Moving to a larger Mixed Display...Need advice

[Goofy393]

Current:

I have a 110gal that about 18mos old with about 150lbs of live rock. Have many LPS's and a few SPS's. 3 Anemone's and some snails. I run with a Refugium and H-52'a (2 on current and 4 on new).

Fish (16 current):

Purple Tang
Sailfin Tang
Yellow Tang
Mag Foxface
2 Yellow Chromis
2 Bartlet Anthias
2 Clowns hosting LTA
2 Benggai Cardinal
Solarnis Wrasse
Flame Hawk
Midas Blenny
Flame Angel

All fishes get along fine.

NEW TANK:

265gal. I have about 200lbs of live rock that has been cured and is siting in 100gal saltwater drums with good flow.

Wanting to add:

Achilles Tang
Naso Tang
6-8 Lyrtail Anthias
2-3 Bartlet Anthias
2 Clowns hosting another LTA
Mated Pair Angel (either Bellus or Lamarck)
Mated Hawaiian Flame Wrasse
Coral Beauty
Watchman Goby w/Pistol Shrimp
Bi-Color Blenny
Royal Gamma

and perhaps a couple other wrasses

I will have the existing 110gal and an additional 60gal QT at my avail not to mention the 265 thats about done.

What is the best process to move all livestock to the 265? I am trying to keep all the territorial fish from having said territory before adding new ones (less stress) in the new tank as well as keeping all corals healthy.

Obviously I would like everything to live as well as the new fish to be added without being attacked.

I have plenty of time and am in no rush...

Also, if anyone has some of these fish for sale I may be interested in purchasing.

Please advise.

Thank you.

 

[AquamanE]

Thats a lot of fish. Ide plan a huge method for exportation of nutrients.

 

[Goofy393]

As unfortunate as it may be I'm kind of expecting to loose a couple of Anthias to attrition so that will leave around 30-35 fishes in a 265. You think that's too many?

Thanks for the comment but what I'm really looking for is some advice on how to make the move. A process that is proven to work.

Please chime in with suggestions.

Thank you.

 

[betamed]

I moved from a 150 to a 285 and I do have a bit lower bioload. Initially I added my two tangs and the bulk of the of the other fish. Are you going to leave the 110g running or take it down? I would not rush to add too many of the other fish but you stock list is a nice mix. I would skip one of the other tangs too

 

[Goofy393]

Hey there BT!

I can leave the 110 running as necessary for the move, but when the 265 is stocked I intend to sell the set-up. I don't need any parts from the 110 to get the 265 up and going.

What I have questions about is how do I make the 265 acceptable to add my existing corals and Live Rock without killing off the corals. I can run the cycle in the new tank with the 200lbs of Live rock and adding Live Sand with a feeder of existing sand form the 110 (about 1 cup). Maybe even add some Dr. Tim's One and Only to speed up the cycle.

Once the 265 cycle is finished I thought of adding the Live Rock with corals from the 110 to the 265, set up my Aquascape, and let it mature a week or so before adding the fish.

All the while I can have my current fish in the existing 110 while my new fish are in my 60gal QT awaiting adding to the 265. The add all the fish into the 265.

This is my inexperienced thought but in that I have no experience in this I am looking for advise on this process. Can I add all the fish within a day or two? At the same time? I simply don't want to loose fish due to territorial issues as well as water quality, bio load and beneficial bacteria.

For what its worth, I have a Reefmaxx Cone 5 Protein Skimmer which is a beast and rated far above 265. Also a Jabao DC 12000, 2 x MP-40 and adding either Gyre 1700 or MP-60 for flow. Just thought this information may be helpful when thinking about how the system will be able to handle this bio load.

Thanks for the response and please keep the information coming.

 

[nivram]

Moving to a larger Mixed Display...Need advice

Since you can run both tanks. I'd cycle the new one. Once cycled, slowly add over fish from the new tank. Once parameters stabilize, I'd start moving corals.

I would also have the mind set to do this over months versus weeks.

 

[mrx66699]

I moved everything in my old 300 to my new 540 and didnt loose a thing.....I also qt'd everything in between ....what I would do is figure out what current rock you have that you are wanting to keep or are you keeping everything you have and adding it all together...I cycled my new tank with 400lbs of new live sand and all the new lr that I had already cycled for months .....while it was cycling I did a QT with all my existing fish from the my old system, I then moved them along with a few new and with the rock into the new system, I put all the existing LR in the sump of the new system and then slowly sold it off and kept some of it....this took care of the bio along with weekly water changes just to assist in the first month and the system didnt miss a beat ....send me your number if you want to come see or talk

 

[AquamanE]

since you can run both tanks. I'd cycle the new one. Once cycled, slowly add over fish from the new tank. Once parameters stabilize, i'd start moving corals.

I would also have the mind set to do this over months versus weeks.

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