Thinking of switching substrate and a couple other questions

[R3dn3kH1ppy]

I'm going to be building a new stand so I can switch from the fx4 canister filter that came with my setup to a sump. I'm thinking of changing my substrate from crushed coral to a medium grade sand when I make the switch since I'll drain at least most of the water from my tank to move it anyway. Would this cause a mini cycle? What steps could I take to make this easier on my fish and coral?

I've also recently acquired viparspectra lights and a uv sterilizer. I had the uv sterilizer in for a bit and went out of town a couple weeks after. Got back in to town a week and a half later and my glass was covered in algae which I haven't experienced before. I realized someone had used my power cord to charge their phone and had flipped the switch to turn it off which also turned off my powerheads (luckily the one I use at the top of the tank to agitate the surface area was plugged in elsewhere) I took the uv sterilizer out before I had realized that but I went out of town for a week shortly after that and came back to find the glass covered again. Same thing the next week. (I really go out of town too much for work to own a reef tank but I love it and got an amazing starter deal) I have family and roommates that help me take care of it while I'm gone but I'm positive they're not nearly as ocd about the tank as I am.

Any thoughts, comments, suggestions are greatly appreciated.

 

[brandon429]

Here’s how to switch sand without a cycle:

Should I go ahead and do the tank swap?

So I have a 75 gallon that’s been up and running for 3 years. I also have my newly setup 225 up and running a week now with cycled rock. I’m trying to decide when and how to move everything over to the new tank. Rock, fish and coras will all be moving to a much larger space. They are currently...

www.reef2reef.com

 

[R3dn3kH1ppy]

Here’s how to switch sand without a cycle:

Should I go ahead and do the tank swap?

So I have a 75 gallon that’s been up and running for 3 years. I also have my newly setup 225 up and running a week now with cycled rock. I’m trying to decide when and how to move everything over to the new tank. Rock, fish and coras will all be moving to a much larger space. They are currently...

www.reef2reef.com

Thank you kind sir