Need advice on tank upgrade.

[jimsreef]

I have a 73 gal red sea tank plum full of corals and recently the sump started leaking. The tank was getting old anyway and so I decided to upgrade to a 125 gal tank. I have it almost ready. I am using all new reef flakes sand.

Do I need to cycle the tank before moving the corals and fish and rock over to the new tank. Any advice on how to go about this would be appreciated. Thanks Jim

 

[jimsreef]

Is this good advice.

Upgrading a 5-year-old, 75-gallon reef tank to a 125-gallon setup is best achieved by treating it as a large, managed water change. Use existing live rock and sand to avoid a cycle, keep corals/fish in holding containers with heaters and powerheads, transfer old water to the new tank, and allow the system to settle before introducing livestock.
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Preparation and Setup
Prepare the New Tank: Position the 125-gallon tank, add new sand (optional, but recommended to avoid old sand bed issues), and fill it to about 50-75% with new, pre-mixed, heated, and aerated saltwater.
Have Equipment Ready: Ensure pumps, heaters, and light systems are working on the new tank. Have plenty of saltwater containers and pumps ready.
Acclimatization: Ensure water parameters in the new tank match the old tank's salinity and temperature.
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The Move (Step-by-Step)
Transfer Water & Livestock: Siphon clean water from the 75-gallon tank into holding containers for the fish, inverts, and corals.
Remove Rockwork: Remove corals, then live rock, and place them into buckets or coolers with tank water. Dipping corals/rocks to prevent flatworms/pests is recommended during this time.
Catch Livestock: Use containers instead of nets to catch fish to reduce stress.
Transfer Rock to New Tank: Move the 75-gallon's live rock into the 125-gallon to maintain the bacterial colony.
Transfer Water & Corals: Move the remaining old water to the new tank and place corals in their new positions.
Add Fish: Acclimate the fish to the new tank's water and introduce them once the tank is running and stable.
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Important Tips
Take Your Time: The entire process can take a whole day; do not rush to avoid mistakes.
Avoid Old Sand: Instead of moving old sand, which can release toxins, it is safer to use new sand and seed it with a small amount of old sand.
Monitor Water: Even with a "skip-cycle" closely monitor water parameters for the first few weeks.
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[Mr. Mojo Rising]

No need to cycle the new tank if you will switch your rocks over, the rocks will keep your livestock safe and well. I've done this a few times, this is what I do.

Place a towel walkway between the 2 tanks.

Get the new tank up with new sand and full of new water, first transfer the machines one by one and install them,. Machines can be problematic, especially at the worst times, and you don't want problems in the middle of the move. So get them installed and running properly before anything.

Then transfer the rocks and corals. Then drain the tank to within a few inches to easily catch the livestock.

If you want to use your old sand, then I suggest to drain the sand out in advance, a little at a time, and clean it by rinsing it over and over. But you have a big tank so IMO it will be easier to get new sand.

 

[steveschuerger]

I have a 73 gal red sea tank plum full of corals and recently the sump started leaking. The tank was getting old anyway and so I decided to upgrade to a 125 gal tank. I have it almost ready. I am using all new reef flakes sand.

Do I need to cycle the tank before moving the corals and fish and rock over to the new tank. Any advice on how to go about this would be appreciated. Thanks Jim

I’ve done 3 moves into larger tanks. I agree with the basics of what @jimsreef put down. One of the biggies is fresh sand. Put new sand into the intended upgrade tank. I also bought new live rock to add to what I had. Put everything in a few separate tubs with heaters and small pump and then did the move in several hours

 

[vlangel]

I also just did this last Oct from my 56g to a 75g. I was putting the 75g in the same place as the 56g had been. I pretty much did what your 2nd post said. I added some bottled bacteria at the end of the transfer and monitored ammonia for about 2 weeks but really did not have even a mini cycle. Just give the tank a chance to settle for 2 months before adding a lot more fish.

 

[jimsreef]

Thanks for the info.

 

[jimsreef]

I made the transition. So far so good.