Tank transfer questions

[littlefoxx]

Hey reef friends!

Im planning on upgrading my tank in the next few months (YAAAAAY)!!! I just have a few questions. Trying to plan ahead.

1) What do you all do for a holding tank between transfers? I need to pull out and preferably sell my older one for space before putting the new one in.

2) when transferring I was planning on using as much of my tank water as I can. Being a bigger tank Im going to need to make a lot of new saltwater to fill it. Do you guys let it cycle or move the fish into the tank when you put all the old water in? Dont want to have a bio overload shock on the tank

3) do you guys save rocks from your old tank or get new ones? Would prefer to keep my rocks. I know Ill need new sand.

Thank you in advance!

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

Using old water will not cycle a new tank. It's fine to use it if it's convenient but you will need to cycle the new tank another way.
The main way people do this is by adding rock from the old tank to the new one. By doing this, assuming you have the same amount of fish as the smaller tank, the biofilter (that is already large enough to handle that bioload) gets transferred to the new tank, and it "insta-cycles".

 

[littlefoxx]

Using old water will not cycle a new tank. It's fine to use it if it's convenient but you will need to cycle the new tank another way.
The main way people do this is by adding rock from the old tank to the new one. By doing this, assuming you have the same amount of fish as the smaller tank, the biofilter (that is already large enough to handle that bioload) gets transferred to the new tank, and it "insta-cycles".

Yeah that makes sense. I didnt word it right, I was more asking if it was safe to use old water to put the fish in the tank (with new sand and all the old rock from the tank) without creating a huge issue with parameters and stressing them while it normalizes or do I need a temporary living place for my fish and just do a full cycle like I would a brand new tank? Main concern is my fish being okay while Im getting new salt water in the tank itself if that makes sense. Tank being cloudy and crap all in the water from everything being upset.

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

You'll need to have a temporary container with heat, flow, and filtration for the livestock until the new tank is ready.

 

[littlefoxx]

You'll need to have a temporary container with heat, flow, and filtration for the livestock until the new tank is ready.

Ah okay so put sand, water (except for the water the fish need in the temporary tub) and rock into the tank and let it run until parameters even out then move live stock? Im just extremely nervous to move all them, dont want to lose anyone in the transfer

 

[littlefoxx]

Also when I can put the fish in the tank, is it safe to add them all at once (Im talking about the existing fish in my smaller tank going to the bigger one at the same time)

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

Ah okay so put sand, water (except for the water the fish need in the temporary tub) and rock into the tank and let it run until parameters even out then move live stock? Im just extremely nervous to move all them, dont want to lose anyone in the transfer

Parameters will not need to "even out". You will be adding the full biofilter (the rocks). The issue is if you cause a lot of cloudiness when adding water to the new sand... In this case, you will want the "dust" to settle before putting in the fish. You can use the flocculent usually sold with bagged sand, and you can search for other ways to minimize making the tank cloudy.
It might go quickly and you may be able to add the fish soon after you set up the new tank, but it's best to prepare as if you'll need to keep the fish in another container for several days just in case.

Will this new tank need to be plumbed? If so, you should do this before dismantling the old tank, and make sure you leak test the plumbing. This will save time when you start the breakdown/new setup.

 

[JonoH]

I literally just did this (see my tank thread), however mine was a little different, as i could have both tanks running while i transferred.
What i did - Had live rock in a spare tank in my Garage for close to 6 months to fill in what i would need for the new tank, and i regularly put some of this in my existing tank, and had a bit of a swap and go going between the tanks just to ensure they all had been in the same water/bacteria.
New sand - spend the time cleaning it really well, i literally had no cloudy water when i filled my tank.
I didnt transfer the water between the old to the new, just mixed all new water for it.

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

*Actually, your best bet would be to put the rocks in with the fish, add the sand and fill up the new tank, then once the cloudiness clears, add the rocks and fish.
This way your biofilter will stay with the fish and take care of the nitrogen produced.

 

[UMALUM]

The size of the "small" tank and "upgrade" will play a big roll in how long you need to house the livestock elsewhere.

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

The size of the "small" tank and "upgrade" will play a big roll in how long you need to house the livestock elsewhere.

Why?

 

[UMALUM]

Why?

Cause if he's going from a 20 to a 120 it's gonna take longer to stabilize

 

[JonoH]

Best bet would be to start cycling rock now in a plastic tub or extra tank with a pump and light if possible.
Could swap out some of the rock to help 'seed' it if needed?

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

Cause if he's going from a 20 to a 120 it's gonna take longer to stabilize

Not if he adds all the old rock and only adds the fish from the previous tank. That is just like adding more water to the existing (old) system.

 

[UMALUM]

Not if he adds all the old rock and only adds the fish from the previous tank. That is just like adding more water to the existing (old) system.

How much rock does he have?
How mature is the rock?

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

Best bet would be to start cycling rock now in a plastic tub or extra tank with a pump and light if possible.
Could swap out some of the rock to help 'seed' it if needed?

Again, why? If she is going to transfer all the current rock to the new tank, even if she adds more rock, that won't increase the biofilter. The bacteria will populate any new rock/sand just fine once it's in the new tank with the old rock. The old rock "seeds" everything else.

If you're talking about algae, etc, then that's a different story. If you're simply looking at creating a safe environment for the fish, there's no need to do anything except put all the current rock into the new tank with the fish.

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

How much rock does he have?
How mature is the rock?

Doesn't matter. It's performing its function just fine in the current tank, so we know it has a sufficient amount of bacteria to process the bioload of his current fish.

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

Doesn't matter. It's performing its function just fine in the current tank, so we know it has a sufficient amount of bacteria to process the bioload of his current fish.

Adding the fish and rocks to a larger container of water (i.e. the new tank) is no different than adding a large sump... It's just added water, not added bioload.

 

[JonoH]

Again, why? If he is going to transfer all the current rock to the new tank, even if he adds more rock, that won't increase the biofilter. The bacteria will populate any new rock/sand just fine once it's in the new tank with the old rock. The old rock "seeds" everything else.

If you're talking about algae, etc, then that's a different story. If you're simply looking at creating a safe environment for the fish, there's no need to do anything except put all the current rock into the new tank with the fish.

Makes sense, hadnt thought of it that way, other than perhaps increasing the bacteria in the new rock before it goes into the tank.
When i did mine, i had Corraline growing on it already in my spare tank as i had lights on it.

 

[UMALUM]

Adding the fish and rocks to a larger container of water (i.e. the new tank) is no different than adding a large sump... It's just added water, not added bioload.

So I can fill a 120 with freshly made sw let the dust settle then throw in 10lbs of rock and my fish?