Moving one tank to Another Please Give Advice

MSUschmidt · 02/20/2014, 06:33 AM

Guys, I could use any tips / Advice here.

I have a 55 Gallon FWOLR up and running. Been doing Great, haven't lost a fish, did a water check last night, it's perfect.

I am buying a 110 Gallon tank, and building it in the wall of my basement. It's a wall that separates the storage room from finished part of the basement, so I can just run the hoses to the sump through the wall and keep everything on the floor in the storage room.

Anyways, the build is the easy part for me. Here's what I'm taking tips on.

How do I do the swap? Obviously, I don't have enough sand or Live Rock, so I'm going to need more. My 55 is currently running, and can stay where it is for as long as it needs.

I'm worried about swapping everything and creating a big cycle and losing it all.

Any tips on what anyone else did would be great when either moving a tank or upgrading would be great.

What i'm wondering is whether or not I need to let this tank cycle??????????? If I'm using most all of everything I have, and then Adding some New LR and Sand, will the Tank Cycle then?

I was thinking of adding a bottle of Bio Spira when I do the swap.

I could also add some new live Rock and a few pieces of My Live Rock and Sand to the tank for 2 weeks, then do the swap. What about doing a water change on my Tank, and then adding the old water to the New tank?

Open to any tips Thanks

thegrun · 02/20/2014, 08:25 AM

I would get the new tank up and running and cycle the rock you plan on adding to the new system in the new tank (you could also just use a brute trash can and cycle the new rock in the brute trash can if the new tank is going to take you awhile to get set up). Once the new rock is cycled you can then transfer as much clean water from your old system as you can to minimize the stress of different water parameters on your livestock. Then transfer all the rock from your existing system and aquascape the new tank. Then add new dry (washed to remove the dust) to the new tank. You can transfer a cup or two of sand from your old system to seed the new sand, but any live rock that was in contact with the sand bed of the old tank will do the same thing. Then move all your livestock. I've done this several times and as long as the new rock is cycled you will not have another cycle. You will likely get some diatom blooms in the new sand bed (similar to when you start a new tank), but these blooms are usually not as strong or last as long as when you start a new tank. Best of luck!

MSUschmidt · 02/20/2014, 08:53 AM

Thanks, that all makes sense. I can cycle the new tank with the new Live Rock, there is no time frame of when I have to do it. My Basement wall is already existing, so I'm going to cut the hole and build the support and install the tank tonight.

Will then Add the New Rock, some old water, and a few cups of sand from my existing tank and let that cycle before I add anything else.

I'm going to start a thread though for this tank, because I think it's going to look pretty nice.

I've got cultured Stone I plan to do the face of the wall with, then am going to have Limestone (like what the front of the house for Keystones and Window sills) Cut to Trim the Hole out with.

Think this is going to look pretty sharp, so very excited to track this build online

thegrun · 02/20/2014, 08:57 AM

Great, I'm looking forward to the build thread, it sounds awesome!

Pife · 02/20/2014, 10:47 AM

We are going to need some pictures when you cut the hole and of your stand!

jesterisdead · 02/20/2014, 11:04 AM

I went from a 55 to a 220. I used existing LR and new LR in tank. I also used all new sand as you don't want to mess around with the crude in your existing sand.

I bought new totes and stored corals and fish in them with a light, powerhead, and a heater in each.

After tank was up and running I added more of my older LR and added cups of water from my older 55 and 'seeded" the new tank.

Then after about two weeks I started adding livestock. I was lucky and did it faster as the 220 I bought was a used Fowler and I saved half of that water and used it.

I had to rush it as my tank was going in same place as old one otherwise I would have done new tank like your supposed to and cycle it. With existing rock and water, my params were perfect so I merged them.

02/20/2014, 06:33 AM	#1
MSUschmidt Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2014 Posts: 126	Moving one tank to Another Please Give Advice Guys, I could use any tips / Advice here. I have a 55 Gallon FWOLR up and running. Been doing Great, haven't lost a fish, did a water check last night, it's perfect. I am buying a 110 Gallon tank, and building it in the wall of my basement. It's a wall that separates the storage room from finished part of the basement, so I can just run the hoses to the sump through the wall and keep everything on the floor in the storage room. Anyways, the build is the easy part for me. Here's what I'm taking tips on. How do I do the swap? Obviously, I don't have enough sand or Live Rock, so I'm going to need more. My 55 is currently running, and can stay where it is for as long as it needs. I'm worried about swapping everything and creating a big cycle and losing it all. Any tips on what anyone else did would be great when either moving a tank or upgrading would be great. What i'm wondering is whether or not I need to let this tank cycle??????????? If I'm using most all of everything I have, and then Adding some New LR and Sand, will the Tank Cycle then? I was thinking of adding a bottle of Bio Spira when I do the swap. I could also add some new live Rock and a few pieces of My Live Rock and Sand to the tank for 2 weeks, then do the swap. What about doing a water change on my Tank, and then adding the old water to the New tank? Open to any tips Thanks Last edited by MSUschmidt; 02/20/2014 at 07:11 AM.

02/20/2014, 08:25 AM	#2
thegrun Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Garden Grove, Ca Posts: 17,023	I would get the new tank up and running and cycle the rock you plan on adding to the new system in the new tank (you could also just use a brute trash can and cycle the new rock in the brute trash can if the new tank is going to take you awhile to get set up). Once the new rock is cycled you can then transfer as much clean water from your old system as you can to minimize the stress of different water parameters on your livestock. Then transfer all the rock from your existing system and aquascape the new tank. Then add new dry (washed to remove the dust) to the new tank. You can transfer a cup or two of sand from your old system to seed the new sand, but any live rock that was in contact with the sand bed of the old tank will do the same thing. Then move all your livestock. I've done this several times and as long as the new rock is cycled you will not have another cycle. You will likely get some diatom blooms in the new sand bed (similar to when you start a new tank), but these blooms are usually not as strong or last as long as when you start a new tank. Best of luck!

02/20/2014, 08:53 AM	#3
MSUschmidt Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2014 Posts: 126	Thanks, that all makes sense. I can cycle the new tank with the new Live Rock, there is no time frame of when I have to do it. My Basement wall is already existing, so I'm going to cut the hole and build the support and install the tank tonight. Will then Add the New Rock, some old water, and a few cups of sand from my existing tank and let that cycle before I add anything else. I'm going to start a thread though for this tank, because I think it's going to look pretty nice. I've got cultured Stone I plan to do the face of the wall with, then am going to have Limestone (like what the front of the house for Keystones and Window sills) Cut to Trim the Hole out with. Think this is going to look pretty sharp, so very excited to track this build online

02/20/2014, 08:57 AM	#4
thegrun Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Garden Grove, Ca Posts: 17,023	Great, I'm looking forward to the build thread, it sounds awesome!

02/20/2014, 10:47 AM	#5
Pife Registered Member Join Date: May 2013 Posts: 7,408	We are going to need some pictures when you cut the hole and of your stand!

02/20/2014, 11:04 AM	#6
jesterisdead Registered Member Join Date: May 2013 Posts: 78	I went from a 55 to a 220. I used existing LR and new LR in tank. I also used all new sand as you don't want to mess around with the crude in your existing sand. I bought new totes and stored corals and fish in them with a light, powerhead, and a heater in each. After tank was up and running I added more of my older LR and added cups of water from my older 55 and 'seeded" the new tank. Then after about two weeks I started adding livestock. I was lucky and did it faster as the 220 I bought was a used Fowler and I saved half of that water and used it. I had to rush it as my tank was going in same place as old one otherwise I would have done new tank like your supposed to and cycle it. With existing rock and water, my params were perfect so I merged them.