Moving from old to new tank

[LouieB]

Hi I have a 55 gal reef tank about 1yr old and I just upgraded to a 125 gal with a 30 gal sump. What would be the best way and order of moving the LR, Inverts, and fish. Could I acclimate them in the 55 gal? Then Aquascpe, add fish and inverts and add sand from 55 on top of new sand.
I know I am not the first, but just nervous about the process.

TIA, Louie

 

[roka64]

Congrats, I am in the process of doing the same thing!
Is your cycle complete on the 125G?

 

[LouieB]

Do I need to cycle the 125? I am moving my Live rock and sand over. I thought that would continue its job as it did in the 55 gal same bio load just more water.

 

[roka64]

In that case you could put some of your tank water in a bucket, to house the fish/inverts, maybe add a ph and heater, if you think it will take longer then an hour or so. I would move the water/LR(assuming you don't have corals)/sand to the new tank. Add the fish and then you premixed water. Try to get your new water as close to your old water, ie: pH, temp and salinity. I would also have some spare water, in the event you stir up some nasties, from your sand.

 

[LouieB]

I already put 80 gal of ro/di water and salt mix in the 125. I also added about 160 lbs of sand. I was going to take some water out of the 55 and acclimate everything in there at once. Then move the LR, fish/inverts, and slowly pour the sand from the 55 gal on top of the 160lbs already in the 125gal tank. Would this be a good plan? I also have corals in the 55 gal that I need to move.

TIA, Louie

 

[roka64]

Do you have the temp and salinity the same in both tanks?

 

[LouieB]

Sure Do.

 

[Fluff]

When I moved mine, here is what I did....

Empty as much of the tank water as you can into buckets. These buckets with air stones and heaters will house your livestock and rock til your ready for it. Transfer and add your substrate. Be sure to burry some of the rock in the sandbed (if you have one) to keep the other rocks stable. Add your water. If you place a bowl on the substrate and pour your water into it, it won't mix the sand as badly while you fil the tank. I'd fill it about halfway with well mixed saltwater and then begin adding your rock. When your happy with your scaping, add as much of the old water back in before topping off with new water. While that is settling you can begin to drip acclimate your livestock to get them adjusted to the new water. After a few hours of acclimating, test everything to be sure it's the same (ph/sg/temps), if it is, begin adding your critters back. Test a good bit over the next week or so to be sure you don't get any spikes from stirring up the substrate. With as much rock and substrate as you'll be adding, I wouldn't think you would see a cycle but you may see some inflated numbers from moving everything so have water prepared for a water change just in case. HTH

 

[LouieB]

My 55gal is 3 feet away from my new tank so I was thinking of removing about 1/3 of the water in the 55gal and replenish it with the new water from the 125gal. If I do this slowly a couple of times over a few hours then everyone in the old tank should be ready for the new. I would then move my LR and be able to catch all the fish in an open tank and transfer them to the new. I would move my live sand and use PVC to keep it from making a sand storm in the new tank. I will also be transferring as much of the water from the 55gal as I can. Testing my levels over the next week just in case. Can it be done this way or is there a problem I am not seeing..
Thanks.... Louie

 

[Fluff]

My 55gal is 3 feet away from my new tank so I was thinking of removing about 1/3 of the water in the 55gal and replenish it with the new water from the 125gal. If I do this slowly a couple of times over a few hours then everyone in the old tank should be ready for the new.

Thats fine but what my thinking is, when moving substrate and rocks, your gonna get some nutrient swings in your water from pulling up all the good stuff from the bottom of the tank. This is what I'd be concerned with and why I felt the need for the drip acclimation. When you add your substrate, I'm thinking it's gonna change your water chemically from being mixed and even though you went through all the trouble of water changes in your 55, it's still gonna be different than what your fish are in. I hope that makes sense.

 

[LouieB]

I see makes sense, Thanks Fluff as always your a wealth of information... Louie