BillyZ
Aquarium Advice Addict
I have recently downgraded my 55 freshwater tank to a 20 gallon tank. I have just finished moving the 55 tank and stand into my basement underneath where my 55 SW tank will soon be moved to. (I know.. there's lots of unstable changes coming in the future.. i'm thankful I only have 1 fish!)
The old FW 55 is set up, has 100# of southdown sand in it and apx 50 gallons of RO water coming up to temperature today with 1 small PH for minimum circulation (mag 7 pump will soon be on order)
here's my plan so far. I'm going to add the salt to the tank slowly once the water is up to temperature (this fuge is NOT currently hooked up to my display tank, obviously) Once the salinity is right and has had a day or so to completely stabilize/balance/dissolve etc I will drop in my shrimp along with a few scoops of the substrate from my main tank. probably 10 pounds worth. (boy did the guy at the fish counter look at me funny when i asked for 1 uncooked shrimp!)
I figured since I'm adding soo much water and a great deal of more bacteria in the new DSB, I should give the fuge it's own cycle before connecting it to the display tank. This will give me a couple weeks to prepare the new stand for my tank in it's new home. As well as prepare all the plumbing.
Once the tank has been moved (another discussion on that will be coming soon I'm sure! 8O ) I will compare the levels in the water to be sure they're as close as possible, perhaps even do one last water change in the main tank if necessary and if the levels are close enough, connect the overflow and plumbing start the fuge pump.
How do you think the tank would react to the two systems joining together? I was thinking that , if necessary I would place the overflow outlet either right next to or perhaps even pointed at the fuge pump intake to make the water "mix" even slower in the main tank. by way of the overflow water going right back into the pump but it will obviously mix some with the fuge water. this would make any difference in the water chemistry less noticeable to the display tank's inhabitants.
In the attached image below:
purple = Fuge Out flow pump (to display tank)
green/red = fuge in flow line (from display overflow)
which position would you go for? or do you suggest a different position/system?
The old FW 55 is set up, has 100# of southdown sand in it and apx 50 gallons of RO water coming up to temperature today with 1 small PH for minimum circulation (mag 7 pump will soon be on order)
here's my plan so far. I'm going to add the salt to the tank slowly once the water is up to temperature (this fuge is NOT currently hooked up to my display tank, obviously) Once the salinity is right and has had a day or so to completely stabilize/balance/dissolve etc I will drop in my shrimp along with a few scoops of the substrate from my main tank. probably 10 pounds worth. (boy did the guy at the fish counter look at me funny when i asked for 1 uncooked shrimp!)
I figured since I'm adding soo much water and a great deal of more bacteria in the new DSB, I should give the fuge it's own cycle before connecting it to the display tank. This will give me a couple weeks to prepare the new stand for my tank in it's new home. As well as prepare all the plumbing.
Once the tank has been moved (another discussion on that will be coming soon I'm sure! 8O ) I will compare the levels in the water to be sure they're as close as possible, perhaps even do one last water change in the main tank if necessary and if the levels are close enough, connect the overflow and plumbing start the fuge pump.
How do you think the tank would react to the two systems joining together? I was thinking that , if necessary I would place the overflow outlet either right next to or perhaps even pointed at the fuge pump intake to make the water "mix" even slower in the main tank. by way of the overflow water going right back into the pump but it will obviously mix some with the fuge water. this would make any difference in the water chemistry less noticeable to the display tank's inhabitants.
In the attached image below:
purple = Fuge Out flow pump (to display tank)
green/red = fuge in flow line (from display overflow)
which position would you go for? or do you suggest a different position/system?
) I'll post up a pic as soon as I can find the darned charger for my camera batteries!
