35 to 55 upgrade please help!

[newbjank]

I recently received a free 55 gallon wide tank from a family member, great looking tank and stand.

My question was whats the best/convenient way of transitioning all of my live rock / live stock to the 55.

Ive looked here and their on the web and I've seen people just transfer the current water added to the newly fresh saltwater. Along with the rock and livestock.

Others have said just let it go ahead and cycle through..

Can i have your opinions and methods on transfer water/livestock to a new larger tank.


Please respond asap.
Thanks

 

[HMInskeep]

I just upgraded to a 50 from a 36g bowfront. The way I did it was I took about 10 pounds of sand and maybe 5 pounds( 1 good sized piece) of lr from my established tank. I bought real ocean water at my lfs in sandiego and ran it with a sponge filter for two weeks with 20 gallons of ocean water from the store. When I made the move I took all the water from my original tank and moved every thing within about two hours from start to finish. My water stayed pretty much the same cuz I added some ph buffer prior to adding the old water. The tanks been up and running for a month now with no problems and no ammonia spike or nitrite/nitrate problems.

 

[newbjank]

I just upgraded to a 50 from a 36g bowfront. The way I did it was I took about 10 pounds of sand and maybe 5 pounds( 1 good sized piece) of lr from my established tank. I bought real ocean water at my lfs in sandiego and ran it with a sponge filter for two weeks with 20 gallons of ocean water from the store. When I made the move I took all the water from my original tank and moved every thing within about two hours from start to finish. My water stayed pretty much the same cuz I added some ph buffer prior to adding the old water. The tanks been up and running for a month now with no problems and no ammonia spike or nitrite/nitrate problems.

Thanks !
how did you go about transferring the fish along with the water/rock

 

[HMInskeep]

I just used 5 gallon buckets and moved the Rick out with the crabs and snails. Then another for the fish. With the tank water obviously. Then scooped the sand into bags. Siphoned the rest of the water from the 36 into the 50. Then I put the bags of sand on the bottom under water and cut them open to minimize the clouding of the water. Added the lr. Waited about an hour for the water to clear. Then ran the filter system for about twent minutes. The fish spent two hours in a 5 gal bucket with a hob filter and an air stone. Once the tank water was clear I added the fish.