Upgrade/ logistic's question

[czwannabe]

So I currently have a 20-gallon reef tank that has been established for about 5 years. A friend of mine just gifted me his 90 gallon, and now, I am wondering how the heck do I properly do a transfer. I haven't even considered upgrading until my next move but now that I have a free tank and stand it's hard to say no. The 90G is going to go where my 20G is currently so I can't just fill it up and let it go. Any opinions on how I can do the transfer as quickly and efficiently as possible without causing a major cycle/crash?

I am thinking the first step would be to start curing live rock and sand in some buckets and totes. Or... any opinions from others that have upgraded.

Oh and here is a pic of the current tank because pics are always fun!

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[Anemone]

Buckets and/or plastic containers. Drain your water into the buckets/boxes (enough to cover your rocks), put your rocks/corals/livestock in. Drain the rest of the water out of the old tank. Move old tank. Put new tank in place. Fill with mostly new water. Transfer your old rocks/livestock. Move over.

As long as you keep the same rocks, you shouldn't have a cycle. Looks like you will have lots of Monti frags, but that can't be helped.

Kevin

 

[czwannabe]

I'm going to have to add about 60lbs of sand and 60-70lbs of rock to properly get the aquascape I want. Even using the 20lbs of sand and rock I currently have, I can't imagine there won't be a wicked cycle.

 

[Anemone]

Even using the 20lbs of sand and rock I currently have, I can't imagine there won't be a wicked cycle.

Not if you don't add additional sources of ammonia. Dry rock and dry sand won't cause a cycle. Bagged "live" sand won't cause a cycle. Live rock might cause a cycle, depending upon how "cycled" it already is.

Using your current sand may or may not cause a cycle; it really depends upon how much organic matter (muck) you have buried in your sand. If it was my tank, I'd use the rock and get new sand (either dry or bagged "live").

If you transfer your current rock without letting it dry out (and hence, killing the nitrifying bacteria), it should have enough bacteria to handle your current fish/bioload without a new cycle. If you add additional fish, then you might have a cycle.

Kevin

 

[Silly clownfish]

Since the current tank is only 20 g, I would remove about 1/3 of the water to buckets and use furniture slides to move the stand and tank out of the way. Then set up the new tank, fill with substrate as desired, water (leave plenty of room for rock), let it mix for a day then move you old rock. Add new rock as desired. Move remaining livestock at a leisurely schedule.

I did this to upgrade a 30 to 75. Not a big of a change, but we have moved the 30g around the first floor a few times with sliders. Remove what water you can both for weight and to prevent sloshing.

Since the new tank is bigger,you may also want to cure some new live rock in buckets before starting this project. It depends on your source for any new rock.