Looking for new tank swap advice

[Slayer33]

Hi all,

I'm currently running an old 58 gallon reef tank, its well established (2 years) and has SPS/LPS and about 100 lbs of live rock in it.

I just purchased a Red Sea 625XXL and am looking at how to properly plan this out and would like some advice in how to proceed with it.

My current tank does have some small aiptasia so it would be great to start new with dry rock but that would come at a added cost and some losses in corals if I don't transfer my live rock.

I will still do a 1" sand bed (new sand) and look to either do an aquascape with the existing rock or dry rock.

I guess the first decision is what to do with my existing rock, reuse it or sell it..

Then my next decision is what to do next? transfer water from my old tank or start completely new?

I'd prefer to not have to have 2 tanks running for months to have the new tank cycle before transferring live stock and corals...

I guess what I'm looking for is what is the best balance between starting new and using all existing stuff?

I know I want to make my aquascape solid by epoxying the rocks together and also make the best flow around them, but is working with live rock with corals and critters attached a good idea?

Sorry, there's so many questions I have about how to do this... I've watched a bunch of the BRS videos and I still don't know what I should do.

 

[Slayer33]

I do have my aiptasia managed well with file fish and peppermints.. but obviously being able to reduce them or not bring them over would be nice but generally not ideal since I don't have money to burn...

 

[journeyman]

Probably, if you worry about aptasia. I would keep a few pieces of rock that don't have aptasia. Get new rock and seed the new tank with water from old and a couple pieces of old aptasia free rock. I think that may require running both tanks for a month or two.

I would probably over the course of several months take the water from water changes and put that in the new tank while mixing in some new water (maybe 50 percent max) until the new tank is full.

I don't know if a better way without running both tanks for a while.

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[Vinny Kreyling]

Since you claim to have Aiptaisa under control I would not worry too much.
Set up the new tank & run a pluming check with fresh water. Place new sand bed in tank after it's empty. & start moving old water & corals into the new tank. Use as much as you can & there will be no cycle. Fish can go in afterwards. Top off with new salt water you should have ready before starting.

 

[Slayer33]

Since you claim to have Aiptaisa under control I would not worry too much.
Set up the new tank & run a pluming check with fresh water. Place new sand bed in tank after it's empty. & start moving old water & corals into the new tank. Use as much as you can & there will be no cycle. Fish can go in afterwards. Top off with new salt water you should have ready before starting.

Thanks! I think as much as aiptasia is a PITA, I have a file fish and plan to add a second or a copperband with the new tank.

I've got a Glamorca Gyre GP03 pump which is supposed to be good to 3000gph, and I plan to add 2 more low profile wave pumps on the back on each side of the tank.. do you think that is enough flow for a mixed reef tank? Was thinking either the Coral Box RN-1s or the Jebao SLW-30s.

When my Glamorca dies I plan to replace it with the Red Sea ReefWave 45 which is 3960pgh max.

I think my plan is to have 3-4 wave pumps, but i was hoping to only have 1 on the side and 2 on the back vs having 2 on the sides.

 

[Vinny Kreyling]

How big is the tank?

 

[Slayer33]

How big is the tank?

Its a RedSea 625XXL.. so 133 gallon display. 59"x23.6"x25.6"

 

[Vinny Kreyling]

133 gallons, with rocks & everything might be 100 gallons.
Don't buy anything until after it's running.
Then decide if needed.

 

[Slayer33]

That's great advice actually... I'll do that. thanks!