What is the best way?

[Hara]

Originally, before the great black sand idea, we were going to put the sand from the old tank, plus half the water from the old tank, into the new to try to prevent some of the "new tank" syndrome. Now we are not going to be able to do the sand part at least. We could still do the water, but it is majorly phosphate ridden.

What is going to be the best way to transfer everything over? Will the corals be harmed because the tank is "new" ? IF so, what can we do to lessen the damage? The plan, as I see it now, is to move the 90 lbs of rock and inverts, then the corals, then the fish. All this will include the proper acclimitizing of livestock. If all the fish are moved at the same time, I shouldnt see an ammonia spike with all the rock, should I? I could move them several days apart, but they would be in a tank with no liverock and stressed as heck.

I am looking for best options all, give me some advice

 

[Hara]

wow, 15 views and no one has an opinion?

 

[michealprater]

I would say if you could use a majority of the water and it would reduce the chance of a spike. If you can purchase some TLC this would get rid of any ammonia that might spike. I dont know exactly how this product works, but I do know it works. I have used it, and if the product did not get rid of the ammonia over night, I dont know what did. It didnt just magically disappear.

 

[reefrunner69]

I wouldn't worry about using the water...if you feel the need, run some PO4 absorbing material before moving the water. Oce the new rock has cured...I would add the old rock, then the corals and the fish. The rock will not lose it's nitrifying capability from the move. You shouldn't experience any problems with a good acclimitization, just make sure the temp and ph of the two tanks are as close as possible. I would be concerned with the nirifying capability of the sand being lost...but the new sand should pick up the slack.

 

[Hara]

so then I should use as much of the old water as possible?

 

[michealprater]

I wouldn't worry about using the water...if you feel the need, run some PO4 absorbing material before moving the water.

 

[Guest]

When I went from the 29 to the 55, I used the rock and the water from the 29 and it di help with the cycle time. The new sand is not going to have the nitrifying bacteria in it yet so, you're going to get a cycle no matter what. May not be long, but you will get a spike...I thought by doing the change from the 29 to the 55 with using the water and rock I wouldn't go throught the new tank synd. and whah la there it was. Boom, 3 more weeks of waiting...I still think using the water and rock helped....

 

[reefrunner69]

The new sand is not going to have the nitrifying bacteria in it yet so, you're going to get a cycle no matter what.

She is curing live rock in the tank right now....it should have nitrifying capabilities when the rock is through curing.

thought by doing the change from the 29 to the 55 with using the water and rock I wouldn't go throught the new tank synd.

Actually you shouldn't have...unless you added more fish at the same time. OR you have very little rock and all your nitrifying capacity was in your sand.

I still think using the water and rock helped....

The rock did, the water was simply a stress relieving factor for your animals. Very little nitrifying bacteria are free floating in the water at any given time. Nitrifying bacteria colonize and live on the surface of everything in the tank, but they are not freefloating. There will be some in the water at all times...but not enough to accelerate a cycleby any significant amount.

 

[Guest]

I guess at that time, I did not have enough LR to handle it...that is why...sorry, thats what you get for talking out of your **&

 

[reefrunner69]

I guess at that time, I did not have enough LR to handle it...that is why...sorry, thats what you get for talking out of your **&

I wasn't trying to call you out on it Tim, I was just adding my opinion. I apologize if it felt as if I were contradicting you.

 

[Guest]

No, no, not at all,,, I was mereley stating that you were right.....I did not have enough rock at the time...