Tank Swap HELP

Joshua Jordan

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Jul 16, 2017
Messages
111
Reaction score
98
Location
Fayetteville, AR
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Hello everyone.

I am in desperate need of some solid advice. I say that because I have been given so many different views and advice on the right way to proceed with a tank swap. Here are the facts:
  • I currently have a 32 gallon Biocube that is five years old and very stable.
  • I have around 30lbs of live rock in the display.
  • 6 months ago I put two full boxes of MarinePure spheres in the middle compartment in the back. I put these in two media bags so that they would be easy to remove. I added the spheres for the purpose of having a way of seeding a new tank with beneficial bacteria. (instant tank)
  • I am wanting to transfer the coral (all softies/LPS) and livestock from the 32g Biocube to a new 20g Innovative Marine 20g NUVO tank.
  • I have about 25lbs of dry Reefsaver Rock that I am wanting to put in the new IM Tank. I also have 2 x 20lb bags of Fiji Pink live sand.
I am patient and am not needing to tear down the Biocube and move it to the IM NUVO immediately. What is the best way to get the new tank ready to transfer? Can I put new sand in the new tank and new dry Reefsaver rocks in the new tank and put the two media bags of MarinePure spheres in the back compartment of the new tank? Or is there a better way to go about this? Do I need to transfer some of the live rock from the Biocube to the new tank? How long will it take for the MarinePure spheres to seed the new dry rock in the new tank so that I can transfer the coral/livestock? Do I need to use any of the water from the Biocube to the new tank at all?

Thanks so much for all of your help. If you know of any good articles on how to properly transfer a well established tank to a brand new tank, plese point me in the right direction. Thank you so much.

Josh
 

Glenner’sreef

2500 Club Member
View Badges
Joined
Oct 27, 2017
Messages
3,585
Reaction score
11,092
Location
ARIZONA
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Hello everyone.

I am in desperate need of some solid advice. I say that because I have been given so many different views and advice on the right way to proceed with a tank swap. Here are the facts:
  • I currently have a 32 gallon Biocube that is five years old and very stable.
  • I have around 30lbs of live rock in the display.
  • 6 months ago I put two full boxes of MarinePure spheres in the middle compartment in the back. I put these in two media bags so that they would be easy to remove. I added the spheres for the purpose of having a way of seeding a new tank with beneficial bacteria. (instant tank)
  • I am wanting to transfer the coral (all softies/LPS) and livestock from the 32g Biocube to a new 20g Innovative Marine 20g NUVO tank.
  • I have about 25lbs of dry Reefsaver Rock that I am wanting to put in the new IM Tank. I also have 2 x 20lb bags of Fiji Pink live sand.
I am patient and am not needing to tear down the Biocube and move it to the IM NUVO immediately. What is the best way to get the new tank ready to transfer? Can I put new sand in the new tank and new dry Reefsaver rocks in the new tank and put the two media bags of MarinePure spheres in the back compartment of the new tank? Or is there a better way to go about this? Do I need to transfer some of the live rock from the Biocube to the new tank? How long will it take for the MarinePure spheres to seed the new dry rock in the new tank so that I can transfer the coral/livestock? Do I need to use any of the water from the Biocube to the new tank at all?

Thanks so much for all of your help. If you know of any good articles on how to properly transfer a well established tank to a brand new tank, plese point me in the right direction. Thank you so much.

Josh
Hi Josh, so I can only speak from my own personal experiences and success. I have transferred live rock, sand and livestock 3 times in the past 5 years. All 3 perfectly successful. I mean no appearance of a cycle or partial cycle. But I also transferred my live rock and live sand each time from my 120g to my 137g to my 180g. Common sense tells me that is key to a smooth transfer. You are introducing dry rock and sand. It sounds a bit risky. The marinepure spheres are a definite plus but live rock/sand is for me anyhow a sure thing. Good luck. Hope you get some more “complete” answers.
 

A worm with high fashion and practical utility: Have you ever kept feather dusters in your reef aquarium?

  • I currently have feather dusters in my tank.

    Votes: 79 38.2%
  • Not currently, but I have had feather dusters in my tank in the past.

    Votes: 69 33.3%
  • I have not had feather dusters, but I hope to in the future.

    Votes: 26 12.6%
  • I have no plans to have feather dusters in my tank.

    Votes: 31 15.0%
  • Other.

    Votes: 2 1.0%
Back
Top