Tank Swap

dawaterboy · 10/20/2009, 06:45 PM

I am upgrading from a 46g to a 72g with sump. I am wondering what the best way to make the switch would be.
Should I:
a: Put new sand in 72g and sump, use all of the water from the 46g, top off with fresh r/o mix, add all rock, fish, and coral. I would also be putting media from my aquaclear 110 in the sump.
b: Put new sand in 72g, fill with fresh r/o mix, dump some skimmate in the sump, add rock slowly over a month, then add fish and coral.

I want to do this fast as I can w/o risking loss.

LoyalConvict · 10/20/2009, 08:04 PM

I'd go with A

I've moved my tank twice, swithching over should be a breeze, i'd try to use as much water as you can from the old sytem, and top off with new salt water in the 72. add a gallon or so of sand from your old set up (dont forget to sinse the new sand) keep the live stock in 5 gallon buckets (unless you have a smaller tank to keep em in) untill the new system settles down a bit. i know the last time i moved my 90 I used new sand in the main tank but still had a 6" DSB in the 55 fuge and had no cycle.

Capt_Cully · 10/20/2009, 08:54 PM

A.

Just remember to have plenty of extra RO and Mixed salt water. The SG can increase when you kick up a bunch of crud moving your rocks, so you may need RO. You'd likely benefit from doing a few frequent water changes in the first couple of days/weeks.

Not sure why add the media from the aquaclear. If it is to help get the new sand seeded, your LR should take care of that for you.

Good Luck, it probably won't be as bad as you think

dawaterboy · 10/20/2009, 09:22 PM

I'll be running the r/o unit all night tonight. Only one person has said that I needed to cycle the new tank, and add things slow. I'll go with the law of average, and stick with setting it up and swapping it out fast.

jenjen · 10/20/2009, 09:31 PM

Are you adding any additional rock to the larger tank?

dawaterboy · 10/20/2009, 10:11 PM

I have 100 pounds in the 46 so I won't be adding any new rock unless I can't get the look I want. If I do add more it will be in a few weeks and I would only add one large piece, say 20 pounds.

jenjen · 10/20/2009, 10:25 PM

Holy dinah, 100lbs in a 46?! That's a lot of rock!

I agree with the above posts, that option A will work well. When I did my tank upgrade I did the following and did not experience any detectable cycle:

* add new sand to new larger tank
* add some fresh SW to new tank (make sure parameters match old tank)
* remove rock from existing tank to holding bins, aquascape new tank (note: livestock stayed in old tank)
* most water from existing tank to new tank, top up with new SW
* move all livestock directly from old tank to new tank

I managed to move a 90gal to a 180gal in one day, and did not have any cycle. The things I think worked well were that I left the fish in the original tank until they were ready to go to the new tank, so they only had to be moved once; and also the rock was never out of water and I had enough time to properly aquascape.

+1 to Capt Cully's comment to make sure to have extra SW and RO/DI on hand incase it's needed. And towels... lots of towels!

mtisc323 · 10/20/2009, 11:51 PM

It also wont hurt to take a cup or so of the sand from the old tank and mix it in with the new sand. Though the liverock will help seed the new sand, mixing in some of the old stuff with speed up the process

PRDubois · 10/21/2009, 12:18 AM

I'd go with A - I went from a 20gal to a 72 gal this way. worked well

10/20/2009, 06:45 PM	#1
dawaterboy Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: waterford, mi Posts: 214	Tank Swap I am upgrading from a 46g to a 72g with sump. I am wondering what the best way to make the switch would be. Should I: a: Put new sand in 72g and sump, use all of the water from the 46g, top off with fresh r/o mix, add all rock, fish, and coral. I would also be putting media from my aquaclear 110 in the sump. b: Put new sand in 72g, fill with fresh r/o mix, dump some skimmate in the sump, add rock slowly over a month, then add fish and coral. I want to do this fast as I can w/o risking loss.

10/20/2009, 08:04 PM	#2
LoyalConvict Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 468	I'd go with A I've moved my tank twice, swithching over should be a breeze, i'd try to use as much water as you can from the old sytem, and top off with new salt water in the 72. add a gallon or so of sand from your old set up (dont forget to sinse the new sand) keep the live stock in 5 gallon buckets (unless you have a smaller tank to keep em in) untill the new system settles down a bit. i know the last time i moved my 90 I used new sand in the main tank but still had a 6" DSB in the 55 fuge and had no cycle. __________________ Contemplating sushifried I Have - Ichthyophobia, Hydrophobia, Hyalophobia, and Hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia Current Tank Info: 90 Reef, 55 fuge - 75 FOWLR 30 fuge

10/20/2009, 08:54 PM	#3
Capt_Cully Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Syracuse, NY Posts: 13,574	A. Just remember to have plenty of extra RO and Mixed salt water. The SG can increase when you kick up a bunch of crud moving your rocks, so you may need RO. You'd likely benefit from doing a few frequent water changes in the first couple of days/weeks. Not sure why add the media from the aquaclear. If it is to help get the new sand seeded, your LR should take care of that for you. Good Luck, it probably won't be as bad as you think __________________ People say cars are a bad investment. Those people don't have reef tanks. Current Tank Info: 120, Radion Gen 2 Pro x 2

10/20/2009, 09:31 PM	#5
jenjen Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Langley BC, Canada Posts: 1,710	Are you adding any additional rock to the larger tank? __________________ "Challenges forge the greatness in you" Current Tank Info: 180gal softy reef (Apr '09)

10/20/2009, 10:25 PM	#7
jenjen Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Langley BC, Canada Posts: 1,710	Holy dinah, 100lbs in a 46?! That's a lot of rock! I agree with the above posts, that option A will work well. When I did my tank upgrade I did the following and did not experience any detectable cycle: * add new sand to new larger tank * add some fresh SW to new tank (make sure parameters match old tank) * remove rock from existing tank to holding bins, aquascape new tank (note: livestock stayed in old tank) * most water from existing tank to new tank, top up with new SW * move all livestock directly from old tank to new tank I managed to move a 90gal to a 180gal in one day, and did not have any cycle. The things I think worked well were that I left the fish in the original tank until they were ready to go to the new tank, so they only had to be moved once; and also the rock was never out of water and I had enough time to properly aquascape. +1 to Capt Cully's comment to make sure to have extra SW and RO/DI on hand incase it's needed. And towels... lots of towels! __________________ "Challenges forge the greatness in you" Current Tank Info: 180gal softy reef (Apr '09)

10/20/2009, 09:22 PM	#4
dawaterboy Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: waterford, mi Posts: 214	I'll be running the r/o unit all night tonight. Only one person has said that I needed to cycle the new tank, and add things slow. I'll go with the law of average, and stick with setting it up and swapping it out fast.

10/20/2009, 10:11 PM	#6
dawaterboy Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: waterford, mi Posts: 214	I have 100 pounds in the 46 so I won't be adding any new rock unless I can't get the look I want. If I do add more it will be in a few weeks and I would only add one large piece, say 20 pounds.

10/20/2009, 11:51 PM	#8
mtisc323 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Posts: 53	It also wont hurt to take a cup or so of the sand from the old tank and mix it in with the new sand. Though the liverock will help seed the new sand, mixing in some of the old stuff with speed up the process

10/21/2009, 12:18 AM	#9
PRDubois Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Chester, VA Posts: 3,626	I'd go with A - I went from a 20gal to a 72 gal this way. worked well __________________ http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2534403 Current Tank Info: 225 gal Reef, 60 gal reef & 40b frag tank