Upgrading from 10g to 48g .. Need help ..

[Precious_Scarface]

Ok so i want to buy a 48g biocube with led metal hallide perfect for corals .. But heres my problem i have a 10 gallon with just dry rock, no live rock whatsoever and with live sand. How would i go for upgrading, do i have to cycle my tank first and restart ?? Do i make water change in my 10g and use the old water to cycle my 48g ?? Im pretty happy ill finally be able to add corals with my new lights but need a little advice

[Grizz]

Just add the sand and rock to the 48 With all the new water it will dilute any nitrates You may still get a cycle so be sure to test and dont add coral until things are stable

[Precious_Scarface]

The priblem with that is that i have a hermit crab in my 10g and 2 baby false percula

[Grizz]

You'll be ok if you start to get any spikes you can do a PWC to get things back to normal.
If you plan to add more rock use base this way you can avoid any chance of a spike caused by die off on the new rock

[Precious_Scarface]

Ok i only have base rock so i wanted to introduce a lil piece of LR to help seed my base rock i have realy porous base rock so i thought itd be good by doing a water changer to my 10g put the old water, sand and rocks all together in the 48g. if i needto cycle ill cycle the 48g and then put my fish in after.

Do you think i should just do like you said put everything together in the 48g watch my readings and if everything is good then add a tiny piece of LR??

[Grizz]

If the 10 gallon is cycled you'll be ok (the bacti live in the rock) just watch for any spikes because you will be disturbing the sand bed and it tends to hold a lot of detritus witch can cause a mini cycle adding live rock (as long as it's cured) wont hurt. I would drip the fish and hermit so they can get used to the new water

You can even place all of the rock in the new tank then rinse the sand until the water runs clean this way you can be sure to avoid a cycle

[crister13]

Don't use the old water. Bacteria live on surfaces, they do not free float. Doing that will only increase your nitrates. Use new water.

[Precious_Scarface]

Then id have to cycle all over again

[Grizz]

I upgraded my tank 4 times and only cycled the 1st one, once the bacti base was in place it stayed. I filled the new tank 2/3rd full (saving room for sand and rock) with new salt water added all my rock, dripped my live stock rinsed the sand then added it.Only thing i lost was a few bristle worms that were living in the sand. never got a spike. In effect all i did was a massive water change.

[crister13]

No you won't have to cycle over again. Your bacteria are on your sand and rock. When you move them, the bacteria go with it.

[Precious_Scarface]

Ok nice now to get the tank im still debating to get that 45gal or not i was thinking to get a bio cube but cant find one anywhere for cheap