29 to 75 transition recommendations

[jb61264]

I got no love for my thread in the general Reef Discussion area so I'm trying here as well

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So I finally have my 75 DT / 55 Sump up and running with saltwater...have had it running for 3 days now. My sump has a skimmer running (although there is nothing being pulled out). I have a 29 gallon BioCube that I've been running for the last year and it will be taken down once I transition everything to the 75...I guess my question is about the best way to transition to the new tank.

I have all new saltwater running in the 75 currently with about 25 lbs of live rock I purchased from someone locally. The live rock had been in a 55 gallon tank when I bought it and for the last two weeks I've been running it in a Rubbermaid storage container with a pump for circulation (no skimmer).

I have been siphoning about 1 gallon of water from the 75 into my BioCube and then waiting about 30 minutes and then siphoning 1 gallon of water from the BioCube to the 75 twice a day for the past three days. Just tonight I took one of my turbo snails from the BioCube and put it on the live rock for the heck of it.

I have a 10 gallon tank I set up about 4 months ago with water from my BioCube and some smaller pieces of live rock from the BioCube...the 10 gallon had a sandbed of about 2" and I kept a mantis and some hermits in there but the mantis committed suicide in the sump pump of that system and I have just had a large bristle starfish in there since (with the surviving hermits). I'm thinking I want to transfer the contents of the 10 gallon into the refugium section of my sump which I T-feed from my return pump in the middle section of my sump.

Just curious for some input on transitioning all this (10 gallon to the refugium and BioCube contents to the display tank) over the next few weeks. Moving from smaller to larger system, should I expect a cycle if I am gradually transferring water from the BioCube to the 75? Should I put the 10 gallon contents in the refugium and then wait a week or so?

 

[Santoki]

Maybe it's my headcold, but your explanation is way to hard to follow, so I will just touch on some points.
You will always get some kind of cycle whenever you make fundamental changes to your setup.
If you are using a sandbed in the new setup, the cycle will be relatively long compared to a bb system. Bio-load plays a large role.
Adding old water to the new setup slowly in small increments will not reduce the likelihood of a cycle, big or small.
It just sounds like you need to get to it and dump everything in.
Moving to a larger system is mostly easier as far as livestock is concerned since you are diluting your water due to the volume increase, not unlike performing a large water change on your system.

 

[jb61264]

Sorry for the poor explanation of what I was trying to ask. Essentially I didn't know if I should just transfer everything over all at once or gradually move things or what. Sounds like you are recommending I just move everything over now

 

[Santoki]

yes, just move everything at once.
However, it goes without saying that basic parameters such as:
salinity, temp, and alkalinity should be as close to the original setup as possible to minimize shock to more delicate corals or fish.
If you are setting up a new sandbed, be prepared for a long cycle. The more delicate organisms may or may not survive.
All this is a moot point if you don't have any delicate or sensitive livestock.
good luck. Upgrading to something larger is always fun.

 

[ForSaleByAndy]

I just did a 29 to 75 upgrade myself about a month ago.

For me, I was going from Canister to Wet/Dry (and will be now going to sump) and from PC to MH/T5.

I had a clown and a coral banded shrimp, some snails and hermits, and mostly LPS and such.

After reading and talking with the LFS, I just went balls out and did it all in one day.

I did have a lot of LR in my 29 and had some base rock and some LR curing for about two weeks in a different tank. Moving day, I just brought out a ton of bucks, filled them with old tank water and moved the LR from the 29 to the 75 along with the other stuff I cured.

I was worried about the lighting change, but I saw no difference whatsoever. I say do it all in one day. I am by no means an expert but hey, if I can do it, you can too!

 

[jb61264]

Well...two days ago I added about 25 lbs of live rock I had purchased from another local reefer (had it sitting in a Rubbermaid storage bin with a pump for about a week)...the following day, I added a couple turbo snails from my BioCube, three hermits and a large brittle star from a 10 gallon setup I used for a mantis. Just last night, I moved the sand that was in my 10 gallon to the refugium in my sump.

So far everything is looking ok so far...my temp/salinity/pH are all the same as my BioCube...so I think I will be transferring the contents of my BioCube to the 75 tonight or tomorrow morning.

 

[tuzeman]

Good luck!

 

[reefer31]

I moved a 29 to a 120 with no problems doing it all at once. One thing that I would recommend would be to not transfer the sand from the older tank to the newer tank. I could not see into the tank for days after I transfered the old tank's sand into the new tank. I think its too much of a hassle to do it this way. Just buy more sand and start new that way.

 

[lostintheocean]

I went from a 29 to a 72 bow with 20 gal sump. I set up the 72 and did several water changed from the 29 to get it cycling. Once cycles, about 3 weeks, i pulled out 30 gallons from the 72 and put the 29 contents in . Worked great. I did not have any corals at the time though, only fish. The new tank went in the same spot as the old one, fortunitally i was able to slide the 29 to another spot while full. When i geta noter bigger tank i will not be so lucky