Should I merge?

[Dimdim]

So ive got my 40g breeder updated! Lights on, powerheads in, live rock in! Now i have my ten gallon that i set up about 2 months ago with two chromis, gsp frag, and frogspawn frag, peppermint shrimp, 3 astreas, and one mexican.

What im looking for is your opinions on this merge? Should i do it? And create a sump with my ten gallon? I have about 27lbs lace/base rock and 9lbs liverock in my 40, and about 8 lbs in my ten gallon as two lbs are lava rock, which i dont want to transfer and plan to remove regardless what decision is made !

 

[woody390]

I'd merge purely on the basis the 10 isn't big enough for chromis IMO

 

[TheTodd]

+1 on the merge. Everything will probably be happier. If you are like a lot of us, your probably going to upgrade again and your 40g will become a sump.

 

[willbratz]

I'm merging my 55 into my newly acquired 120 gallon.

 

[Dimdim]

I wont be upgrading for a long time im 20 and still live with my dad i have a 90 gallon long that is not really reef compatible, its 6 ft long by 24 inch tall by 12 deep so no upgrading for a few years lol but i do think ill merge eventually! What about the sand? How can i use it for my refugium? On my 40 g ?

 

[Texas]

I would merge them but DON'T use sand in a refugium. It will clog your pumps and blow back into your main tank.

 

[Dimdim]

Okay... I dont see how thats possibly aince i have baffles in mu sump? If the flow rate is low then why not? My sump/fuge would be running under 300gph

 

[Daniel Fishy]

I don't run sand in the sump. To hard to clean and IMO not a real value to add it. If you want mangroves or such stick them into some rocks and they will grow.

 

[Dimdim]

Awesome! What about like miracle mud or something like that? I wanted to grow cheato pods and have a dsb refugium?

 

[willbratz]

We can't do mangroves in Florida. It's illegal to cut them, unless you are a licensed arborist. If I could I certainly would love to have a few for my sump...

 

[Daniel Fishy]

We can't do mangroves in Florida. It's illegal to cut them, unless you are a licensed arborist. If I could I certainly would love to have a few for my sump...

Find the seeds floating in the intercostal. When mine get to big I'm going to plant them and find some more which you probably know there floating all around in summer.

 

[willbratz]

Find the seeds floating in the intercostal. When mine get to big I'm going to plant them and find some more which you probably know there floating all around in summer.

Yeppers

 

[Dimdim]

How should i merge the two tanks? I was thinking one my 40 gal is cycles can i just start acclimating all my livestock from my ten ? And then just put them all in at once? I have two chromis, a peppermint shrimp 5 snails two frags lps frogspawn and sps gsp also a mushroom colony

 

[TommyP]

How should i merge the two tanks? I was thinking one my 40 gal is cycles can i just start acclimating all my livestock from my ten ? And then just put them all in at once? I have two chromis, a peppermint shrimp 5 snails two frags lps frogspawn and sps gsp also a mushroom colony

Sounds about right, just make sure your tank is fully cycled before adding anything in.

 

[Dimdim]

Awesome !! I cant wait to get my peppermint shrimp in the new tank, hes gonna love the few apatasia that came in on some lr! If my params are the exact same, should an acclimation still be followed?

 

[TommyP]

Yes, always acclimate any livestock you put in to your DT. Especially inverts/ they are very sensitive to change.

 

[Dimdim]

Awesome! Thanks ! Heres my ammonia test what u think its at?

 

[TommyP]

Awesome! Thanks ! Heres my ammonia test what u think its at?

Viewing that photo on the monitor here at work, looks like it's at 0 to me.

 

[Dimdim]

Monitor at work nice! Lol my nitrites are now 0 and my nitrates are about40 ppm, should i do a 3 gallon water change and start transferring? I dont want to rush but it looks as though my cycle is over? My tank has been up 10 days. Diatoms are very minimal, but i had a spike of about 5 ppm of ammonia the very first day

 

[TommyP]

Monitor at work nice! Lol my nitrites are now 0 and my nitrates are about40 ppm, should i do a 3 gallon water change and start transferring? I dont want to rush but it looks as though my cycle is over? My tank has been up 10 days. Diatoms are very minimal, but i had a spike of about 5 ppm of ammonia the very first day

I would wait a little longer. Do a pwc and retest. You don't want to add fish/etc with high trates.