Upgrading to larger tank - HELP!!!

[Mariette]

let me start off by saying I’ve done some research and searched this forum and am now more confused than ever before. Hoping to find info I’m looking for all in 1 place so that bits and pieces don’t contradict each other. I’m finding there’s no 1 way to do anything these days in the hobby lol

Here’s my info:

Current tank 55 g running 2 yrs. FOWLR
Upgrade tank will be 75 or 90g reef
I have live rock and plan to use all of it in new tank
I will add dry rock as well

Plan:
Put new washed crushed coral into tank
Put washed dry rock into tank
Add some salt water from DT
Add some live rock from DT

Question:
When is it safe to add CUC to keep tank cycled?
Can I expect the uglies or not so much because using water from DT? Fish will not be added until after all parameters have stabilized.
Would you do anything different?

 

[RIreefGuy]

If it were me (you are right there are 100 ways to do anything lol) I would add the sand and rock. Id throw in a bottle of bacteria (dr Tim's, bio spira etc) and then I would dose ammonia (also dr tims) and test till its converted to nitrates. Once ammonia is zero, dose again and repeate until it goes to zero in 24 hours or less. Since u are using live rock I'd bet it happens pretty quick. Then id do a water change and add CUC. Hope this helps and wishing u the best of luck. Lots of pics please =)

 

[Jshiloh]

Are you jut going to transfer everything over to the new tank from the old ? If so I would use as much of the current rock and sand as possible. Might have a small cycle and possibly some diatoms or gha but that’s about it. Just my opinion

 

[Mariette]

If it were me (you are right there are 100 ways to do anything lol) I would add the sand and rock. Id throw in a bottle of bacteria (dr Tim's, bio spira etc) and then I would dose ammonia (also dr tims) and test till its converted to nitrates. Once ammonia is zero, dose again and repeate until it goes to zero in 24 hours or less. Since u are using live rock I'd bet it happens pretty quick. Then id do a water change and add CUC. Hope this helps and wishing u the best of luck. Lots of pics please =)

Awesome. Thx. This is gonna be a while before pics. Waiting for a sale lol

 

[Mariette]

Are you jut going to transfer everything over to the new tank from the old ? If so I would use as much of the current rock and sand as possible. Might have a small cycle and possibly some diatoms or gha but that’s about it. Just my opinion

I’ll have to add a considerable about of new rock and double the current crushed coral. That’s the main issue. But using as much of DT water is definitely part of the plan. Perhaps I’ll put livestock in 20 g qt for a few days. Only have 3 fish at the moment but hoping to have more by the time tank is purchased.

 

[RIreefGuy]

Perhaps I’ll put livestock in 20 g qt for a few days.

That's a solid plan imho

 

[Mariette]

That's a solid plan imho

Thx :)

 

[BeejReef]

Sounds like you've got it pretty well handled. You have enough cycled material, by definition, to handle your present bio-load of fish. I guess you'll be losing the bacterial surface area on your glass in the DT and sump. You could also lose some if you let your sand or rock dry out too much before the transfer. Whether you put your fish into a QT or straight into your new DT, you'll have to monitor and watch for ammonia and nitrite. I'd be tempted to just get er dun all in one go and save them the extra transition.

You say put "some" live rock and some crushed coral from your existing setup into the new. Are you planning on keeping the 55 running? If it's coming down, why not put it all in?

 

[RIreefGuy]

I'd be tempted to just get er dun all in one go and save them the extra transition.

Dont think that's a bad idea either. If I did go that route I'd test it frequently at first and have some prime in hand just in case.

 

[Mariette]

Sounds like you've got it pretty well handled. You have enough cycled material, by definition, to handle your present bio-load of fish. I guess you'll be losing the bacterial surface area on your glass in the DT and sump. You could also lose some if you let your sand or rock dry out too much before the transfer. Whether you put your fish into a QT or straight into your new DT, you'll have to monitor and watch for ammonia and nitrite. I'd be tempted to just get er dun all in one go and save them the extra transition.

You say put "some" live rock and some crushed coral from your existing setup into the new. Are you planning on keeping the 55 running? If it's coming down, why not put it all in?

So the transfer to qt should be easy as I’ll just fill w 75% DT water, 25% fresh saltwater, and some live rock from DT. That’s why not all of it is going to new tank.

And I want new tank up and running at lease a week of readings stabilized before I add the fish.

 

[BeejReef]

Sounds solid. I only know what I read on the internet :)

I think you'll want to keep a careful eye on ammonia if you're putting the fish in a tank that doesn't have all of the cycled material from your existing setup. Most of the nitrifying bacteria are on the surface areas in your tank, not in the water. But, the way you're planning it, you'll end up with a new display tank that should cycle quickly, a nice observational quarantine tank that should be nice and low stress, and you'll still have your old 55 to use as a hospital tank. Hard to argue with that :)

 

[khushtram]

I did this, upgraded from a 60 cube to a 90. Used all the live rock livestock and water from the old dt. Always use brand new sand. It’ll be like doing a large water change. And after 2 months no uglies knock on wood. And as for the dry rock you should seed it with a rock from your old dt and cycle it in a separate container. Once all the rock is cycled add is slowly as the weeks go by. It worked for me hopefully it’ll work for you as well.

 

[Mal11224]

I just recently upgraded to a waterbox peninsula. Thread is below. I think you are on the right track. It was an all day process for me but worked out well. No ammonia spikes and no casualties. I had 3 containers. 1 for soft/LPS corals, one for SPS and one for fish. All filled with tank water. I recreated the scape and added some more rocks and then used new sand. Filled with the rest of my old tank water and had new mixed water prepared to fill up the rest. Reading the scape was a pain. After the cloudiness dissipated a few hours, I added my fish and the started placing corals in the tank. Prior to this, I did as much as I could of the new setup so that I can run the filter as soon as I filled up the tank and my lights were on as well.
I did a lot of research and basically sat down and wrote down the steps and got started.
Worked out for me. Just my first hand experience. Good luck with your upgrade.

 

[Mariette]

Dont think that's a bad idea either. If I did go that route I'd test it frequently at first and have some prime in hand just in case.

Hmmm I do have prime on hand.

 

[Mariette]

I did this, upgraded from a 60 cube to a 90. Used all the live rock livestock and water from the old dt. Always use brand new sand. It’ll be like doing a large water change. And after 2 months no uglies knock on wood. And as for the dry rock you should seed it with a rock from your old dt and cycle it in a separate container. Once all the rock is cycled add is slowly as the weeks go by. It worked for me hopefully it’ll work for you as well.

That’s an option too. I can use the qt as a curing vessel if I don’t put my fish in there.

 

[Mariette]

I just recently upgraded to a waterbox peninsula. Thread is below. I think you are on the right track. It was an all day process for me but worked out well. No ammonia spikes and no casualties. I had 3 containers. 1 for soft/LPS corals, one for SPS and one for fish. All filled with tank water. I recreated the scape and added some more rocks and then used new sand. Filled with the rest of my old tank water and had new mixed water prepared to fill up the rest. Reading the scape was a pain. After the cloudiness dissipated a few hours, I added my fish and the started placing corals in the tank. Prior to this, I did as much as I could of the new setup so that I can run the filter as soon as I filled up the tank and my lights were on as well.
I did a lot of research and basically sat down and wrote down the steps and got started.
Worked out for me. Just my first hand experience. Good luck with your upgrade.

Oohhh nice. We’re very much alike I think. I’ve got steps written out and am updating and tweaking here and there depending on what ppl say on here :)

 

[Mariette]

Okay, new plan: NDT = New Display Tank

Test run system w tap water. Drain.
Add fresh substrate to NDT
Put fish/inverts in bucket qt
Transfer max water/rocks from DT to NDT
Add 15% fresh saltwater
Add fish/inverts to NDT
Raise water level weekly
WC bi-weekly till water level max reached

Use qt to cure new dry rock
Once cured, add a bit at a time to NDT

Landscaping is gonna be a slow process using this route but it seems bulletproof. Plus livestock is only displaced for a few hours max. thoughts?