upgrading tank - best cycling method

[mr funktastic]

hey. not many of u will remember me. i was a regular on here a long time ago. but i am just in the process of upgrading from my 15 gal nano reef to a 30 gal tank. i will need to cycle the new tank before transfering my clown fish and live rock. but i am wondering the best method to do the switch. i was going to take a HOB filter i currently have running on my established tank and let it run on the new tank. this will allow the new filter to build up with the needed backteria and seed the sand. i was gonna put about 20 pounds of new sand in the tank aswell then transfer over the other sand. maybe throw a pice of the live rock in the new tank as well. im just trying to figure out the best way to do it to avoid killing off any of the rock or causing and major algea out breaks

any tips and ideas would be great. the new set up with be as follows

penguine 350 HOB filter running crushed live rock and a foam filter pad as the media. the filter pad will be changed weekly. i will be eventually upgrading to a sump set up. just not right now.

1 hydor 425 gph powerhead

1 150watt eheim jager heater

aragonite reef sand

figi live rock

i will be getting very shortly a 36" 4x t5 ho 156w lighting. with moon leds. i currently have 2 coralife 24" pc 50/50 lights to work with.

if you need any more details please ask


ps. i already made this thread in the "getting started" section but didnt get a single response lol. so i appologize for making it twice. but i figured some of the more experienced people may not be hanging out in the getting started section. if a mod sees fit please delete whichever thread u feel to be in the wrong place.

 

[mr funktastic]

nobody? im sure a lot of u guys have stepped up to a bigger tank from a smaller one. no one has any tips on how to do it?

 

[Ronin77]

Lol everything sounds good what your doing. I did the same thing, went from 12gal nano to 54 gal corner with 15-20gal sump. I did live sand and non-live on my base live in sump. Then bought all new live Marshall island rock. I waited til my water cleared then placed my watchmen and corals in it. Everything's still alive. Since September hahaha!!!!

 

[TommyP]

I upgraded from my 10g tank to a 55 reef build. I bought live sand and used media from my 10g tank to help start the cycle in the 55 gallon. I added live rock to the tank to help the cycle as well. My tank took about 10 days or so to cycle.

 

[mr funktastic]

thanks guys. good to know i am on the right track. i got the tank set up and full. got the new filter running with about 1 lb of live rock rubble in the filter. tank is at a stable temp. salinity is at about 1.024. i found an extra aquaclean 20 i had kicking around. i was gonna throw that on my 15 for a few days to cycle it. then throw that onto the 30 gal. but what would be the best thing to fill the filter with to build up the good bacteria into it? so i can jump start the 20 gal. thanks again

 

[Ronin77]

Ahhhh you caught me! Lol I don't even use any filters except my sump. I don't use any filter media just the live rock and sand. "O" Natural = )

 

[mr funktastic]

I only use the filters as a flow device. I fill them with crushed rubble and sometimes use a small filter pad to catch large debris. I will be upgrading to a sump eventually. But for now I'm just trying to focus on getting that good bacteria flowing in my new tank.

 

[Ronin77]

The only thing I can thing of if you don't have a source for the live salt water jugs they sale, is like you already know to use the water from the nano and more live rock will speed it up.

 

[mr funktastic]

I was hoping not to use too much of the water from the 15 gal. The nitrates are. Bit high right now in it. I have been doing pwc to bring it down. I didn't think there would be much benifit to using the water. I know tye sand and rock is teaming with living things though. What would the benifit be to using the water?

 

[Ronin77]

It would just speed it up a little.