Tanks swap 10gal to 20gal

[Habibi Brizzy]

Hey guys,
I’m kinda in a tough situation atm so I decided to come on here to ask my fellow reefers. I am fairly new to reefing and In February I bought my first 10gal aquarium and then I immediately regretted it. So I decided to upgrade to a 20gal waterbox cube, which wasn’t particularly a crazy upgrade but due to my spatial constraints I was limited to smaller tanks. As of now I have the tank ready to go, I did some basic cord management but I’m trying to figure out what my next move should be in making this a smooth transition? In my current tank I have 2 clowns, a cleaner shrimp, snails, 2 bubble tip nems and a few coral ( zoa, hammer, torch), 6lbs of live rock.

For my transfer I was thinking about Using new sand using all my live rock and an extra 6lbs more. I need to first take the old rock out to scape the new one. I’m just not sure if I have to take my fish out while doing that process due to kicking up a lot of detritus. Also I started mixing my own salt with using tropic marin where as before I was buying premixed Instant Ocean. So I all be running new water parameters. I worried that I will lose something because of a new cycle or because my parameters are off. Is it best to let the tank cycle ? Or do you think I should be ready to add everything? What should I do ? Please help

 

[ZoWhat]

* new sand, check

* use all current LR, check

* use 50% of old tank water and 50% new water, check

 

[Habibi Brizzy]

* new sand, check

* use all current LR, check

* use 50% of old tank water and 50% new water, check

Anything else that isn’t checked off ? Lol

 

[Jedi1199]

Hey guys,
I’m kinda in a tough situation atm so I decided to come on here to ask my fellow reefers. I am fairly new to reefing and In February I bought my first 10gal aquarium and then I immediately regretted it. So I decided to upgrade to a 20gal waterbox cube, which wasn’t particularly a crazy upgrade but due to my spatial constraints I was limited to smaller tanks. As of now I have the tank ready to go, I did some basic cord management but I’m trying to figure out what my next move should be in making this a smooth transition? In my current tank I have 2 clowns, a cleaner shrimp, snails, 2 bubble tip nems and a few coral ( zoa, hammer, torch), 6lbs of live rock.

For my transfer I was thinking about Using new sand using all my live rock and an extra 6lbs more. I need to first take the old rock out to scape the new one. I’m just not sure if I have to take my fish out while doing that process due to kicking up a lot of detritus. Also I started mixing my own salt with using tropic marin where as before I was buying premixed Instant Ocean. So I all be running new water parameters. I worried that I will lose something because of a new cycle or because my parameters are off. Is it best to let the tank cycle ? Or do you think I should be ready to add everything? What should I do ? Please help

I think you are right on track. As you said, this is not a huge upgrade. What you have planned will be just fine. If you were going to go say 125g or so I would be a bit more aggressive in my approach.

Go with what you propose and resist the urge to fill in the blank spaces for a couple weeks.

 

[Habibi Brizzy]

So assuming I acclimated and added everything should be okay ?

 

[Jedi1199]

So assuming I acclimated and added everything should be okay ?

I do not think you should even need to acclimate.. (the fish maybe). Use as much of the water, ALL of the rock and I would use the existing substrate, and it should be seamless.

What you propose is not a new tank in the true sense.. you are upgrading into a larger tank.. its a small upgrade at that. I doubt even the most delicate fish or coral you have will even notice.

If I was doing it, I would straight transfer everything over into the larger tank, top it off with fresh salt water and be done. Grab a beer (or 2 or 4) and enjoy watching the dust settle..

 

[Jedi1199]

Think about it like this.. You have an established and (I assume) stable system now. ALL of your biological filtration needs are currently sufficient to the stock you currently have.

All you are proposing is, to add more volume to your existing system. As long as you do not increase your bio-load by adding more fish, what you currently have will STILL be enough to sustain your system.

If a million bacteria sustain your system now in 10 gallons, then a million bacteria in 20 gallons will sustain your system just the same. It is a diluted solution, but the same effect. Make sense?

 

[Habibi Brizzy]

Think about it like this.. You have an established and (I assume) stable system now. ALL of your biological filtration needs are currently sufficient to the stock you currently have.

All you are proposing is, to add more volume to your existing system. As long as you do not increase your bio-load by adding more fish, what you currently have will STILL be enough to sustain your system.

If a million bacteria sustain your system now in 10 gallons, then a million bacteria in 20 gallons will sustain your system just the same. It is a diluted solution, but the same effect. Make sense?

Makes lots of sense, I have a clear understanding of what I am supposed to do now. Thanks for your help!

 

[Jedi1199]

No problem.. Glad to help.

 

[Habibi Brizzy]

No problem.. Glad to help.

Up and running

 

[Jedi1199]

Any updates on your new setup? I hope everything went well.

 

[Habibi Brizzy]

Any updates on your new setup? I hope everything went well.

I appreciate you reaching out. Everything went well, I added a few corals. But today I made a mistake of buying a third clownfish (I know pretty stupid) . It’s not looking too great. One is very dominant over it’s nem and it’s been fighting the other clowns that get near it . I don’t know what I should do rn.

 

[Habibi Brizzy]

I appreciate you reaching out. Everything went well, I added a few corals. But today I made a mistake of buying a third clownfish (I know pretty stupid) . It’s not looking too great. One is very dominant over it’s nem and it’s been fighting the other clowns that get near it . I don’t know what I should do rn.

My plan was to take the Ocellaris out and leave my two designer clowns.

 

[Lost in the Sauce]

My plan was to take the Ocellaris out and leave my two designer clowns.

Yeah realistically, one of them will need to come out. Definitely a bummer but the third will likely be dead ofy you don't.

Wanted to come and say hi to a neighbor.

 

[Habibi Brizzy]

Yeah realistically, one of them will need to come out. Definitely a bummer but the third will likely be dead ofy you don't.

Wanted to come and say hi to a neighbor.

Yes I took one of the original pair out but still I see aggression. I'm going to put the female in a acclimation box.

Hey neighbor! Haha

 

[Lost in the Sauce]

Yes I took one of the original pair out but still I see aggression. I'm going to put the female in a acclimation box.

Hey neighbor! Haha

Acclimation boxes are clutch.