tank upgrade need advice

donald altman · 07/27/2006, 09:17 AM

hey gang.. I need some advice.

I am upgrading a 50 gallon tank to a 100 gallon tank.
The 50 gallon currently sets in a room that is due to be a nursery
in just a few months. I was going to just try and move the tank but decided this would be the perfect time to go ahead and upgrade .. since it was also going to be a display tank in my living room instead of a grow out homemade looking tank in my back office.

Currently I have a full stocked 50 gallon with refugium 4 inch dsb
and 3 small blue with yellow tail damsels.

I have a good bit of corals too. Due to time restraints
I am trying to fnid the best way to go about moving the tank over to the new one. I want Ease of course and I also want to preserve my inhabitants.

So far I have built up 3 inches of new sterilized sand in the tank and have filled it half with mixed water and have pumps on.

I am to the point that I need to figure out the rest.

Ideally the best I know would probably cycle the 100 gallon fully
and in a month or so move the 50 gallons contents into the 100.

However I don't have a month to get this done.

What are my chances of in one swoop moving sand refugium and my rock into the tank then using the 50 gallons water to top the 100 off? And giving the damels to the fish store?
Will I have a good shot at very minuimal lose.. will I more then likely loose a bunch of stuff ?

I mainly have pretty hardy corals... alot have been frags off frags that have been mailed to me and done just fine in a newer tank when I first set the 50 up a couple of years ago.

I do not have room to keep both tanks going at the same time for very long.. maybe a week or two....

could chunk some refugium rock into the 100 gallon and a coctail shrimp and let it be for a week and see if I can get a minicycle
that might better the chances of a move?

let me know I need some advice.

donald altman · 07/28/2006, 02:44 PM

Is thjis something is so obvisoue or common that no one is replying becuase it is a dumb or redundant question?

I've searched the forums suing the search feature and just haven't found much info on this.

Surely some people have moved to a bigger tank and can offer some insight.

CaptiveReef · 07/28/2006, 05:55 PM

To make this this an easy move, fill the tank half way with new salt water, then take your exposed sand from your old tank and add it on top of your new sand. Now add some old tank water about 20 gallons.
Now you can add your rock and corals, get them all in position. Now top off your sand bed, and fill the rest of your tank. The extra water will fill your refugium.
Start everything up, get your skimmer going and your tank will clear, this will be like doing a big water change because you are using all of your aged water.

CaptiveReef

donald altman · 08/03/2006, 05:21 AM

Thanks very much.... I did it exactly as per your advice and everything seems to be doing well other then some xenia that very frankly I am glad .. it got to be a pest. I took some of the rock out that was covered in xenia and added some fresh lace rock in its place.. everything seems to be doing great

CaptiveReef · 08/04/2006, 07:19 PM

I am very glad the the move went well, enjoy the new tank please post some pics.

CaptiveReef

07/27/2006, 09:17 AM	#1
donald altman Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Florida/Georgia Posts: 632	tank upgrade need advice hey gang.. I need some advice. I am upgrading a 50 gallon tank to a 100 gallon tank. The 50 gallon currently sets in a room that is due to be a nursery in just a few months. I was going to just try and move the tank but decided this would be the perfect time to go ahead and upgrade .. since it was also going to be a display tank in my living room instead of a grow out homemade looking tank in my back office. Currently I have a full stocked 50 gallon with refugium 4 inch dsb and 3 small blue with yellow tail damsels. I have a good bit of corals too. Due to time restraints I am trying to fnid the best way to go about moving the tank over to the new one. I want Ease of course and I also want to preserve my inhabitants. So far I have built up 3 inches of new sterilized sand in the tank and have filled it half with mixed water and have pumps on. I am to the point that I need to figure out the rest. Ideally the best I know would probably cycle the 100 gallon fully and in a month or so move the 50 gallons contents into the 100. However I don't have a month to get this done. What are my chances of in one swoop moving sand refugium and my rock into the tank then using the 50 gallons water to top the 100 off? And giving the damels to the fish store? Will I have a good shot at very minuimal lose.. will I more then likely loose a bunch of stuff ? I mainly have pretty hardy corals... alot have been frags off frags that have been mailed to me and done just fine in a newer tank when I first set the 50 up a couple of years ago. I do not have room to keep both tanks going at the same time for very long.. maybe a week or two.... could chunk some refugium rock into the 100 gallon and a coctail shrimp and let it be for a week and see if I can get a minicycle that might better the chances of a move? let me know I need some advice. __________________ -donaltman3 Current Tank Info: 100 gallon reef...

07/28/2006, 02:44 PM	#2
donald altman Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Florida/Georgia Posts: 632	anyone? Is thjis something is so obvisoue or common that no one is replying becuase it is a dumb or redundant question? I've searched the forums suing the search feature and just haven't found much info on this. Surely some people have moved to a bigger tank and can offer some insight. __________________ -donaltman3 Current Tank Info: 100 gallon reef...

07/28/2006, 05:55 PM	#3
CaptiveReef LED FULL SPECTRUM REEFER Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Long Island Posts: 1,148	Upgrade To make this this an easy move, fill the tank half way with new salt water, then take your exposed sand from your old tank and add it on top of your new sand. Now add some old tank water about 20 gallons. Now you can add your rock and corals, get them all in position. Now top off your sand bed, and fill the rest of your tank. The extra water will fill your refugium. Start everything up, get your skimmer going and your tank will clear, this will be like doing a big water change because you are using all of your aged water. CaptiveReef __________________ Okay I'm a Reef Fanatic !!!!! Current Tank Info: 120 Reef, DIY 5ft. protein skimmer, LED lighting. Last edited by CaptiveReef; 07/28/2006 at 06:24 PM.

08/03/2006, 05:21 AM	#4
donald altman Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Florida/Georgia Posts: 632	Thanks very much.... I did it exactly as per your advice and everything seems to be doing well other then some xenia that very frankly I am glad .. it got to be a pest. I took some of the rock out that was covered in xenia and added some fresh lace rock in its place.. everything seems to be doing great __________________ -donaltman3 Current Tank Info: 100 gallon reef...

08/04/2006, 07:19 PM	#5
CaptiveReef LED FULL SPECTRUM REEFER Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Long Island Posts: 1,148	Great news I am very glad the the move went well, enjoy the new tank please post some pics. CaptiveReef __________________ Okay I'm a Reef Fanatic !!!!! Current Tank Info: 120 Reef, DIY 5ft. protein skimmer, LED lighting.