Reef/Turtle Grass Bed

[N8WI]

Hi,
I had a few questions about having a reef setup with the addition of a grass bed. I have a 29 gallon tank right now with 1 yellow tang, 2 clown fish, and one algae blenny. 40 pounds of live rock. A fluvial 404 canister filter, a seaclone skimmer, and a pc light. I have had this system up and running now for just over one year and everything is cycled and working great. I am getting bored with this tank and wanted to move to a 55 gallon, which is 48x13x(something). I am going have a deep sand bed with crushed aragonite (1cm diameter) and then add live sand from my tank and also some from the LFS. This will be about 4” deep. The lighting I am getting I just got from an online store and it should do its job. Single Satellite 48 inch (http://www.marineandreef.com/shoppro/power_satellite.html). Anyway I was wondering if I just transfer the 40 lbs of life rock from my 29 over to the 55 and have kind of a half and half system. One side live rock and the other a grass bed. Any ideas on this topic just post them. I am still not sure about this whole thing, just trying to get some advice. Also would it be wise for me to just use the water from my 29 gal and pour it right into the 55 gallon and make up the remaining 26 gallons with fresh saltwater, or just start fresh.
Thanks for the info.

 

[seaham358]

IMO using the water will not do much for the tank seeing that bacteria forms on the surface of itmes and not in the water, you would only be transfering waste.
I would set up the tank except for the LR make new SW and start the new tank up and let it run for a few days before transfering any live stock or LR.

 

[klam]

If you are going to do the tank swap the same day I would use at least 75% old water since the fish and corals are already use to the waters chemistry. If you use new water you're gonna have to acclimate everything again.

 

[N8WI]

thanks for the replys I will take all that into consideration. My main question is still with the turtle grass. I really have now idea of this plants but would love to see my fish swim through it and have all kinds of live in my tank.
thanks
nate

 

[N8WI]

ah

 

[seaham358]

Not too sure about this grass but any type of caluerpa/micro algae can spread and take over a tank if not kept in check... How was it in the other tank? It will also help export nitrates so it is a good idea if you like that look and don't have a refugium...
Are you going to upgrade you filtration? Not sure if the fluval is going to be enough for a 55....

 

[N8WI]

Ok, I think I am going to scratch the whole Turtle grass thing because I don’t want it growing all over my rocks. Also I was thinking about keeping the fluval 404. It really doesn’t do anything now. All it really does is support my bacteria and hold the carbon for clearing up the water. So I am hoping the deep sand bed, the live rock and the protein skimmer will do the job.