Is it ok to switch tanks when they are only 3 months old

[Cichlid Dad]

Hello, I have a 3 month old reef tank. All water parameters are perfect I have a large population of copepods visible everywhere Coraline algae starting to grow and so far knock on wood my brown algae has gone away. I do have a clean up crew of two turbos and hermit crab. I have zoanthids and polys all growing and adding heads, branch hammer, wall hammer some leather and bird's nest. All show growth and are happy. There in a 60 tall with 4 t5 ati. Problem is I'm not running a sump just the 60 pounds of rock, hang on the back refugium and a canister filter for a 150 gallon aquarium. Also a cheaper seaclone 100 skimmer. I didn't anticipate the happyness I get from the reef. I'm ready to go all in and do a 4foot 120 reef ready. Will I hurt what I have already accomplished? I'm coming from 30 years of cichlid tanks.

 

[Dan_P]

Hello, I have a 3 month old reef tank. All water parameters are perfect I have a large population of copepods visible everywhere Coraline algae starting to grow and so far knock on wood my brown algae has gone away. I do have a clean up crew of two turbos and hermit crab. I have zoanthids and polys all growing and adding heads, branch hammer, wall hammer some leather and bird's nest. All show growth and are happy. There in a 60 tall with 4 t5 ati. Problem is I'm not running a sump just the 60 pounds of rock, hang on the back refugium and a canister filter for a 150 gallon aquarium. Also a cheaper seaclone 100 skimmer. I didn't anticipate the happyness I get from the reef. I'm ready to go all in and do a 4foot 120 reef ready. Will I hurt what I have already accomplished? I'm coming from 30 years of cichlid tanks.

Wait a year and see if this love and luck hold. If a sump is important, can you add one?

 

[Cichlid Dad]

Wait a year and see if this love and luck hold. If a sump is important, can you add one?

A hang on overflow

 

[Cichlid Dad]

Are those a little risky?

 

[doubleshot00]

I changed my 6 mo 90 canister tank to a 90 sump two weeks ago. If you want it do it.

 

[Dan_P]

Are those a little risky?

Are you concerned that the hang on the back overflow is prone to failure, such as a broken siphon? It is a possibility but more from poor maintenance. I would not buy a drilled tank just to avoid installing a hang on overflow.

 

[Cichlid Dad]

Ok the Hang on to back is much cheaper! I'm good at doing maintenance

 

[Cichlid Dad]

That just makes for more money for coral

 

[Cichlid Dad]

Thank you everyone it's always a pleasure made my decision

 

[d2mini]

An upgrade is fine. The only concern with tank transfers is the sand. Moving it stirs up a lot of gunk that could end up really hurting the tank. I would get everything out, then take out some sand you can put aside. Just a cup or two. Then either rinse the rest or get new sand. You are going to need more anyway. Then when you put the rinsed/new sand in the new tank, add the little bit you put aside to help seed the new/rinsed sand.

 

[Cichlid Dad]

Thank you that was one of my concerns