Moving to larger aquarium

[AquaSixAquaticsReef]

Hi all. I have a 32 gallon biocube. I have spent the last month working on and setting up a 90 gallon tank with sump to move everything to. I’ve got it filled now, with 35ppt saltwater and nothing else. What is the best process to add sand and rock then eventually move the fish and soft corals? I read about special grade sand to help the tank cycle. Would moving all the media from the biocube to the new tank after setting up rock and sand allow me to add the fish sooner? Thanks for your help!

 

[Seregus]

I’m not an expert, but since you had your 32g biocube for a while (you did not say, but I guess) - its cycled a long time ago?

This means you do not need to cycle your bigger tank as long as you move all media and rock - it will have plenty of bacteria, just do not add too much _new_ live stock too quickly after you finish your move.

If it was me doing move, i would not take sand but used new Caribsea Live Special Grade (personal preference) and moved everything else: all rocks and filtration sponges or media to maximise bacteria population. Since water increases 3x it means you diluted phosphates and nitrates 3x, so you have time before running into any issue same day, so I would finish move and start checking ammonia/nitrates/po4 the next few days to see the trend and act accordingly.

Hope it helps

 

[1ocean]

Did you use any water from the old tank?
Moving the rocks from the smaller tank will help and you can seed the new sand with like a cup of old sand.
If you use the old sand, rinse it with old tank water or new salt water and place in new tank this will help.
Just do not over clean the old sand to prevent washing away all the good bacteria.
SInce the new tank has a sump, placing any filter items such as sponges or carbon bags in the new sump for a fw weeks or so will greatly help them remove them.
Yes once you do the things mentioned, I have always moved the fish into the new tank same day..
Key factor here is you have alot more water volume per fish.

 

[exnisstech]

I recently moved an established tank with a lot of coral. I went from about 65g to 100g. I filled the tank with new saltwater and added 35lbs of gulf live rock. The rock shipped wet but not submerged so I put it in a container of saltwater with flow dor a about a week the rinsed the rock in salt water and added it to new tank. Once I saw nitrate I moved a few tester corals in and after a couple of weeks. I then went to work matching nitrate, phosphate and alkalinity. Fortunately I needed to raise those so I dosed them up over the course of a few days. I then moved everything over saving the fish for last. They're very easy to catch with no rock and only a few inches of water. I broke some coral but that was expected. I didn't have any that died. I probably over did it but I moved a lot of acro so I wanted to match parameters as close as could.

Old

New after running a month. Still have coral to mount.

 

[BryanM]

Hi all. I have a 32 gallon biocube. I have spent the last month working on and setting up a 90 gallon tank with sump to move everything to. I’ve got it filled now, with 35ppt saltwater and nothing else. What is the best process to add sand and rock then eventually move the fish and soft corals? I read about special grade sand to help the tank cycle. Would moving all the media from the biocube to the new tank after setting up rock and sand allow me to add the fish sooner? Thanks for your help!

I strongly suggest you rinse the sand before adding it. I would rinse it outside with tap water until it runs clear, and a final rinse with RODI... I'm probably overly paranoid :)

 

[Seregus]

Old sand - maybe rinse or better not to add. New live sand must not be rinsed, well depends i guess, follow manufacturer instructions on new sand.

 

[kevgib67]

I upgraded from a Biocube 32g to a Waterbox 150.4 at the beginning of the year. I I used all TBS live sand and my existing rock and their live rock and moved everything over the same day with no casualties.

 

[AquaSixAquaticsReef]

Ok. I’ve got all my water in but I’m struggling to figure out my sump. Unless my return pump is set to 30%, I get a lot of gurgling and the water in the overflow is constantly up and down. Sumps are completely new to me.

 

[mfinn]

Ok. I’ve got all my water in but I’m struggling to figure out my sump. Unless my return pump is set to 30%, I get a lot of gurgling and the water in the overflow is constantly up and down. Sumps are completely new to me.

First, what is the pump and what size is the tank?
What are the pipes in the over flow? Pictures?


Ok I see it's a 90 gallon tank.
What is the return pump?

 

[Seregus]

I guess you have two pipes overflow or maybe even three? One of them should have a true gate valve (round rotating wheel)? If so you need some tuning. Set pump to speed you want/like. Close like say half the valve and see how much flow will go in a second pipe… open up slowly the valve so more water goes into it and less goes into second pipe.

Its not quick process.

Each step is say 1/4 to 1/8 of the turn. Let syphon adjust to new speed say 1-3 minutes, if you go too quickly you will skip the spot and have to go again…

 

[AquaSixAquaticsReef]

Ok. I’ve got all my water in but I’m struggling to figure out my sump. Unless my return pump is set to 30%, I get a lot of gurgling and the water in the overflow is constantly up and down. Sumps are completely new to me.

First, what is the pump and what size is the tank?
What are the pipes in the over flow? Pictures?

It’s the standard aqueon overflow pipes. My pump is a Jebao mdp-6500. 90 gallon.

 

[AquaSixAquaticsReef]

I guess you have two pipes overflow or maybe even three? One of them should have a true gate valve (round rotating wheel)? If so you need some tuning. Set pump to speed you want/like. Close like say half the valve and see how much flow will go in a second pipe… open up slowly the valve so more water goes into it and less goes into second pipe.

Its not quick process.

Each step is say 1/4 to 1/8 of the turn. Let syphon adjust to new speed say 1-3 minutes, if you go too quickly you will skip the spot and have to go again…

I just have the standard Durso. So it’s one drain pipe one return.

 

[mfinn]

This what I would do.
I would empty the saltwater and save it.
I would remove the pipes in the overflow box and convert it to the herbie drain system.

https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/cont...jjfF6MAAtpz0cYn2h6vCR8NN6a8a1jL3noZksVv7IUdgO

You would have to do a over the top return pipe.
Easily done and many do use it.

This is going to take some work on your side.
You may say to yourself it's too much trouble, but you are already unhappy with the way it's draining.
Fix it now and you will be much happier down the road.


Then once you make the changes, do a freshwater test.

 

[AquaSixAquaticsReef]

This what I would do.
I would empty the saltwater and save it.
I would remove the pipes in the overflow box and convert it to the herbie drain system.

https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/cont...jjfF6MAAtpz0cYn2h6vCR8NN6a8a1jL3noZksVv7IUdgO

You would have to do a over the top return pipe.
Easily done and many do use it.

This is going to take some work on your side.
You may say to yourself it's too much trouble, but you are already unhappy with the way it's draining.
Fix it now and you will be much happier down the road.


Then once you make the changes, do a freshwater test.

I don’t have anywhere big enough to store all the salt water. By theory, could I just drain behind the overflow wall and enough from the tank to prevent it from overflowing and doing it? Looks like I could remove the top from my current durso and raise it high enough to be the e drain and then cut the current return to be the siphon drain and just run the new return over the back. Or am I completely off?

 

[Seregus]

You do not need to drain if you can simply wait. But I join on suggested. Get the needed parts and do as suggested above - two pipes… one with true gate valve, yes they not cheap, but its the only way. Second will be your emergency overflow.

This will be dead silent!

And your return can go above nothing bad about it

 

[mfinn]

I don’t have anywhere big enough to store all the salt water. By theory, could I just drain behind the overflow wall and enough from the tank to prevent it from overflowing and doing it? Looks like I could remove the top from my current durso and raise it high enough to be the e drain and then cut the current return to be the siphon drain and just run the new return over the back. Or am I completely off?

If you can work in that space, more power to you. None of the pipes in the overflow box should be glued.
On my tanks, it seems like once the water is in it, I'm done.

Then you would need to create a over the back wall return. These need to be screwed or glued.
A couple 90's to get it over the top. I really like the flexibility of Loc-Line.
But I've done just fittings in the past. 2-90's and a 45, or 3 - 90's.
I even took a torch to a 45 and squashed it so the flow would come out with a little bit more force.

 

[mfinn]

On the valve underneath the tank on the main drain line, using a ball valve is not recommended. You really need a fine tuning gate valve.

 

[AquaSixAquaticsReef]

You do not need to drain if you can simply wait. But I join on suggested. Get the needed parts and do as suggested above - two pipes… one with true gate valve, yes they not cheap, but its the only way. Second will be your emergency overflow.

This will be dead silent!

And your return can go above nothing bad about it

Can my existing pipes work with slight modifications? My return line is vinyl tubing with plenty of extra to reach over the back of the tank. If so, I would just need to buy a secondary drain tube for under and the gate valve for the main drain.

 

[AquaSixAquaticsReef]

I don’t have anywhere big enough to store all the salt water. By theory, could I just drain behind the overflow wall and enough from the tank to prevent it from overflowing and doing it? Looks like I could remove the top from my current durso and raise it high enough to be the e drain and then cut the current return to be the siphon drain and just run the new return over the back. Or am I completely off?

If you can work in that space, more power to you. None of the pipes in the overflow box should be glued.
On my tanks, it seems like once the water is in it, I'm done.

Then you would need to create a over the back wall return. These need to be screwed or glued.
A couple 90's to get it over the top. I really like the flexibility of Loc-Line.
But I've done just fittings in the past. 2-90's and a 45, or 3 - 90's.
I even took a torch to a 45 and squashed it so the flow would come out with a little bit more force.

The pipes were glued into the bulkheads. But that’s it. The rest can come apart. That’s why I had asked about using the ones in there and modifying

 

[AquaSixAquaticsReef]

On the valve underneath the tank on the main drain line, using a ball valve is not recommended. You really need a fine tuning gate valve.

Is there a specific one or just a pvc gate valve from Lowe’s?