Possible Tank Upgrade Questions

[Reefist11]

Background:
I am currently running a 72 bow mixed reef which I've had up for about 4 months now and everything is doing great. The problem is the center brace on top cracked and needs to be replaced.

I also snagged a 180g w/ 75g sump off a local hobbyist that needed a little acrylic TLC but I've cleaned it up and it's holding water right now in my garage.

The Mrs. has wanted a Fish Only system for a while now (mostly because she loves triggerfish) and she allowed me to buy the 180g to set up as such.

I'm going to try to talk her into letting me tear down the 72 gallon and place everything into the big tank then fix the center brace and either selling or reusing that tank.

Questions:

Is it smart to use the live rock/sand from the old tank to the new? Will this decrease the cycle time?

I do weekly water changes at ~20 gallons - would it be beneficial to use the water I take out for the new tank as well?

Is it absolutely accurate that the larger water volume would greatly improve water quality?

Are there any triggers that would leave my corals/inverts and premium picassos alone in the bigger tank (this is the key to her buy in)


Plan B:

Does anyone have any experience changing the top rim of a tank while there is still water and livestock in it?

Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.

[Daniel62]

Using the rock is ok. New Sand not sure about the triggers and plan b sounds like a bad plan

[mr.maroonsalty]

You could probably do the trim in situ if you are very handy. Auto mechanics make their money this way. It's trickier being a bow from, but if you used clamps and bracing that is cut to hold the glass I can see it done. The trim is a pita to remove, and then you will need a day minimum for the silicon to cure. I would lower the water and give it at least four or five days to get the ammonia out. A 72 isn't that large to make bucketing things up for a week or so not that awful.

As per triggers, the xanthichthys triggers are easy going and best bets for a reef tank. These are the blue throat, red tail, sargassum, and some expensives like the cross hatch. Upgrade if you can. IMO it doesn't change the work load, stability is improved at least until hard corals start to fill the thing, then maintaining parameters becomes the same kind of challenge. What it does do is save the work of keeping to tanks without one becoming more neglected than the other. I would love keeping some of the crazy beautiful wrasses available to fish only keepers, but I've found keeping two tanks challenging.

[thegrun]

1. Yes, reusing the rock assuming it was pest free and you didn't have bad nitrate or phosphate issues will decrease the time it takes to cycle the new tank. If you use all dry rock and the rock from your 75 you may not have a cycle at all. I would not reuse the old sand.
2. There isn't much if any benefit to using the old water.
3. Having a larger volume of water does not mean better water quality, but it does make a tank more stable to have a larger volume of water. Your water chemistry will be less likely to change rapidly, but you still need to maintain the tank.
4. You should be able to use a furniture clamp (pipe clamp) to pull the tank back to the original width and then repair the brace. Is the tank glass or acrylic? Acrylic reaches full bonding strength within 24 hours, although it is best to wait 48 hours before removing the furniture clamp. If the tank is glass be sure to use a good structural grade of silicone to make the repair like Momentive RTV or GE SCS1200. Let the silicone cure with the clamp in place for at least 5 days.

[Reefist11]

Thanks for the replies. I'm probably going to clamp and repair the 72. The Mrs wants the FOWLR setup

[JoelA7]

Research your triggers well. Some get very large and very aggressive if just gorgeous. Undulated for one.