Tank upgrade!! 8-)

[Flaxon-Waxon]

Just scored a 75 gallon in a trade with a buddy, and need some advice on the transfer. I see varied opinions when it comes to moving substrate over, and that is my main concern. I
plan on moving the fish into buckets with a power head and heater, and then using the old tank water in the new tank as well ( I know it's not necessary, but will make it easier)... And then putting the live rock in buckets as well. I'll then set up the new tank where the old one was... And then?? Should I move the old live sand in, then add rocks, then water, then fish after everything settles? I'm worried about an ammonia spike... I read the live rock holds most of the BB anyways, so can I just go and get some pool filter sand, and have that seeded by the live rock? If so, how long will it take for the tank to be ready to transfer the animals? This is all so confusing help please!! Thanx!

 

[bskerrichard27]

I would not use pool sand get u some good substrate to make up the differense in the tank size..I used my old substrate but I cleaned it first befor adding it with the new substrate..I have a lot of rock and a low bio load and I never got any spike at all

 

[Flaxon-Waxon]

So I CAN use my old substrate? If so I was going to get 2 more bags of Caribsea Fiji pink, which is what's in there now... Do I NEED to rinse the sand, I feel like it will get rid of a hefty amount of BB??

 

[bskerrichard27]

If u don't rinse it u could have nitrate proublems is rinse it add it with the new and yur substrate will be like New sand again if u have plenty of seeded liverock already u should not have a cycle and if u do it will be min

 

[Flaxon-Waxon]

Well if I use a net to remove the sand, it will kind of rinse it if there's still a couple inches of water in the tank... I'm not gonna rinse it with tap water. I suppose I could have a bucket of RODI to dip it into before putting it into the new tank...

 

[bskerrichard27]

I rinsed mine with tap then once again with.rodi then put it in my tank everything worked out good

 

[Flaxon-Waxon]

Any other thought from people who have transferred tanks??

 

[Nu-Nu the eel]

Lol i transfered my tank in a very differant way. I used media from my old tank to cycle the new tank and filled it with water, new sand, and baserock. When the cycle was bearly complete i removed a few pounds of live rock a day from the old tank into the new tank. I did this to prevent an ammonia spike in the old tank. Then i acclimated 1 fish and added him to the new tank. When he did ok the next day i drip acclimated all my fish/coral/inverts into the new tank.

 

[Flaxon-Waxon]

Lol i transfered my tank in a very differant way. I used media from my old tank to cycle the new tank and filled it with water, new sand, and baserock. When the cycle was bearly complete i removed a few pounds of live rock a day from the old tank into the new tank. I did this to prevent an ammonia spike in the old tank. Then i acclimated 1 fish and added him to the new tank. When he did ok the next day i drip acclimated all my fish/coral/inverts into the new tank.

There's gotta be a quicker way lol...

 

[Nu-Nu the eel]

There's gotta be a quicker way lol...

Haha ya im sure there is, i just didnt want to risk any of my fish dying...

 

[Flaxon-Waxon]

I hear ya Nu! That's why I'm asking for a couple
different experiences... Stay posted I'm gonna be asking a lot in this thread

 

[Flaxon-Waxon]

Hate to bump again, any other new tank transfer experiences out there??

 

[ganiel]

Lol i transfered my tank in a very differant way. I used media from my old tank to cycle the new tank and filled it with water, new sand, and baserock. When the cycle was bearly complete i removed a few pounds of live rock a day from the old tank into the new tank. I did this to prevent an ammonia spike in the old tank. Then i acclimated 1 fish and added him to the new tank. When he did ok the next day i drip acclimated all my fish/coral/inverts into the new tank.

+1 on Nu-Nu's way. Since you still have your old tank to enjoy, I dont think you need to rush on your new tank. You dont want to be scratching your head a couple of weeks after trying to figure out what went wrong. Just my 2 cts.

 

[Flaxon-Waxon]

The problem is that my new tank is going where the old one is now...

 

[Flaxon-Waxon]

::Bump bump:: lol I sound like my car stereo in 1998...

 

[Gboy66]

The problem is that my new tank is going where the old one is now...

Is there any way it can be drained nearly, and moved over?

 

[Flaxon-Waxon]

Yea I can probably do that... Not for days though. 8-(

 

[Nu-Nu the eel]

That would be a good option..

 

[Flaxon-Waxon]

I do want to add that my tank is only 3 months old...

 

[Sniperhank]

Just scored a 75 gallon in a trade with a buddy, and need some advice on the transfer. I see varied opinions when it comes to moving substrate over, and that is my main concern. I
plan on moving the fish into buckets with a power head and heater, and then using the old tank water in the new tank as well ( I know it's not necessary, but will make it easier)... And then putting the live rock in buckets as well. I'll then set up the new tank where the old one was... And then?? Should I move the old live sand in, then add rocks, then water, then fish after everything settles? I'm worried about an ammonia spike... I read the live rock holds most of the BB anyways, so can I just go and get some pool filter sand, and have that seeded by the live rock? If so, how long will it take for the tank to be ready to transfer the animals? This is all so confusing help please!! Thanx!

Pretty simple. Move everything into buckets like you planned so you can move the new tank into position. Fill the tank up. Set up your rockwork and switch the old sand in and add new. Pool filter sand will work, though I have no experience with it. I like the argarite based sands personally. Let everything settle, test your levels and see where things are. There shouldn't be a spike or mini cycle as long as the rock remains under water with some heat and water movement. Once you see your levels at 0, slowly add the livestock, maybe a fish a day or something, to make sure that even if there was BB die off that it can rebuild its population without large spikes.