New tank questions with moving

[Aaron Hobaugh]

Hi all!

So let me start with what I have. A 29 gallon biocube with a prime hd and media basket in back. I have about 30 corals and two clowns. So I am in the middle of building a house, it should be done in the fall of 2019, roughly 9-10 months.

I am about to purchase a 120g tank from SC aquariums, and install a shadow overflow. Probably two or three hydra 26s. Still looking for stand recommendations. Also trying to decide if I want to do bare bottom.

So, with that being said what is the best way to complete this move? Obviously I will need to get out of my current house when my new one is built so I dont pay two payments. But if I wait to set up the 120G at the new house it wont be cycled for me to transfer what is in my current tank. Do I set up the 120 maybe this spring at my current house to let it cycle for a few months, then the pain would be I would have to transfer two tanks to the new house, but everything can just go in the new tank. Anyone have any creative ideas? Thanks in advance for the help!!

 

[Captain Quint]

Welcome aboard Aaron Hobaugh. Congrats on the future new home and upsized tank to come.

It is nice to think ahead like you are doing. If it were me. I'd probably not set up only to move it and deal with it twice.

It would be cool to purchase some DR and use a Brute and seed it with a bit of LR from your 29g and let it cure out until the move. It would be easier to move it rather than move a bigger tank only set up a few months.

Once you've moved to your new home keep your 29g running until your new tank is cycled which should not take quite as long with you at that point have some nice cured LR.

Ultimately it is your choice if you don't mind the extra work but IME and IMO the more we move our tanks the odds increase for something to go wrong.

Just my

 

[LobsterOfJustice]

Are you renting or do you own where you are now? You want to arrange it so that you have some overlap where you can get the new tank set up at the new house (plumbed and filled with water) and then move everything thing from your current tank over. Doesn’t have to be cycled. You can cycle your new rock in a brute can and add it later. The overlap only needs to be a few days but more time helps, I usually shoot for a week or two.

 

[Aaron Hobaugh]

Awesome, thanks guys. So your saying to just set up new tank at new house and add new water, and throw fish and corals in right away? Wont they all go through the cycle process? I will more than likely have around 2 weeks overlap.

 

[Ruben's Reef]

!!! Welcome to R2R Aaron !!! I second @Captain Quint and @LobsterOfJustice suggestions.

 

[dutch27]

I wouldn't do anything with the new tank until you move into the new home. There's going to be plenty other stuff to deal with. Keep the small tank running so the tank part of your move is minimal, keep it going at the new place. Once you're unpacked and settled down a bit, start the process of getting what you need for the new tank, curing the new rock, etc etc.

I would go as far as to say don't even get the 120 until you've moved so you don't need to move, or pay to move, a 120g tank. There's no need to rush into it.

 

[Captain Quint]

Awesome, thanks guys. So your saying to just set up new tank at new house and add new water, and throw fish and corals in right away? Wont they all go through the cycle process? I will more than likely have around 2 weeks overlap.

You can break down the 29g and set back up with no cycle if done properly. It honestly can be done. The new tank will cycle but not for nearly as long if your rock is already cured. Ideally, it would be great to transport to your new home in the Brute with the water in it.

 

[Aaron Hobaugh]

Could I transfer everything from my current tank to the new one and avoid a cycle? So use the water in it along with the live rock in my 29. I know i will need more rock, but I could be cycling that in a brute in the meantime. Will that avoid a cycle? I dont really know what cycles out of the tank, just the rock? Thanks

 

[LobsterOfJustice]

Could I transfer everything from my current tank to the new one and avoid a cycle? So use the water in it along with the live rock in my 29. I know i will need more rock, but I could be cycling that in a brute in the meantime. Will that avoid a cycle? I dont really know what cycles out of the tank, just the rock? Thanks

Yes you will be fine. Make a quick swap and keep your rock wet, make sure it goes into well mixed and heated saltwater and you can move everything straight over without a cycle. You can NOT add new uncured rock, you want to cure/cycle that in a brute can.

 

[Texas Reefer]

I highly suggest you do not reuse the old sand. Once you move it, the detritus will get stirred up and cause algae issues.

 

[Aaron Hobaugh]

Ok thanks guys. So I think I will just set up the 120, move the water, rock and livestock over to it right away, and cure new rock in a brute.

I do not plan on moving the sand over.
I am debating just going bare bottom, to help eliminate critters and make the tank more stable. However if I do end up doing sand, can I put new live sand in the tank, or will it cycle? I neighbor just got done battling a bobbit work.

 

[Super Fly]

Ok thanks guys. So I think I will just set up the 120, move the water, rock and livestock over to it right away, and cure new rock in a brute.

I do not plan on moving the sand over.
I am debating just going bare bottom, to help eliminate critters and make the tank more stable. However if I do end up doing sand, can I put new live sand in the tank, or will it cycle? I neighbor just got done battling a bobbit work.

U can put new sand but I'd save 1-2 cups of old sand to help seed the new sand. +2 on what Captn Quint said earlier. I went thru similar situation but I was upgrading from a 60 to 93 cube. When I moved to new house, I put all livestock/rocks in one brute with powerhead and heat and they survived a week no problem while the new tank was being setup. I reused most of the equipment (where all the beneficial bacteria are), including sump & pipes. Didn't add new rocks but did add new sand and made the mistake of not seeding it with old sand. New sand took a while to establish. I put everything into new tank and it went through a minicycle and everything survived. Don't reuse old water, its just dirty water w no beneficial bacteria in it.

 

[Aaron Hobaugh]

So put livestock and rock into new tank, if I do sand, use two cups from old sand to seed new, and I should be good? Will a tank this size be ok with such little rock in it for a while until my new rock is cycled? All my plumbing and sump and all will be new, I do not have a sump now. Thanks!!

 

[LobsterOfJustice]

Yes, the size of the tank is irrelevant, you have the same bio-load so your current amount of rock is fine.

 

[Aaron Hobaugh]

Awesome thanks so much guys!! Very helpful, I was unaware it could work like this.

 

[Texas Reefer]

U can put new sand but I'd save 1-2 cups of old sand to help seed the new sand. +2 on what Captn Quint said earlier. I went thru similar situation but I was upgrading from a 60 to 93 cube. When I moved to new house, I put all livestock/rocks in one brute with powerhead and heat and they survived a week no problem while the new tank was being setup. I reused most of the equipment (where all the beneficial bacteria are), including sump & pipes. Didn't add new rocks but did add new sand and made the mistake of not seeding it with old sand. New sand took a while to establish. I put everything into new tank and it went through a minicycle and everything survived. Don't reuse old water, its just dirty water w no beneficial bacteria in it.

I like all that, with one modification. Siphon out as much clean water from your current display as possible to reuse. I mean, siphon water from the top until things start to get stirred up or fish start to get upset, and reuse that water immediately. Use it in your brutes or the new DT. Keep it at temp. Do not reuse water that has a bunch of detritus stirred up in it.