Moving to a way larger tank need suggestions

gearz666 · 09/22/2017, 07:43 PM

So I have upgraded tanks 2 times started a reef tank with a 46 bowfront, then moved to a 65 cube, then learned about overflows and sumps so then got a drilled 75 rimless. Well now I've outgrown that and bought a 220 corner overflow. I have about 200lbs of total rock I will put in problem is about half is in my 75 and the other half was dry and previously acid bathed [not much alive on it lol] so I have the new dry rock in a tote with a heater and wavemaker (cooking) it has reached 0 ammonia when I first started it spiked to 3 ammonia. Then my nitrites were 5 to 10 [test stripe] now show 0, last was my nitrates they were maxed out 160. Now reading 10 to 20 used test tube and strip. The final readings are after a water change about 3 days ago. Tested today 3 days later to let it sit. So I think the new rock is good to put in? My main question is how should I make this move? Just all at once or leave fish in another tank with no rock and just filter for a week or less and test water or just all at once? Suggestions are welcome I've been researching a lot, and there are many mixed reviews and I know some are going to say not to reuse sand from my running tank but it's about a year old and I will be cleaning it thoroughly with salt water to rise the gunk out and try not to kill all the copepods that are in there (I find them in my filter sock sometimes lol)

New setup is a marineland 220 dual corner overflow
A trigger systems emerald 39
A atomic reef neon green media reactor
2 300 watt heaters
Neptune apex jr controller
2 dc pumps 1 4000 jabeo for skimmer and a 8000 for return
Aqua c skimmer
3 reef radiance starfires for lights
Ato box from synergy reef
And smart ato for pump and
4 wavemakers 2 are jabeo wp40s and 2 are tunze turbell

I think that's all so far but I'm sure I'll find more to add

And thanks for the help and suggestions in advance.

pfan151 · 09/22/2017, 08:10 PM

With a hundred pounds of good established rock I doubt you'll have much of a cycle if any at all. If it were me I'd move everything over in one shot. Wouldn't hurt to add a bottle of bacteria. Then I would just feed lightly until everything totally stabilizes

carrots · 09/22/2017, 08:14 PM

You didn't say what kind of fish you have. I have almost always had a small spike in ammonia levels when upgrading to bigger tanks. So be sure to keep an eye out for a small cycle. Where is the new water coming from? Pre-mixed in a holding tank. If you are going to mix it in the aquarium when filling, I would get the filters and power heads going and wait a day for everything in the salt mix to dissolve and also for the dust to settle out from the sand. After a day if all testing looks good then move the fish over. For your fishes sake I would get some test strips and check levels daily for at least the first two weeks. Good luck and keep us posted on how it goes.

gearz666 · 09/22/2017, 09:23 PM

Fish are
2 green chromis
1 fox face
1 mimic
1 hippo tang
1 purple firefish
2 red firefish
1 yellow watchman (paired with pistol shrimp)
1 diamond goby
2 black ice clowns
1 melanarus wrasse
1 flame angel

Invertes
Long spiney urchin
Gold coral banded
Tiger pistol (mentioned with watchman)
20 hermit crabs (mixed)
Lots of different snails
Nerites, ninja stars, nassarius, limpet, and the shell less looking ones forgot name of them. They were a hitch hiker.

Corals
Button palys
Zoas mixed
Blue mushroom
3 leather toadstools
2 duncans
Frogspawn large
Trumpet
2 green mushrooms
And green star polyps

1 bubble tip anemone
1 large clam

And yes I know it's over stocked I recently acquired a Lot of the fish and coral from a friend who was moving and knew I was setting up my large tank soon I've been checking water quality a lot and making sure it's good.

Also mixing water in separate brute trash can 30 gallons and storing in food safe portable containers ones 40 gallon another 55 drum also may make some extra water in buckets for rinsing and cleaning sand.

gearz666 · 09/22/2017, 09:34 PM

Forgot also have a macro algae I believe it's caulerpa

reefinder · 09/23/2017, 12:20 PM

with a good skimmer you can have a lot more fish than you current list. I am so jealous, stocking a new tank is the best part

09/22/2017, 07:43 PM	#1
gearz666 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2017 Posts: 8	Moving to a way larger tank need suggestions So I have upgraded tanks 2 times started a reef tank with a 46 bowfront, then moved to a 65 cube, then learned about overflows and sumps so then got a drilled 75 rimless. Well now I've outgrown that and bought a 220 corner overflow. I have about 200lbs of total rock I will put in problem is about half is in my 75 and the other half was dry and previously acid bathed [not much alive on it lol] so I have the new dry rock in a tote with a heater and wavemaker (cooking) it has reached 0 ammonia when I first started it spiked to 3 ammonia. Then my nitrites were 5 to 10 [test stripe] now show 0, last was my nitrates they were maxed out 160. Now reading 10 to 20 used test tube and strip. The final readings are after a water change about 3 days ago. Tested today 3 days later to let it sit. So I think the new rock is good to put in? My main question is how should I make this move? Just all at once or leave fish in another tank with no rock and just filter for a week or less and test water or just all at once? Suggestions are welcome I've been researching a lot, and there are many mixed reviews and I know some are going to say not to reuse sand from my running tank but it's about a year old and I will be cleaning it thoroughly with salt water to rise the gunk out and try not to kill all the copepods that are in there (I find them in my filter sock sometimes lol) New setup is a marineland 220 dual corner overflow A trigger systems emerald 39 A atomic reef neon green media reactor 2 300 watt heaters Neptune apex jr controller 2 dc pumps 1 4000 jabeo for skimmer and a 8000 for return Aqua c skimmer 3 reef radiance starfires for lights Ato box from synergy reef And smart ato for pump and 4 wavemakers 2 are jabeo wp40s and 2 are tunze turbell I think that's all so far but I'm sure I'll find more to add And thanks for the help and suggestions in advance.

09/22/2017, 08:10 PM	#2
pfan151 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: FL Posts: 1,897	With a hundred pounds of good established rock I doubt you'll have much of a cycle if any at all. If it were me I'd move everything over in one shot. Wouldn't hurt to add a bottle of bacteria. Then I would just feed lightly until everything totally stabilizes

09/22/2017, 08:14 PM	#3
carrots Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2015 Location: Mendham, NJ USA Posts: 395	You didn't say what kind of fish you have. I have almost always had a small spike in ammonia levels when upgrading to bigger tanks. So be sure to keep an eye out for a small cycle. Where is the new water coming from? Pre-mixed in a holding tank. If you are going to mix it in the aquarium when filling, I would get the filters and power heads going and wait a day for everything in the salt mix to dissolve and also for the dust to settle out from the sand. After a day if all testing looks good then move the fish over. For your fishes sake I would get some test strips and check levels daily for at least the first two weeks. Good luck and keep us posted on how it goes.

09/22/2017, 09:23 PM	#4
gearz666 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2017 Posts: 8	Fish are 2 green chromis 1 fox face 1 mimic 1 hippo tang 1 purple firefish 2 red firefish 1 yellow watchman (paired with pistol shrimp) 1 diamond goby 2 black ice clowns 1 melanarus wrasse 1 flame angel Invertes Long spiney urchin Gold coral banded Tiger pistol (mentioned with watchman) 20 hermit crabs (mixed) Lots of different snails Nerites, ninja stars, nassarius, limpet, and the shell less looking ones forgot name of them. They were a hitch hiker. Corals Button palys Zoas mixed Blue mushroom 3 leather toadstools 2 duncans Frogspawn large Trumpet 2 green mushrooms And green star polyps 1 bubble tip anemone 1 large clam And yes I know it's over stocked I recently acquired a Lot of the fish and coral from a friend who was moving and knew I was setting up my large tank soon I've been checking water quality a lot and making sure it's good. Also mixing water in separate brute trash can 30 gallons and storing in food safe portable containers ones 40 gallon another 55 drum also may make some extra water in buckets for rinsing and cleaning sand.

09/22/2017, 09:34 PM	#5
gearz666 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2017 Posts: 8	Forgot also have a macro algae I believe it's caulerpa

09/23/2017, 12:20 PM	#6
reefinder Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Posts: 455	with a good skimmer you can have a lot more fish than you current list. I am so jealous, stocking a new tank is the best part