The Tank Upgrade Process

[kevin21]

Hey All,

Please let me know your thoughts on my tank upgrade process. I am going from a 28g jbj nano AIO to a Waterbox 50.3 AIO. The 28g is currently running and fully stocked at my parents house. I moved about a year and a half ago and it has taken me this long to get settled and be ready for a tank in the new house.

My idea was this:

1) Set up the 50.3 at my house with one kessil a160we and start the cycling process. I am torn between dry rock or live rock for this. I am leaning towards cured live rock, in order to limit the cycle.

2) Once the 50.3 is cycled and ready for live stock, I will slowly add over some snails and hardy corals and monitor how they do.

3) If all is well, this is where I think I need the most assistance. Is it safe to add over all 4 of my fish and the rest of my corals (not that many) at once? They are two clowns, a flame hawkfish, and a purple pseudochromis.

4) If I am good to go with 3, I would then break down the 28g completely. This would mean adding my second kessil a160we with controller and a second MP10 to the 50.3.

Would love all suggestions and input to make this process clean and smooth with hopefully zero critters being lost. Thanks all!

 

[Cliving1]

I would treat it like a large water change. Put in new sand (if you use), put all the rock, water and fish in. Then have new salt to fill the rest of it up and you should be ok.

 

[kevin21]

I was going to avoid using my old rock, unless I scrub it down. Had some nuisance algae and aiptasia on it...

I also plan to go barebottom.

 

[Green Chromis]

:fish1: Hi, are you transferring any of the old live rock from you 28gal. system to the new tank? If so this will really help speed up your cycle, and I would add the corals first then the fish. Make sure your tank is totally cycled, as this may take a month or more before you are able to add any of your old fish or corals, and then after a few more months you could add a fish or 2 to your tank. Go slow, nothing good ever happens in this hobby when you rush it. :fish1:

 

[kevin21]

Sounds good! Not in a rush, that is for sure.

If I give the rock a good scrubbing, I could probably transfer it over. I was going to try to avoid that if I could. That's why I was looking to grab 50-60lbs of cured rock from an established system. Figured that would give me a mini cycle. I can definitely transfer over an additional rock or two when I actually do the tank switch.

 

[Fourstars]

IF it's cured live rock then you should be able to transfer everything right away. Just make sure the rock comes from a good source, and is shipded in water so you will have no die off. Or what I did is found a local guy selling is ten year old SPS tank. I purchased some of his base rock. moved it in a water filled tub with battery operated pump/airstone. Instant reef, no cycle.

 

[kevin21]

Yes, I think that’s what I’ll need to try and find. Not always easy though. If I do manage this, is it safe to do the tank inhabitants transfer in one day? Or should I still try to spread that out over time?

 

[kevin21]

Hey all,

So I found someone from my local reef club selling live rock from his SPS reef. He has it in a saltwater filled container with a powerhead/heater waiting for me to come scoop it up this weekend.

My new tank was supposed be here any day now, but I would not doubt that it could possible take another week or two as well. My question is, how long can I keep this rock stored with a heater/powerhead before it becomes an issue? Obviously it is going to be covered with a lid and probably will need to sit in my basement where the heater will continuously have to run. Will the constantly lack of light for maybe a couple of weeks cause die off at all? Or am I looking at maybe just losing a bit or coralline/color?

Thanks!

 

[RioReefr]

If I were you, I would strongly suggest getting one of those "biospira bacteria" in a bottle. It definitely helps to cycle a tank faster.

Coralline algae will die with no light source. If the water parameters are off: Salinity, pH, Ca, dKh vary greatly they will die too.

If I had to do it all over again, I would definitely find a good source for "live rock". Dry rock takes forever (imo a year) to be established.

 

[kevin21]

I don't believe I need bacteria in a bottle...this is live rock out of an established tank that I am going to keep wet entirely until it goes into the new tank. It is about 58lbs of live rock from an established system, along with probably 15-20lbs of rock from my existing tank as long as I see no pests/aiptasia that pops up every now and again. I figured the coralline algae would slowly fade and disappear over time. I am hoping a couple of weeks doesn't completely get rid of it and other life. As long as it is heated and moving, I was hoping the rock would stay very much alive.

 

[Fourstars]

I would say if it’s a couple of weeks you will have an issue. Try to rig up a temporary light solution. Treat the rock as you would any living organism.

 

[kevin21]

Ah not good. I do have an extra kessil, just not sure how I would rig one up over a tote container in a basement, when I wanted to keep the lid on. Hmm

 

[FullBoreReefer]

I just did this a few weeks ago. I had a 9.5yr old mixed Reef, and finally upgraded. Luckily they were in different houses so I was able to get the new tank set up and plumbed one day. Went to the old house and took the sump offline, moved it to the new house and got that water moving. The next day I transferred all rock and livestock. I didn’t do any aquascaping just put it in. The following day I aquascaped and placed loose frags and corals. The day after that, I added sand(new). I haven’t lost a single fish or coral. Obviously I still gotta “finish” the stand and take down my temporary light holder lol.

 

[kevin21]

Awesome, thanks for your experience!

I got my rock and love it. I have it in a tote with a powerhead and heater in my basement. I also rigged up my extra kessil over it and will run that for 3 hours a day or so, just for the coralline and few small softies that were encrusted on the rock. Sadly, it looks like my tank may be delayed on its arrival for another 3-4 weeks.

Does anyone foresee any problems with my set-up for the next month or so? Anything I should be doing to ensure that this rock is ready to go as soon as I set the tank up? Small water changes in the tote? Less light? More light? I have the temperature set to 78 in the tote as well.

Thanks!

 

[Fourstars]

Sounds like you have it figured out. Should be enough light for now. :beer:

 

[kevin21]

Thanks, I ask these questions because the last thing I want to do is have a problem when I transfer this rock sitting in a bin for 4 weeks along with my 28g stock over to the 50.

 

[Fourstars]

You could always just test for ammonia every week if it will make you feel better.