Transferring 37g to brand new 90g...order of events

[luckycat]

I have a new 90g that is now operational - sump, fuge, return, etc., all running, but NOTHING in the refugium yet (will be putting in ls, lr, chaeto algae, some creatures). I'm running a bare bottom tank.

I have an existing 37g w/ about 40-50 lbs of live rock, and established live sand. I also have some inhabitants there - snails, shrimp, blue tang, clown...

Now my question - I want to transfer the inhabitants of one tank to another, and want to try to reduce my costs. Should I first setup the fugre int he new tank, get some live rock and let it cycle THEN transfer everything over from the old tank? Or would it be better to take let's say 1/2 of my existing live rock from my 37g, put it in the new 90g, and take some of my ls and put it in the fuge, to establish a bacteria colony in the new tank...then, after about 1-2 wks, transfer slowly everything from the old to the new tank?

I'm concerned about removing lr / sand from the old tank in large chunks at a time, as it may disrupt the filtration in my 37g...don't want to kill anything..would taking 1/2 of the lr out hurt anything?

Any suggestions?

 

[AndyH5512]

I have heard many of the folks on here say just a few cups of live sand from an established tank will make a big difference on the new tank's cycle. I recently used that method, and I noticed that the cycle was in fact shortened by doing so.

 

[luckycat]

I have heard many of the folks on here say just a few cups of live sand from an established tank will make a big difference on the new tank's cycle. I recently used that method, and I noticed that the cycle was in fact shortened by doing so.

THanks, i'll certainly do that... what I guess I'm not sure about is how much can I take out of the established tank (sand, rock) without impacting that tank too greatly.

 

[indy]

Get the new tank setup and add a cup or two of sand from your old tank. Let it cycle and then move everything over. Safest way for your current 'stock imo.

 

[Phyl]

I just moved my tank from a 29 to a 65. Broke it down and set it all right back up again. Moved the sand/fitration with it and didn't see a cycle.

 

[luckycat]

I just moved my tank from a 29 to a 65. Broke it down and set it all right back up again. Moved the sand/fitration with it and didn't see a cycle.

An now see that is what I was wondering about..if I move all of my lr over, put most of my sand in my fuge, will I have enough bacteria there in the xfer to make sure I don't kill anything. I'm fearful of taking large chunks of things out of the old tank and stirring everything up unecessarily (it is a dsb with my live rock embedded in teh sand).

I took a few rocks out and boy did it create a mess in the old tank, it is just now settling down.