nervous to switch tanks but i know that my fish will be much happier! thanks!

06/28/2014, 04:59 AM	#2
Pife Registered Member Join Date: May 2013 Posts: 7,408	Set it up and let it cycle then move stuff over. I wouldn't use your old water either. __________________ Brandon I'm not saying let's get rid of all the stupid people.* I'm just saying let's remove all the warning labels and let the problem work itself out. Current Tank Info: 150g DT plumbed to an 80g frag tank and 220g sump in the basement. ~6-MP40s ~ 12 ATI powered t5s ~ Reefbrites and Radions supplementing ~ Custom GEO Skimmer ~ GEO CA Reactor 6x24~ Iwaki 70 Return ~

06/28/2014, 05:48 AM	#3
Nina51 biggliest cofveve champ Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: 5th floor, Illinois, gewgaw expert Posts: 3,506	i recently combined a 14g and a 29g into a 75g. i assume you are getting new sand. you can use a little (a cup or 2) of your old sand to seed the new tank. how much live rock do you have in your 16? the bacteria you want is what lives in your live rock, the old water won't do you much good in that respect. what fish do you have? we just moved everything (fish, corals, inverts) into tubs with heaters while we switched everything else over. once we got it all switched, all of the livestock and corals went right into the new tank. i experienced absolutely no cycle, not even a mini one, and i didn't lose a single thing. took a lot of time and a lot of work but i had several RC'ers here to help me make the switch. __________________ of all the things i've lost, i miss my gary the most. Never hold your farts in. They travel up your spine into your brain, and that is where crappy ideas come from. Current Tank Info: i gave my reef away and i feel like a bird out of a cage!!

06/28/2014, 07:16 AM	#4
asudavew Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2013 Location: San Angelo, Texas Posts: 1,010	I moved mine from a 55 to a 180. I had new sand. Then filled it with new water. And then moved my rock and fish over a few days later. I also added lots of new dry rock. The fish and corals did fine. __________________ Be nice. Current Tank Info: 180, 125, 75

06/28/2014, 08:39 PM	#5
jxpars004 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2014 Posts: 25	Thanks for the replies! Filled the tank halfway with ro water today as thats all my work schedule would allow me to make, but none the less super excited! I have probably about 30 lbs of live rock in my 16, its 2 huge pieces that almost take up the whole tank except for 2 arches. I have an ocelaris clown, blue velvet damsel, black and gold chromis, scooter blenny, and a baby sabae anemone (my main reason for bigger tank even though i hear hell probably outgrow the 49 as well). Also have a whisker coral frag and a ricordia mushroom. really hate that the only way to post photos on here is through a third party like photo bucket.. It's a pain in the ***! but will post pictures soon. I will not be using any of my old water ive decided because its not RO and im doing all RO in my new tank.