How do I upgrade from 90 to 220

A

Alisha218

New member
Hi I am new to this forum. I was wondering how and if I should go about transferring my 90 gallon reef to a 200 gallon reef. The new tank is 72x 24x 24 with a custom sump 55 x 18 x 16. I have about 150 lbs of live rock in my 90 gallon and I recently purchased a 150 gallon tank with over 220 lbs of live rock Now I am trying to move everything from the 90 gallon on the same day into the 220 gallon tank. Is that possible for me to do without losing anything or causing a cycle if I do not add any new fish to the tank until I'm sure it's stable as I have an ample amount of live rock. My 90 gallon has been up and running for over a year and the person I got the 150 gallon from has had their tank running for about 4 years. I won't add any of The water from the 150 gallon as after the move the sand bed was stirred up a bit and i found that after two days there was a crazy spike in ammonia and very high nitrates. I would only be using the live rock from the 150 gallon tank and probably not all of it since I have so much in my 90.

If it's possible to do so without going through another cycle, what is the best way to move everything from my 90 gallon over to the 220 gallon? There is also a fish that will not be getting transferred over to the 220 gallon as he is a viscous anemone killer and he bullies my juvenile blue face angel ... Koran angel.... I love the fish but he has killed way too many anemones and I have some that I will eventually transfer to the new tank.

Any advice is welcome... :wavehand:
 
Is that possible for me to do without losing anything or causing a cycle if I do not add any new fish to the tank until I'm sure it's stable as I have an ample amount of live rock.
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Yes, IF you make absolutely damned sure your Nitrites and Ammonia are at zero and have stayed there for at least a week after cycling, AND you put some PRODiBIO bacteria in that tank 3-5 days before introduction of your fish.
Monitor your Nitrites, nitrates and ammonia carefully afterward for several weeks.

I won't add any of The water from the 150 gallon
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Good.

I would only be using the live rock from the 150 gallon tank
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I'd be worried about hitch hiking ich here - possibly getting into your new 200 and infecting your fish.
 
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I just did an upgrade from a 29 gallon to a 75 gallon. I replaced all of the sand and most of the water. If I were you I would throw away all water from the new tank. I would also use about 50 gallons of the water from the 90 in the 220 and use newly made saltwater for the rest. I wouldn't use the rock from the 150 yet. Use all the rock from the 90 while you cook the rock from the 150 for a month. Then add it in the 220 after the month is over.

To save money you could buy quikrete pool filter sand for substrate. It is about $6.50 for 50lbs at Lowes/Home Depot. I used a mix of 50lbs quikrete pool filter sand and 20lbs white aquarium sand. It looks really good in my tank.
 
Yes it's possible. The new tank going where the old tank is now or another location?

Can you use the 150 temporarily? It would be good to have as much new water ready to go as possible. Do you have other large containers? What is your RO situation?

The 4 year old rock - how does it look? pink and purple, or green, brown, and fuzzy?

I like new sand - but if you are happy with the way your sand looks I'd keep it.

IMO elixirs skew toward snake oil.

It's a project. Have lots of towels on hand. eat a light meal. brew some good beans if you're into that sort of thing.

HTH
 
I want to put the new tank where the old tank is but I think that will be too much of a hassle so it will just be in the same room until I am able to add everything to the new tank.

The rocks from the 150 gallon some are purplish some are greenish. But a lot of them seem to have coralline algae. There are bristleworms in the 150 gallon tank. Idk if I should worry there. Why cook the rocks? His tank " looked" very healthy when it was up and running. We tore it down the day I picked it up
 
Oh and I have an ro/di. 100 gpd so I will have 300 gallons of new rodi water ready to go when I set up tank. I really just want to know if there is a way for me to avoid a cycle on the tank and why I shouldn't just add the rocks from the guys 150 gallon tanks?
 
When I did my transfer from 60 to a 112 gallon(total) I just took the rocks scape & poor the water into the new tank. Extra water(salt) was purchased to cover difference. Small cycle, followed by a water change after a week. bleach the rocks
 
Follow, i need to move a 36g to a 90g, and adding some newe rock and sand


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Alisha, it will be ok for you to transfer all of your stuff in the same day. However there are some steps you should take first.

1. Clean out new tank, get all dirt dust and hairs out to has clean glass.
2. Thouroughly rinse new sand, separately from the tank before putting it in. You can use your old sand but you must thoroughly rinse that sand as well. Rinse the sand until the water is completely clear. I used regular tap water until clear, then did a final rinse with ro water.
3. Add rinsed sand to tank.
4. Add new saltwater until the new tank is about 75% full.
5. Make sure the new water matches the same temperature, SG, and Alkalinity as the old tank. If you can match the magnesium and calcium.
6. One the new water in the new tank matches the parameters of the old tank, fill up the rest of the water from the old tank.
7. Add live rock from the old tank and make an aquascape you like.
8. At this point you should be able to add all of your fish and corals. You should be able to drop them right in if the parameters match.

That's how I moved my tank. Everything lived and no cycle occurred. I did get some diatoms though. Aside from that, all is well in my tank.
 
Alisha218 said:
...The rocks from the 150 gallon some are purplish some are greenish.
There are bristleworms in the 150 gallon tank. Idk if I should worry there.
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Alisha218 said:
Oh and I have an ro/di. 100 gpd so I will have 300 gallons of new rodi water ready to go when I set up tank...
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Your 150, the rocks are still in water right?

You should be fine. Put up the new tank, and move your stuff.

I only asked about the rock because sometimes it's worth cleaning them good before re-using them.

The worms are on your side. keep them. nothing to worry about.
 
on the spot said:
Your 150, the rocks are still in water right?



You should be fine. Put up the new tank, and move your stuff.



I only asked about the rock because sometimes it's worth cleaning them good before re-using them.



The worms are on your side. keep them. nothing to worry about.
Click to expand...



Ok. I keep getting told that my fish corals and inverts will die due to the cycle if I do this. If I set it up that way to avoid an ammonia spike is there anything that I need to do?


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Alisha218 said:
Ok. I keep getting told that my fish corals and inverts will die due to the cycle if I do this. If I set it up that way to avoid an ammonia spike is there anything that I need to do?


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Click to expand...



Aside from testing parameters regularly? Because I was also told it's a bad idea to use old water as well.


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