Translation to bigger tank

[dromo2189]

Hello I currently have a 65 gallon tank. I just purchased a 150 and will be getting ready to set that up. I was wondering if I can take water from my 65 well doing a water change and dump it into the 150? If so will these help and not have to go through the cycle process? I will dump water in every week and also make some water for the tank.

[arnoldndana]

I transferred just about all of the water from my 55 gallon to my 125 gallon and used the same media that was on my 55 gallon. It cycled a little bit but after about a week it was already cycled. I added my live rock immediately and my critters 2 days later. I had them in a 10 gallon holding tank using the water from the 55 gallon and had a small live rock in there with them and it went smooth.

[arnoldndana]

Depending on how long you've had the 65 gallon you could also transfer the sand. I had mine for only a month and a half so my sand was established but not too established. If it's older than 3 months I wouldn't try it.

[arnoldndana]

I also used a whole bottle of quick cycle or quick start, I'd have to look at the bottle, in the 125 gallon after I got all of the sand, saltwater and live rock in there and the filters and skimmer set up on it. 2 days later I added the critters.

[Sniperhank]

You could reuse water, but why bring over the nitrates that you have been building up in the current system?
It is best to start a new system with new water as well as new sand. This way you are starting off as fresh as possible. Nitrates won't be carried over from the water changes. Sand always ends up full of gunk and takes so much rinsing over and over to a point where you still might not get all of the decomposing food/poop/fish...whatever all else builds up in the sandbed. It is best to start fresh.

[dromo2189]

Okay I was going to use fresh sand I just wasn't sure if I can use some of my old water to help with the cycle. I guess I will just have to do the shrink method?

[Sniperhank]

There is little to no beneficial bacteria in the water column.
How much rock is in the current system? Moving it from one system to the other, while still keeping it wet, should preserve enough of the bacteria base in the system to prevent the need to cycle the upgraded system.

[dromo2189]

Right now I currently have about 65 pounds. I was thinking of getting some dry rock to mix in

[Sniperhank]

Just move over the established rock. No need to cycle. That rock has enough beneficial bacteria to support the current stock. Adding dry rock will become established in its own time. I wouldn't add more fish to the system until the dry rock has had some time to settle in.

[dromo2189]

Yeah I was going to get new sand add the current live rock and some new stuff and just my current stock list the same for a couple months after the tank settled

[Sniperhank]

I think you could get away with a week or two, rather than months. Just as a precaution to make sure everything settles down right, but you should be good to go. I'm actually about to do the same process myself.

[Mebbid]

It's important to note, that unless this is the man made dry rock then you would be well advised to cure the rock in a separate container before adding it into your display.