Experienced Advice / Assistance Needed - 55 to 90 Conversion

BioMechanical · 12/01/2010, 10:21 PM

Started this hobby roughly Feb. 2009. I currently have a 55 gallon standard glass tank, no overflow. I recently bought a 90 gallon w/ corner overflow as well as given a 30 gallon glass that I converted to a sump by adding acrylic sheets. Excited to transfer everything over, but I have a few concerns:

I am going from 55 gallons to roughly 120 gallons. If I put all contents of the 55 into the 90 and then add saltwater from my source, LFS, will this be bad? Just asking sounds bad...

Will cycling start over?

Refugium set up. How many inches of mudd, how many inches of gravel on top of the mudd, how many rocks to put on the top.

I'm still a beginner and appreciate all your help.

RocketSurgeon · 12/02/2010, 07:39 AM

yes, you'll most likely cycle.

set up your new tank and system and let it cycle. then transfer your livestock. This would be the easiest and best method.

When I upgraded, I placed all my livestock in QT. I reused my water and sand for the new tank and let it cycle. Then I transfered my livestock to the new tank.

RocketEngineer · 12/02/2010, 09:00 AM

I went from a 30g setup to a 90g setup. Since I needed additional rock, I bought some dry rock and new pieces of LR and placed these plus a few pieces of LR from the 30g into the new setup. Once things in the new setup were up and running, I moved everything over.

I would stay away from anything in the refugium right off except cheatomorpha. As the setup stablizes, you may consider adding a substrate there but I have found I prefer a bare bottom in the refugium so I can suck up the gunk that settles there during my water changes.

RocketSurgeon · 12/02/2010, 09:15 AM

I only run a skimmer, heater and cheato , along with 2 small pieces of live rock in my sump.

ramtmac · 12/02/2010, 12:34 PM

I. Transferred from a 55 to a 125. You can use the water and sand, but will have to rinse out the sand. You will have a cycle. II used the majority of my old water too. in the end, I ended up having fish and corals in a tub for about 2 weeks. Good luck! I would read other posts too on tank transfers to get more ideas.
Just make sure you have everything planned out and set up before you start (leak test too with tank and plumbing. Not doing that was my biggest mistake!)

muppet · 12/02/2010, 12:42 PM

I just transferred from a 14g to a 65g total volume a few weeks ago and I just filled the new tank with new water and sand (and chaeto/*CURED* LR in the sump) and then transferred my existing LR and livestock after the silt had settled in the new tank. Done in one, and everybody is doing fine, eating well, looking happy. My clowns love the new sand bed and have already made themselves a little "nest" in it to sleep in at night.

12/01/2010, 10:21 PM	#1
BioMechanical Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Lake St. Louis, MO Posts: 24	Experienced Advice / Assistance Needed - 55 to 90 Conversion Started this hobby roughly Feb. 2009. I currently have a 55 gallon standard glass tank, no overflow. I recently bought a 90 gallon w/ corner overflow as well as given a 30 gallon glass that I converted to a sump by adding acrylic sheets. Excited to transfer everything over, but I have a few concerns: I am going from 55 gallons to roughly 120 gallons. If I put all contents of the 55 into the 90 and then add saltwater from my source, LFS, will this be bad? Just asking sounds bad... Will cycling start over? Refugium set up. How many inches of mudd, how many inches of gravel on top of the mudd, how many rocks to put on the top. I'm still a beginner and appreciate all your help.

12/02/2010, 09:00 AM	#3
RocketEngineer Space is big. Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Maryland Eastern Shore Posts: 3,226	I went from a 30g setup to a 90g setup. Since I needed additional rock, I bought some dry rock and new pieces of LR and placed these plus a few pieces of LR from the 30g into the new setup. Once things in the new setup were up and running, I moved everything over. I would stay away from anything in the refugium right off except cheatomorpha. As the setup stablizes, you may consider adding a substrate there but I have found I prefer a bare bottom in the refugium so I can suck up the gunk that settles there during my water changes. __________________ -RocketEngineer "Knowledge is what you get when you read the directions, experience is what you get when you don't." - Unknown Current Tank Info: None Currently

12/02/2010, 12:42 PM	#6
muppet Misanthrope Join Date: May 2010 Location: Plainville, CT Posts: 2,759	I just transferred from a 14g to a 65g total volume a few weeks ago and I just filled the new tank with new water and sand (and chaeto/CURED LR in the sump) and then transferred my existing LR and livestock after the silt had settled in the new tank. Done in one, and everybody is doing fine, eating well, looking happy. My clowns love the new sand bed and have already made themselves a little "nest" in it to sleep in at night. __________________ Vertex IN-100 Skimmer 5g fuge area in the works JBJ Ocean Pulse 1600GPH wavemaker CoralVue 4x54 fixture running?: 2xATI Blue Plus, 1xRed Sea Pink, 1xRed Sea 12K, 10x1w LED blue moonlights Current Tank Info: Deep Blue 75G RR with 20H sump

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12/02/2010, 07:39 AM	#2
RocketSurgeon Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Houston, Texas Posts: 653	yes, you'll most likely cycle. set up your new tank and system and let it cycle. then transfer your livestock. This would be the easiest and best method. When I upgraded, I placed all my livestock in QT. I reused my water and sand for the new tank and let it cycle. Then I transfered my livestock to the new tank.

12/02/2010, 09:15 AM	#4
RocketSurgeon Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Houston, Texas Posts: 653	I only run a skimmer, heater and cheato , along with 2 small pieces of live rock in my sump.

12/02/2010, 12:34 PM	#5
ramtmac Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Posts: 407	I. Transferred from a 55 to a 125. You can use the water and sand, but will have to rinse out the sand. You will have a cycle. II used the majority of my old water too. in the end, I ended up having fish and corals in a tub for about 2 weeks. Good luck! I would read other posts too on tank transfers to get more ideas. Just make sure you have everything planned out and set up before you start (leak test too with tank and plumbing. Not doing that was my biggest mistake!)