Ideal way to move to bigger tank

[SeaTila]

I have a 120g hobby built tank with the following:
3 tangs, 6 clowns, 2 goby, 3 peppermint shrimp, 1 blood shrimp, 1 coral banded shrimp, 1 small malu sebae, 1 small green bubble tip anemone, lots of live rock, various soft coral.

Moving to elos 160xl 200g in another location but in same room. I can run both at same time and the objective is to minimize stress or impact on fish/inverts.

I plan on buying the live sand instead of transferring sand. I figure everything else will get moved but I'm wondering about timing and how to do this logistically. For instance if I pull 30 gallons from existing tank and put in 170 new saltwater...do I have to wait for another couple of weeks? Do I move 1/2 the live rock to new tank without the fish etc. To keep both tanks going will require 200 gallons of saltwater so wondering if if I really need to wait or just move all over quickly and be done with it. Ideas?

I am not in huge hurry. I'm more concerned about stress on fish, anenomes and inverts

I plan to take down the 120g when I'm done with move to the 200g.

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[malx]

Intersecting challenge. Quick question, are you moving any of the life support? Or, does the new tank have a new sump, skimmer, power heads, etc?


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[Ajae]

Subbed, I'm about to go though the same thing here in a couple of months.


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[SeaTila]

Intersecting challenge. Quick question, are you moving any of the life support? Or, does the new tank have a new sump, skimmer, power heads, etc?


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The new tank will have everything to run on its own...new sump, quiet circulation pump, gyre pump and ato. The only thing I considered using on the existing tank was a new octo skimmer but its a bit small for 200g. I have an older skimmer to use for older tank during the process. The new tank will be located in the same room but about 20 feet away. I can run them both independently at the same time. The only issue with older tank is noise level and that I have to constantly monitor and manage the salinity etc so that inhabitants are not subjected to swings...current sump is too small, homebuilt, with only one divider. I am looking forward to less micromanagement with the new tank but I have flexibility to not have to rush a conversion. My foremost concern is to safely move all inhabitants without any undue stress.

Here's a pic of existing tank ...I have plenty of live rock to split it up. I bought this tank on craigslist a few months ago in extreme dirty condition with high salinity, nitrates and ammonia. Its an 8 year old running system. I torched the aptasia and 5 emerald crabs ate every scap of valonia green bubble algae. No signs of major pests and coral is growing...and fish are happy now. I'm fine to use the water and rock for the move.

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[gone fishin]

When I did this I got the new tank mostly filled then added in any new rock, I used dead rock, then transferred over my existing live rock. I then added the sand in, I used well rinsed dry aragonite. Once that was done I topped off the new tank from the old tank and got everything circulating. I then transferred the fish and other critters over. If I remember correctly it took most of an afternoon. Good luck just my 2 cents.

 

[malx]

If they are separate systems then it's easy. Move stuff slowly in the same order you'd put it in a new tank. Test and understand the water chemistry frequently in both tanks to be sure you keep the ecosystem happy.


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[SeaTila]

What percentage of old tank water was in your new tank when you moved over and if you had anemones...how long did you acclimate to new tank water?

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[gone fishin]

What percentage of old tank water was in your new tank when you moved over and if you had anemones...how long did you acclimate to new tank water?

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I probably used about 35g out of a 55g tank, this was going to my current 180g. I left a few inches over the sand bed and went back later and sifted through the sand for any stray CUC guys.

Sorry no help with a nem, I have never had one.

 

[SeaTila]

I probably used about 35g out of a 55g tank, this was going to my current 180g. I left a few inches over the sand bed and went back later and sifted through the sand for any stray CUC guys.

Sorry no help with a nem, I have never had one.

So you put 80% new saltwater in the tank and 20% from existing tank and acclimated everything with drip into 5 gallon bucket(s) and transferred all inhabitants in a hour or so without any issue? I'm thinking I may move 30g to new tank...move some live rock and make sure salinity, and temp are close...then acclimation using drip. If I use the new live sand and do this plan I didnt know if the tank would cycle and wait before transferring all inhabitants.

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[Tisbe]

I would not use live sand. Save some money and also rinse the new dry sand really good or you will have dust storms for months when moving things around. Your live rock will seed the sand and be your filtration in the mean time. If you are really want to get a jump start on making you new sand live, take a couple cups of sand from the old system and put it in the new.

 

[Dmorty217]

Setup the new tank and get it cycled and running and move the livestock with all the rock into the new tank

 

[davehead86]

What percentage of old tank water was in your new tank when you moved over and if you had anemones...how long did you acclimate to new tank water?

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You dont need to transfer any of the old water. Its just water, it has no good things in it. As a matter of fact all thats in water is the bad stuff (water changes for a reason). I would just fill the new tank and make sure the parameters and temp are the same then grab and go.

 

[mandarin_goby]

I just did this moving my 57 rimless inhabitants to my new (used) 75. I started with new ro/di water and salt, added new sand (about 50 lbs), added some extra pieces of live rock from the 57 to the 75, started the skimmer, heater and lights and got the sump going on the 75, plus a Koralia for flow.

After 2 weeks, ammonia and nitrites were zero, and just this past Sunday, I drained 57 rimless water into a bucket, netted the fish/inverts and put them into the bucket, moved all the live rock over to the 75 and arranged it, drip acclimated the fish/inverts and after an hour, added them to their new home with no losses. Turned out great! I've been slowly adding the old sand scoop by scoop to the new tank to deepen the sand bed - I haven't had any issues, just a couple scoops over the past couple of days.

 

[gone fishin]

So you put 80% new saltwater in the tank and 20% from existing tank and acclimated everything with drip into 5 gallon bucket(s) and transferred all inhabitants in a hour or so without any issue? I'm thinking I may move 30g to new tank...move some live rock and make sure salinity, and temp are close...then acclimation using drip. If I use the new live sand and do this plan I didnt know if the tank would cycle and wait before transferring all inhabitants.

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I did not drip anything. The salinity and temp was the same as the old tank everything just went from one to the other. after the transfer I did not add anything for a couple of weeks to let things settle down. I used all of my old live rock and same bio load into the new tank. the only reason I used some of the old tank water was because it was there.

 

[anthonys51]

i transfer from a 29 to 57 and did it in one night . I had sps and lps corals and 4 fish and didnt lose a single one.
i even moved the sand over, but tank was only running for 6 months, so i wouldnt do it if older.
i put the coral in tube and saved all the water
i added new live sand (to me the extra cost isnt that much and i dont have to waste time cleaning it, but just my choice) i then added 4 big pieces of new live rock and added my live rock on top of that from old tank. then added back my old water and added another 20 gallons of new water. i didn't have a new cycle and tank was looking and running like normal by the next day.

reason i saved the old water was just to match water chemistry as close as possible. and its still a 40 percent water change . not saying this way is the only way, but for me my fish and corals where safe and it was quick and easy for me too

 

[SeaTila]

I did not drip anything. The salinity and temp was the same as the old tank everything just went from one to the other. after the transfer I did not add anything for a couple of weeks to let things settle down. I used all of my old live rock and same bio load into the new tank. the only reason I used some of the old tank water was because it was there.

Thanks for your assistance and your experience. I suppose I'm more concerned than I likely need to be. I feel like you can do the change quick if similar water and temp, ph salinity or the longer the new system runs the more like a typical lfs purchase acclimation. I dont think I believe I can quickly move this 120g to 200g so I have to go the slower route. too many things that could happen I wasnt expecting...murphys law. Thanks again-S

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[SeaTila]

I would not use live sand. Save some money and also rinse the new dry sand really good or you will have dust storms for months when moving things around. Your live rock will seed the sand and be your filtration in the mean time. If you are really want to get a jump start on making you new sand live, take a couple cups of sand from the old system and put it in the new.

Thanks for the sand tip. I didnt know you could just put a little of your existing sand in with dry sand...the luve sand estimate is like $200 alone. The sand I have is 8 years of who knows what but so far seems ok...but was thinking the ??? Wasn't worth it. Also thanks for sand storm tip...that would be really annoying.-S

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[SeaTila]

Setup the new tank and get it cycled and running and move the livestock with all the rock into the new tank

Any idea how long I'd have to wait to know if the tank will cycle in case it doesnt using some of my water, livesand or dry mixed with small amt of my sand? Is there a delayed response?

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[SeaTila]

You dont need to transfer any of the old water. Its just water, it has no good things in it. As a matter of fact all thats in water is the bad stuff (water changes for a reason). I would just fill the new tank and make sure the parameters and temp are the same then grab and go.

I've read an opposite to this I think. I read my sand is super risky to use in new tank but my water is essential to keep the anemones happy...but I have no idea and have a lot of different articles and blog posts so I may just be confused-S

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[dg3147]

Looking forward to seeing your Elos 160 xl ! i have the same tank and have modified a few things if you want to take a look or have questions.