Need help upgrading

[mallorieGgator]

My husband and I are getting a 90 gallon in about a month. We currently have a 55 gallon. How have you all upgraded? Do I keep the 55 gallon up while the other tank cycles? I have many zoas and Sps as well as a few Lps. I also have a crocea clam. Do I leave it all in the 55? Do I have someone keep them for me while I slowly add my current fish to the tank? Should I just add the zoas and Lps after the cycle? Just need some help because I want to make this as easy as possible with as little of a mess as possible because we live in a fairly small apartment. Thanks!

 

[Reef Bass]

Get the new tank setup and cycled before moving your corals over. So yes, leave everything in the 55 until the 90 has been running and cycled. Transferring the live stock from the old tank to the new tank after it's cycled is best done in stages if you have more than a few pieces. Move some stuff, give it a couple days to a week, then move some more if everything is looking ok in the new tank. I'd move zoos first, then lps, then sps finally. Or zoos and lps, then sps, again depending on how many pieces you have.

 

[SIR PATRICK]

^ His suggestions sound very good. Thats how i would do it, if its possible.

There are other ways to do this, but the above mentioned- that way above is ideal.

 

[XSharkboyX]

My husband and I are getting a 90 gallon in about a month. We currently have a 55 gallon. How have you all upgraded? Do I keep the 55 gallon up while the other tank cycles? I have many zoas and Sps as well as a few Lps. I also have a crocea clam. Do I leave it all in the 55? Do I have someone keep them for me while I slowly add my current fish to the tank? Should I just add the zoas and Lps after the cycle? Just need some help because I want to make this as easy as possible with as little of a mess as possible because we live in a fairly small apartment. Thanks!

+1 with ReefBass

Just a suggestion...

Unless your dead set on a 90 gallon, I would think about switching to something a little shorter. Like a 70 gallon, its 4 inches shorter. Its a much better footprint for a reef tank. It is much easier to aquascape than a 90.
Not trying to be rude in any way, just my 2 cents.

 

[MUCHO REEF]

+1 with ReefBass

Just a suggestion...

Unless your dead set on a 90 gallon, I would think about switching to something a little shorter. Like a 70 gallon, its 4 inches shorter. Its a much better footprint for a reef tank. It is much easier to aquascape than a 90.
Not trying to be rude in any way, just my 2 cents.

+1 on Sharkboy's suggestion. Shorter and much easier to clean as well down to the substrate if you're like me and want your glass clean 24/7 down to the sub along the front of the glass.

Mucho

 

[mallorieGgator]

I wouldn't mind a 70. Our lfs however has a 90 gallon reef tank for like $245.

 

[mallorieGgator]

Just curious what is better about the 70 vs 90? Thanks for the replies.

 

[kingfisherflesh]

I have flipped setups...just moved everything at once.

It is sort of crazy, and you will have a mini-cycle, but I have never lost anything during a mini cycle of this sort, and I have done it more times than I wish I had.

For me footprint is the biggest. It is just good to hear that you are getting out of the god-awful 55g footprint. Those things are a nightmare.