crosshatch in a tank w/o cycling !!

smoke15

New member
I currently have the 240 gallon tank. There is some live rock and fish in there that has been in my possesion for about 13 years. Most of the live rock and fish though have been in my possesion about 5-6 years or less.
I am upgrading to a 300 gallon tank or Bigger if the manufacturer can make it for me in glass.
Here's the question. Can I fill the new tank half way with natural sea water then on the SAME day dump all my fish, corals, and live rock in the new tank WITHOUT cycling the new tank AT ALL. The new tank will be around 150 gallons larger than my current tank
I do not want even one death. Can it be done?
I plan to use all of my current equipment in my new tank ( pumps, skimmer, reactor, chiller etc).
Can this pic go into a totally brand new tank?


DSC_0007-1.jpg
 
I am doing something similar. i have been saving all of my used water from water changes in trash cans in the garage vs flushing down the toilet. i will do about 120 gallons of used water and the rest new in my 210. Also i have a powder blue and wanted to add an achilles. what are your expieriences??? how do they get along???
 
Ryan
I have a powder blue, achillies, chevron, purple, yellow all in this tank. Why do you think I need a bigger tank !!
Depends on how big your tank is, but there is little aggression in my tank, but I feed TONS !!
 
with the exception of the chevron that is what i want to keep. but i wont have the crosshatch's which are beautiful. why are you only going up 60 gallons??? and where did you get the purple and achilles???
 
Biggest glass tank they will make me. 10 feet long.
Got the purple 13 years ago, achillies a few months ago. Funny you point out the oldest and newest fish. Both LFS
 
I dont see a problem. But i am in the creation of a 200. But when i switched everything from a 90-90 it wasnt that bad. If all your parameters are the same and temperature i wouldnt see a problem. If you switch the sand and the rock over to there really shouldnt be that much die off so you may find a very small cycle but i dont think it would be detremental to the health of the fish or corals. I would be worried about the sps more so then the fish.
 
I wouldnt recommend it but what you maybe able to do is use most of your water from your current tank and then add the other water. Problem is that your coral may need the water during that time.
 
I'm a little too patient for that kind of action. I would make sure that you have water available for water changes if you get a cycle. I would test several times a day for ammonia and nitrites just to make sure.
 
Beautiful set up. Now having said that, my experience after doing this about a month ago is that you will go through a mini cycle, I did. Transfered the entire system after it was running for about a year and it took me a couple of days to get everything set up and running again and my cycle was done in 3-4 days. If you can transfer everything the same day and get it running in a matter of hours, you should be fine.
 
I did it and didnt loose any fish or corals . Old tank 220 .New tank 1400 with another 375 in the sump . I had about 600 pounds of live rock that I cycled in the sump , its setup to recirculate without the aquarium or with the aquarium . I had anothe 600 pounds of dry rock already placed in the aquarium . Then when I was ready I Moved all the live rock up to the aquarium and pumped the sump dry into the aquarium . Mixed new SW in the sump , warmed it up . then pumped it up . Once I had it full and running I began moving all the corals , then the fish , and finally the live rock from my old 220 . I did not use any of the old water and never measured any ammonia , or nitrites(checked daily).
 
I've done two moves now in similar size tanks with no deaths and no cycles. 2 pieces of advice I would give you:

1. Keep the amount of time the live rocks are out of water to an absolute minimum, and keep them covered in saltwater-soaked newspaper or something similar during transit. I took out the rocks, boxed them up quickly, and took them to my new tank(s) just leaving the fish and corals in the old tank with circulation and aeration. Then I bagged the fish and corals up and brought them afterward.

2. Don't feed the fish for a couple of days before the move....that will help minimize the waste generated early on.

Best of luck!!
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11900353#post11900353 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by roktsintst
I am doing something similar. i have been saving all of my used water from water changes in trash cans in the garage vs flushing down the toilet. i will do about 120 gallons of used water and the rest new in my 210. Also i have a powder blue and wanted to add an achilles. what are your expieriences??? how do they get along???

roktsinst,

I would advise against doing that...used tank water has waste and bacteria in it, and can go foul very quickly, especially when its not aerated or stirred. In a stagnant container its possible that hydrogen sulfide could be produced...good luck with your move too;)
 
I am only going about 30 feet from one tank to the next. That 30 feet sure seems far away though. Thanks for the input. I am getting a solid idea of what to do.
What should go in new tank first my fish or my corals?
 
I have done this twice. First from my 75 to 180 than 180 to 280
the only new info from me is that i always replaced all my sand. I find that the sand tends to be a sink for a lot of stuff and with all the mixing of trying to move it is just a recipe for problems. Otherwise, just get the temp and sg right on the new water, bucket stuff up and start moving. It has worked twice for me with no losses.
Good luck
 
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