Transferring to a bigger tank

[Bayinaung]

nub question. I have a 10 gallon nano right now (all softies, snail, shrimps, anemone) that I'm planning to move to a 30 gallon long with 35 gallon sump and skimmer then add some fish.

Can I simply move the rocks and corals to the 30 gallon, and add 20 gallons of water to the mix and slowly bring the sump online?

Or set up the 30 with the sump, seed it with rocks from 10, wait 2(?) months for it to cycle then move the corals over?

what are the pros and cons?

thanks

 

[Mebbid]

At the very least I would thoroughly cure the rocks that you are going to be adding to the tank. As long as you aren't increasing the bio load on the tank it should be okay without cycling the new rock. You just need to be sure that the new rock isn't spewing more ammonia.

 

[Bray84]

I'm goin more than double the size I've got now in a week. So can I swap tanks in aday if use my tank water for new tank but will be just under half full so be like 55-65% wc. Thing is will need a lot more rock so what's best way to add more rock as can buy cured at my lfs

 

[mr_X]

I would not trust that the rock they sell as "cured" is actually cured. I would set up the larger tank, put the allegedly cured rock in, and test the water after a few days to see if you get an ammonia spike. Wait about a week to see if anything shows up on the test kits, then transfer over the smaller tank. The tank water isn't going to do anything as far as keeping it from cycling.

You don't need to seed the larger tank with rocks from the 10. I don't know what you expect to happen if you do so, but the bottom line is if you are going to add more rock to the 30, cycle it before adding your livestock.

 

[Bray84]

Can I set up tank with what rock I got and add little bits overtime

 

[mr_X]

You can, but you can't add lots of livestock without adding more rock and letting it get covered with bacteria before adding said livestock. In other words, let's say hypothetically, you put your tank in the bigger tank. Now you add 2 five pound pieces of dry rock. Wait a month, then add a fish....add 10 more pounds of rock, then add another fish. I'm not saying 10 pounds per fish is an actual measurement, but i'm just giving a general example that whatever bio load you have, will need that much filtration to sustain it.

 

[Bray84]

Cheer for your help, I'm not going to add anymore fish for long time as want get the rocks first and then get some coral as never had any before

 

[Bray84]

Hi so I got my tank and put new sand in and filled most of it up but waters cloudy been over day now. I've not been running sump yet as need use water from old tank but looking good so far just wish it would settle as guy from shop said not to wash it as its live.

Thing is in old tank I used crushed coral but now using Caribbean live sand will my snails that live under sand be ok with it. Sorry cant remember name of them.

 

[mr_X]

Nassarius, and yes. They will be fine. It will take a few days to a week for the sand to settle.

 

[Bray84]

Thanks and hope don't take much longer. Is the sand better than cc and would I have to clean the sand when doin wc as never used to clean much of the cc just build up spots

 

[mr_X]

I wouldn't touch the sand bed. It will collect a lot less detritus than a CC bed would.

 

[Bray84]

Cool makes it easier. One last thing is should I remove the bio balls now and just put some rock and cheato in place of them

 

[mr_X]

I wouldn't keep bio balls in my reef. If you can light the area, I would add algae, if not, then just rock will do.

 

[Bray84]

Yeah don't like idea of them aswell. Will any kind of light work like one from DIY shop

 

[mr_X]

Yes. a curly-Q energy saver bulb will grow algae just fine.