Swapping tanks

[TDIGUY]

My new tank is set up and plumbed. I am adding water now. The next step is moving everything over.

I am looking for the best way to safely move everything over. I have about 120 lbs of rock plus fish, CUC to move from the existing tank plus about another 60 lbs of rock that has been sitting in a brute for about 6 months. There is water and a powerhead but no heater. It is in the house so probably sitting around 70 degrees. I also have all new sand to go in. 1 bag is live sand I bought a while ago and has been siting probably 6 months as well. Wishing I had bought plain but too late now.

I want to give the rock a scrub with a stiff brush on the way over to get rid of some of the algae and vermeted snails. Then rinse in fresh salt water.

Any suggestions?
Can I move everything at once? Should I move everything but the fish and leave them in the old empty tank in case of a cycle? Put them in a QT?

Current tank is a 110 tall. New is a 125RR with a basement 55gal sump and 40b fuge. So a lot more water volume with the new setup.

Any help is appreciated.

 

[Sk8r]

Put your fish in qt while this is going on. Put the base rock in, then sand, then good rock, warm to 80, and figure that if you are VERY lucky the thing may cycle in 5 days.

YOur fuge may enable the new tank to avoid a cycle entirely but go carefully and suspiciously. Test. A lot. Often.

 

[Newsmyrna80]

I upgraded my tank 2 years ago and did it they way Sk8r said. I rinsed the sand ahead of time so it was ready to go in when all the water was in but the water still took a while to clear up. All total it took about 12 hours but my tank never skipped a beat, no mini cycle, etc. I will say.....I won't ever do it again:crazy1:

 

[TDIGUY]

What about corals and CUC. My 40b is set up so I can disconnect it from the rest of the system. Maybe I will set up everything in there with some of my good rock for now with bare bottom then I can let the rest of the system cycle and when it is done I can tie it back in and let the whole system blend then move them to the DT from there.

 

[TDIGUY]

Tank is full of water. Started mixing the salt and temp is slowly climbing.

 

[TDIGUY]

Everything is up and running and looking good. So far no sign of cycle but there is a bit of algea starting on the sand to go along with what was already on the rock. Seems to be slowing down and the CUC is slowly picking away at it. Next step is to add to the cleanup crew as it is only about 15 snails and 3-4 hermet crabs that came over from the old tank.

Here are a few shots of everything up and running finally.

Once everything settles I will get my next fish into QT to start the process.