Take transfer from a 40 breeder to a 75

[dwdoworkdw]

So I’m getting ready to change my 40 breeder over to a 75. Anybody have a good recommendation so I don’t have a short cycle or much of a cycle. I have plenty of room in my sump for live rock and ceramic media. I don’t know the best and stress-free way to do this. I thought about taking some rock out of the 40 and putting it into the sump of the 75 and then going to my local fish store. I know it’s expensive and getting a bunch of clean live rock from them. Or should I just take everything out of the 40 breeder and instantly transfer it to the 75?. I’m going to do a new aqua escape in the main display so that’s all going to be dry rock. Very worried about this because I have really expensive designer clown, fish, and a tang in the 40 but that’s all the fish that I have. I won’t be taking any coral over so I won’t have to worry about much lighting right away. Any advice would be extremely appreciated because I am in super panic mode on how to do this smoothly.

 

[Crabs McJones]

I did the exact same thing. Went from a 40B to a 75. I did new sand, transferred all my rock and most of the saltwater from the 40b and added new dry rock. Never had an issue with fish or coral dying. The tank may go through a mini cycle with the amount of saltwater difference, but wasn't enough to cause any issues.
If you want to do all new rock then my suggestion would be to set up the 75 and cycle it first, then break down your 40B if possible. Use some live rock from the 40B to seed the new tank. Once it's cycled move your stuff over and then break down the 40B if you're able to.

 

[dwdoworkdw]

I did the exact same thing. Went from a 40B to a 75. I did new sand, transferred all my rock and most of the saltwater from the 40b and added new dry rock. Never had an issue with fish or coral dying. The tank may go through a mini cycle with the amount of saltwater difference, but wasn't enough to cause any issues.
If you want to do all new rock then my suggestion would be to set up the 75 and cycle it first, then break down your 40B if possible. Use some live rock from the 40B to seed the new tank. Once it's cycled move your stuff over and then break down the 40B if you're able to.

So I don’t have a problem, leaving the 40 up, but my live rock has been established in there for about five years and I would really like to add as much as that as I can. It’s also why I don’t have a problem going to a local fish store and getting some really good clean live rock to throw in the 75. Realistically, I would like to get it to a point that I can keep both tanks up for a week or so in case something happens to the 75 but I’m not sure how to really do that without also possibly short cycling the 40 if I transfer a bunch of the rock

 

[Crabs McJones]

Hmm...Not sure. @ReefSquad any ideas?

 

[brandon429]

Here is sixty pages of skip cycle tank transfers, all jobs done the exact same way, pick any ten to study:

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/official-sand-rinse-and-tank-transfer-thread.230281/
Please add your after pics to the collection. Details from all jobs:

Tap water rinses all sandbeds, all the time, no exceptions. That's why we skip cycle, solely that reason.


No bottle bac is used, no additives like Prime.

No testing for ammonia #1 no cycle testing is used for a reason: no panic reactions on file from misreading test kits. Following the clear order of ops is how we get all those wins, no room for changes. Cycles will comply if the order of ops is copied, anyone with a calibrated seneye on the old tank is more than welcome to post ending seneye readings on the new tank, we accept only calibrated seneye readings for umpiring.

As long as those rules are followed, any reef tank of any size can be skip cycle transferred. I believe that to be the only reef tank transfer thread on the internet, lemme know if there's others. W be curious to see their ruleset in play/ results compared

 

[Jonreefer]

can you get a bin and all your new rock and put it in there with one rock from the 40breeder and let it sit for a week or so with adding little food to get the bacteria all over the new rock. That should help eliminate any cycle issue but expect to go through the ugly stage again

 

[vlangel]

So I don’t have a problem, leaving the 40 up, but my live rock has been established in there for about five years and I would really like to add as much as that as I can. It’s also why I don’t have a problem going to a local fish store and getting some really good clean live rock to throw in the 75. Realistically, I would like to get it to a point that I can keep both tanks up for a week or so in case something happens to the 75 but I’m not sure how to really do that without also possibly short cycling the 40 if I transfer a bunch of the rock

I would think that you could buy some new clean rock and run along with the dry aqua escape rock in the 75 for 2-3 weeks. Perhaps add some Biospira to supplement the live rock, although many feel live bacteria in a bottle is snake oil. Then test for ammonia. If there is no ammonia reading but there is some nitrates, especially after you ghost feed a small amount of flake food, then I would feel comfortable moving some of the live rock, (30-50%) from the 40 and moving your clown and tang over. Continue to test for ammonia but as long as it doesn't rise past the lowest detectable range, your fish will be ok. If it does rise higher try doing a 20% water change to bring it back to an acceptable level. If that isn't enough you still have the 40 up and running as a safety net but I really don't think that will happen. I have transferred quite a few tanks using these guidelines and never lost a fish.