Moving/transfering tanks....

[1DeR9_3Hy]

Is there a good thread on this situation anywhere? I have the opportunity to upgrade to a Dutch Aquariums 60 gallon oak tank/stand from my 49 gallon cube with plastic trim (not a big size difference, but a world of difference with how it looks).

I am looking to find out how risky it is to the livestock, whats the best way to perform a switch like this is, and what are the risks/possible problems i could run into?

What about the new tank cycling? Im thinking because im using all my LR from the current tank there should not be much of a cycle....right?

Is there anything i should be thinking about before making the decision on the switch? Any with experience with doing this kind of thing?

 

[Robb in Austin]

Gonna tag along as I am going to be switching tanks soon also.

My $.02:
Doing it in one day would be better.

Move all the fish/coral/inverts into buckets/temp holding containers.
Have the new tank ready to go, move rock over, add sand(new?), aquascape, add fish/coral/inverts, enjoy.

I think beer is a requirement too. It will be here.

 

[1DeR9_3Hy]

Thats what i was thinking...maybe wait for a nice weekend in case i need to move things outside for a couple hours.

Also, does anyone know anything about the D.A.S tanks? Can they be drilled?

 

[wetWolger]

I have moved tanks once....and plan to be doing it again soon. I however do not recommend doing it all in one day. I do it in stages

First stage:
Move some of the sand from the previous tank to the new tank, cover it with new sand and use it as a seed

Move all the live rock without corals attached to the new tank

Move all the live rock/macro's out of the fuge from the old tank and put it in the new

Second stage:
Let that sit for a day or two, gives you time to help work out any bugs or tuning your skimmer

Then I move a couple of fish (my clown is super hardy, I tend to make him the initial ammonia source).

I then move more live rock, even rocks that contain some tuff corals (so rock with kenya tree, xenia, mushrooms, GSP, etc)

Final stage:
After stage 2 I usually wait about a week. Make sure it wont cycle (I doubt it will, but it can depend, for example my next move is going from 120gal to 450gal, so I am expecting a cycle because of the size difference). Make sure the salinity is right, etc

Then move everything else, drip acclimate, and then throw it in and hope for the best.



I am sure you could do it all at once, but I don't have the balls. It just seems too risky to go from zero to full bio load that fast. I like to do things slow enough that I can see if there is going to be feedback before I move on to the next step. You are right though, you probably wont cycle as long as the live rock just goes from one tank to the other. I went from a 46 to the 120 without any cycle at all.

 

[1DeR9_3Hy]

Thanks

Ive found that by submersion the LR in the tank, and spinning and twisting it every which way you can move your hand to remove all the air pockets and bubbles this greatly reduces any die off as well. Just a fyi for those who did not know.

Im still leaning towards doing it all in one day though, as i believe i can set the tank up then fill it with water make sure the params. I will be re-using almost all of my current equipment (but i will need new lights), so i dont have to worry about new parts failing.

hmmmm so much to think about....

 

[Robb in Austin]

While jent makes some good points, as long as you aren't making a huge change size wise I think it will be ok. If you are adding a significant amount of rock then it might cause problems. (Like the 120-450 upgrade he is talking about.)

 

[entropygain]

Moved several times now

Moved several times now

Had it as an office tank, office moved so did the tank.
Each time lost various things.

I had a 2-3" sand bed. Each move stirs things up and causes a mini-cycle no matter how careful you are.

Best is the gradual transfer if the tanks are in 2 locations. i.e. over the course of a month or so if possible. If they're adjacent, might consider plumbing them together for the transfer period.

good luck

 

[Gtstricky]

http://www.melevsreef.com/moving_a_tank.html

 

[jackets22]

When transfering to a new tank dont you want to use the old sand along with the new sand and the old tank water to reduce/not have a cycle?

 

[1DeR9_3Hy]

First, you cat made me lol.....then the monti cap at 3:30, your swarm of schooling fish that look like fruit flys in the tank, flashlight hunting for critters, and again your cat....hahahaha

So where is the thread for the pics of your tank now?

Also thanks for the description, thats pretty much what i was planning on doing...except my move would only be about 5 feet in my kitchen

 

[1DeR9_3Hy]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14876968#post14876968 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Gtstricky
http://www.melevsreef.com/moving_a_tank.html

Thanks, I knew i had seen that somewhere!

 

[1DeR9_3Hy]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14876975#post14876975 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by jackets22
When transfering to a new tank dont you want to use the old sand along with the new sand and the old tank water to reduce/not have a cycle?

If your using new sand (like i would be) than adding a cup or two of old sand would be sufficent. I dont know if i am going to even add old sand, as i am planning on oolitic sand instead of larger "special grade" sand i have now.

As for the old water, it does not carry any sort of biological benefit so it would not be necessary to save it and add it in.

For me, i would be using new water (matching params) and new sand.

 

[jackets22]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14877062#post14877062 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by 1DeR9_3Hy


As for the old water, it does not carry any sort of biological benefit so it would not be necessary to save it and add it in.

Ahhh... This I did not know. I thought adding the old tank water would be best.

What is stopping the tank from having a full blown cycle?

 

[Robb in Austin]

The rock mostly.

Going into new, fresh SW should help really. There might be some die off, but I think if the rock is out of the water for a short period of time it should hurt anything.

When I setup my 58, I drove rock 40min one way covered in wet towels and never saw any cycle. It came out of a setup the guy was taking down so it was all fully cured and went straight into my waiting tank of water. I didn't have any life or sand so maybe that prevented problems.

 

[1geo]

I agree with jent46bow. A step-by-step in stages method is the safest way to go.

 

[1DeR9_3Hy]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14877172#post14877172 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by jackets22
Ahhh... This I did not know. I thought adding the old tank water would be best.

What is stopping the tank from having a full blown cycle?

Your not a blue jackets fan are you....?



As for the full blown cycle question, as stated above the LR wont be out of the water any longer than transfering it from the tank to the water filled holding containers then back into the new tank. Maybe 45 seconds total, which is nothing at all.

Since the LR has nothing dead on it, nothing will decompose. This in turn means there will be no ammonia since there is no decaying matter. No ammonia = no cycle.

 

[Robb in Austin]

Allow me!

LET'S GO RED WINGS! CLAP CLAP CLAPCLAPCLAP!

 

[1DeR9_3Hy]

*cough* *cough*

Im addicted

kidding.....im not quite that bad, but i do have a red spinning light connected to a clapper so that every time they score and everyone in my house goes nuts it starts up like we are sitting behind the net

 

[Robb in Austin]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14879113#post14879113 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by 1DeR9_3Hy
*cough* *cough*


kidding.....im not quite that bad, but i do have a red spinning light connected to a clapper so that every time they score and everyone in my house goes nuts it starts up like we are sitting behind the net

This is too cool for words!

Did you build boards/glass around the TV like on the commercial too?
If not, what are you waiting for?!

 

[1DeR9_3Hy]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14879303#post14879303 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Robb in Austin
This is too cool for words!

Did you build boards/glass around the TV like on the commercial too?
If not, what are you waiting for?!

Not yet....im waiting for the 52" plasma....lol Maybe in a few years?

Anyways, to end this thread. I measured the new tank, and it wont fit comfortable where the current tank is. If it was 2" less from front to back, it would be fine...but that 2" is all the difference in the kitchen (where the tank is).