Advice for moving coral

arking_mark · Jan 26, 2021

R2R Community, I'm looking for some advice for moving coral from my old tank to my new tank.

I'm moving mostly frags:
1. Walt Disney
2. Kung Pow
3. 6" Clam
4. Jellybean Chalice (my most prized possession)
5. Jack-o-lantern Lepto
6. Bunch of zoas (hallucinations are a concern)
7. Some prize mushrooms (Jawbreaker, Godspawn Bounce, RSM Crazy Bounce)

Old mature 7+ year old 34gal AIO tank with tons of biodiversity and high nutrients (Nitrates 12-25ppm, Phosphate .85ppm). No algae issues and I basically don't have to clean the glass...go figure.

New tank 3 month old 108gal tank with new substrate and rock and lower nutrients (Nitrates 12-25ppm, Phosphate. 06ppm). Also haven't had to clean glass since my CUC.

Tank parameters have been matched for temp, salinity, Alk, and calcium. For the last month and a half, my AWC moves new AFS to old tank and old tank water to new tank at about a gallon a day.

I'm using kessils on both systems for lighting and have matching par spots for the coral.

New tank will get additional bioload from 5 additional fish (Small Clown, Candy Basslet, Bristletooth Tang, Magnificent Foxface, Powder Brown Tang) in addition to its 3 mollies and Bella Goby.

Transfer has to happen by Sunday as the old tank and most of its contents are going to a new owner.

Questions:
1. My biggest concern is for the WD and Jellybean. I'm worried that the new tank may not be as stable with the increased bioload. Is there anything I can do to help keep things copesetic for them?
2. Since lighting is matched do I need a light acclimation period?
3. Is there a better time to move them? Say night time or middle of the day?
4. If they start to looked stressed what products or steps can I use to help?
5. Should I look to spot feed in new tank as broadcast feeding probably won't be as effective.

Any other thoughts or advice?

Idoc · Jan 28, 2021

It seems like you have as much stable between the tanks as you can make stable.

I'm sure the corals may be ticked during the transfer since everything may be similar, but the flow on each one will be different.

I don't think it's much different from when you move a coral from a frag tank...or a coral purchase to your system... it's going to be a little different and the coral will need to adapt.

If one stays looking stressed, move it...

arking_mark · Jan 28, 2021

Idoc said:
It seems like you have as much stable between the tanks as you can make stable.

I'm sure the corals may be ticked during the transfer since everything may be similar, but the flow on each one will be different.

I don't think it's much different from when you move a coral from a frag tank...or a vital purchased to your system... it's going to be a little different and the coral will need to adapt.

If one stays looking stressed, move it...

Thanks.

FishNerd4Ever · Jan 29, 2021

Idoc said:
It seems like you have as much stable between the tanks as you can make stable.

I'm sure the corals may be ticked during the transfer since everything may be similar, but the flow on each one will be different.

I don't think it's much different from when you move a coral from a frag tank...or a coral purchase to your system... it's going to be a little different and the coral will need to adapt.

If one stays looking stressed, move it...

I just recently moved everything I had in a 7 year old 45 gallon AIO to a 75 gallon + sump. I nearly had a heart attack stressing about moving everything and planned everything for months prior to the move. However, when the day came, I ended up having to switch everything a lot quicker than I had planned. Water temp, pH and salininty were matched. I had planned to put everyhing in buckets and bins so I could figure out where to put it in my new tank. As I was in the process of moving the corals, it just seemed like it would be better to just go from one tank to the other rather than tank to bucket to tank, so that's what I ended up doing at the last minute. All of the water was new. Completely new sand bed. I also upgraded 2 kessil a160s on the 45 to two 360x and one a160. I acclimated the lights over 2 weeks. I only had 1 fish in the 45, but over the course of 4 weeks, I added about 11 more SMALL fish to new tank. But, I can honestly say that when I switched, my corals actually looked better than they had in a very long time. I do think that I lost a lot of pods, but they already seem to be rebounding. I think your light situation will be more stable and may need a little less acclimation than mine did. I agree with the other post in that you will just need to watch and move as needed. I know it's stressful. I had been wanting a new tank for several years, but I was too scared that I would lose even 1 coral. Now, I am SO happy that I made the move. It has been about 2 months, and everything has been as stable as I could expect. Only thing that I personally wish that I had done differently was that I totally overestimated how much new rock I needed in the new tank. I had cemented the new rock together and cycled it. When I went to put the old rocks and coral in the new tank, it ended up being a little too much rock work.
Just my 2 cents. Good luck! I understand the stress!

Idoc · Jan 29, 2021

FishNerd4Ever said:
I just recently moved everything I had in a 7 year old 45 gallon AIO to a 75 gallon + sump. I nearly had a heart attack stressing about moving everything and planned everything for months prior to the move. However, when the day came, I ended up having to switch everything a lot quicker than I had planned. Water temp, pH and salininty were matched. I had planned to put everyhing in buckets and bins so I could figure out where to put it in my new tank. As I was in the process of moving the corals, it just seemed like it would be better to just go from one tank to the other rather than tank to bucket to tank, so that's what I ended up doing at the last minute. All of the water was new. Completely new sand bed. I also upgraded 2 kessil a160s on the 45 to two 360x and one a160. I acclimated the lights over 2 weeks. I only had 1 fish in the 45, but over the course of 4 weeks, I added about 11 more SMALL fish to new tank. But, I can honestly say that when I switched, my corals actually looked better than they had in a very long time. I do think that I lost a lot of pods, but they already seem to be rebounding. I think your light situation will be more stable and may need a little less acclimation than mine did. I agree with the other post in that you will just need to watch and move as needed. I know it's stressful. I had been wanting a new tank for several years, but I was too scared that I would lose even 1 coral. Now, I am SO happy that I made the move. It has been about 2 months, and everything has been as stable as I could expect. Only thing that I personally wish that I had done differently was that I totally overestimated how much new rock I needed in the new tank. I had cemented the new rock together and cycled it. When I went to put the old rocks and coral in the new tank, it ended up being a little too much rock work.
Just my 2 cents. Good luck! I understand the stress!

I think you meant to send this to the original poster, lol. I didn't move any corals!