New 110 gallon saltwater tank

[Trena]

ok guys, i have finally purchased a 110 gallon tank for my two tangs. It has a wet/dry filter. I just figured out how to install the wet/dry filter. I havent put any water in it yet. Im keeping my 55 gallon tank as a quarantine tank. Im thinking of using crushed rock as my substrate. (it almost looks like sand) Should I put my live rock that is in my established 55 gallon tank in the 110 gallon tank? I'm thinking about just moving everything into the new tank. Any suggestions?

[cosmo]

Do not used crushed coral, it becomes a poo and food trap and nitrate factory! I'd get sand for sure or go bare bottom.

I'd get mostly new rock and get the new tank set up with dry sand and rock. Marcorocks is amazing stuff as well as reef cleaners or bulkreefsupply! Get the new tank set up and move a few pieces of LR and some sand from your current system over to cycle the new tank. Ya can just add a little bit of fish food every day for this process. Once the tank is cycled ya can move the rest over! This way your fish stay happy in their system! Also I'd move one or 2 fish and inverts over first so you don't overload the new system! Just watch your param's while doing all this and have plenty of WC's ready!

[carey]

how much live rock do you currently have? When i start a new tank it pretty much ionsta cycles since the rock is already established.

[Trena]

about 50-60 pounds

[carey]

That's a perfect amount.

I would just do a tank transfer then over the course of a day or so. Add all the base rock you like in addition to the rock you have. I would for sure use all new sand and not crushed coral, it can trap food and other gunk.

I would then test your water over the next week or two and make sure there are no spikes in ammonia or nitrites.

I'm doing the exact same thing now with my 60g tank. just moved over the live rock, added some base and put the livestock in. so far its been a week with no spikes and i don't expect to have any.

The only thing I wouldnt do is add new live rock from the store to the tank, THAT can have die off and spike your ammonia possibly harming your livestock.

[Trena]

Ok, thanks! Should I not use the sand in my established 55 gallon?

[carey]

You'd have to rinse it very well as all the nasties in the sand would for sure give you issues in a new tank. better to start fresh in my opinion.

[Trena]

Carey can you look at my thread with pictures of my new tank? I need to see if I installed my wet./dry filter correctly. Thanks.

[Trena]

Thanks for all your help! I got scared because the water rose so high in my tank. I'm such a newbie! I have added water, a little sand and some of the live rock from my 55 gallon. I'm just waiting for the cloudiness from the aragonite to settle.