New tank question!

[brbeck92]

Hello! I currently have a 20 gallon long tank. I have 2 clownfish, 1 pincushion, 1 sandshifting starfish, a small goby and 2 corals (duncan and pulsing xenia).

Tomorrow I am picking up a 125 gallon tank (for free!). I want to make this my saltwater reef tank.

Question is....once set up do I need to wait before placing everything in there? If so, how long? I plan to use obviously the all the water from my tank and will get saltwater from my LFS (hoping for 50% water from the 20 gallon and LFS water mix), all the sand and live rocks and I will keep the inserts in the filter and move them over to the new one while the new one develops.

I have used Seachem Prime and Stability and of course Dr. Tims All in one reef. Any recommendations as to others?

I am completely new to this. I do not plan on adding any more fish soon and would be completely content with 20gal but getting a 125 for free just is too good to pass up. My wife doesn't want multiple aquariums up otherwise I would keep everything as is.

 

[landlubber]

Hello! I currently have a 20 gallon long tank. I have 2 clownfish, 1 pincushion, 1 sandshifting starfish, a small goby and 2 corals (duncan and pulsing xenia).

Tomorrow I am picking up a 125 gallon tank (for free!). I want to make this my saltwater reef tank.

Question is....once set up do I need to wait before placing everything in there? If so, how long? I plan to use obviously the all the water from my tank and will get saltwater from my LFS (hoping for 50% water from the 20 gallon and LFS water mix), all the sand and live rocks and I will keep the inserts in the filter and move them over to the new one while the new one develops.

I have used Seachem Prime and Stability and of course Dr. Tims All in one reef. Any recommendations as to others?

I am completely new to this. I do not plan on adding any more fish soon and would be completely content with 20gal but getting a 125 for free just is too good to pass up. My wife doesn't want multiple aquariums up otherwise I would keep everything as is.

so the short answer is you'll need to first cycle the new system.
IMO the 20 gallon tank, filter media and liverock likely won't have enough cultured bacteria to support the additional 105 gallons and it will throw it out of cycle and kill everything you listed.
As you mentioned Dr. Tim's will speed up the process and you could be back in a single tank inside a month.

 

[shakacuz]

set up the 125, and cycle it. everything that's in the 20G will help seed the 125G and cut the cycle time a bit. but you need the 125G setup and cycle initiated before transferring anything

 

[brbeck92]

so the short answer is you'll need to first cycle the new system.
IMO the 20 gallon tank, filter media and liverock likely won't have enough cultured bacteria to support the additional 105 gallons and it will throw it out of cycle and kill everything you listed.
As you mentioned Dr. Tim's will speed up the process and you could be back in a single tank inside a month.

Ok understood! Thanks!

 

[brbeck92]

set up the 125, and cycle it. everything that's in the 20G will help seed the 125G and cut the cycle time a bit. but you need the 125G setup and cycle initiated before transferring anything

Ok got it! :)

 

[Cdavis66]

Tell the wife its just for a month! :winking-face:

 

[landlubber]

Ok understood! Thanks!

Good luck and congrats on the new tank!

 

[kevgib67]

Congratulations on a great find! Good luck.