I'm switching from a 55 gallon to a 90, and had a few questions. Of course, I want the new tank right were the old one is and plan to swamp equipment over to this one. My concern is not causing another cycle and the least stress to critters. I had thought I'd drain the tank in a large tub, move it and place new one. I figured I'd put new sand in the new one and seed it with a couple cups from the old tank. I thought I read that you don't want to stir up the sand bed and everything trapped in it. I have a 30 gallon, I can temporarily hold some corals in, that's up and running. How have others moved their tanks? Curious what's the best way to do this.
upgrading from 55 to 90
- Thread starter boozerell
- Start date
BrunstuckyJoe
Active member
I tried to move everything when i bought mine used....once the water was drained....the smell coming out of the sand was horrible....so prepare for a smelly house once you get down to the sand in your old tank...
markviiisvt4
New member
The couple times I did it I put every thign in a 40 gallon using water from my display. I had nothing on it but a skimmer and heater. Then took my time and switched every thing over. This seemed to work very well, and I've kept them in there for 3 4 days at a time.
BrunstuckyJoe
Active member
I thought about rinsing it and reusing it, but rethought it and used new sand and seeded it with some from the lfs.
I set up a temp tank off to the side for fish and other fragile livestock. The rest went into rubbermaid 18-24 gallon bins with heaters and powerheads. Everything did fine for 3-5 days till the old tank was moved, new one in place, set-up and filled, and then everything returned into the new tank. I did not use my old sand and didn't seed it because I used all the LR from my old set-up. I did use about 50% of my old water when I filled the tank.
THT
Phil
THT
Phil
BrunstuckyJoe
Active member
I don't think the live rock is enough...just my opinion to speed up the process....there usually is different types of algae blooms during the cycling process...Matt(Jim Morrison), from A.T suggested a conch for the diatom bloom i had....that snail is awesome....that trunk of his sucks up the brown diatoms...
markviiisvt4
New member
i used 150 pounds of my old sand
aninjaatemyshoe
New member
The sand is probably the hardest part about switching to a new tank. I've always discarded 99% of my old sand and used new sand each time I switched tanks. I did seed the new sand with the 1% of old sand. You need to be careful when you add new sand though. Especially with fine aragonite, you can get rather large pH swings when adding it to the tank. I would add the sand first and let it sit in the water for a day or two. Make sure the pH is ok before adding the rock and livestock.
You're going to get a new cycle no matter what you do simply because you're making a change. Since your rock has already been established in your old tank, you don't have to worry about ammonia problems so much. But, you will most certainly go through another series of algal blooms, such as diatoms. The inhabitants will experience some stress. Each time I've switched tanks I've lost at least one delicate invert, each time due to a mistake I've made. It really just comes with the territory - you can plan this all out as thoroughly as possible, but be ready for something going wrong.
You're going to get a new cycle no matter what you do simply because you're making a change. Since your rock has already been established in your old tank, you don't have to worry about ammonia problems so much. But, you will most certainly go through another series of algal blooms, such as diatoms. The inhabitants will experience some stress. Each time I've switched tanks I've lost at least one delicate invert, each time due to a mistake I've made. It really just comes with the territory - you can plan this all out as thoroughly as possible, but be ready for something going wrong.
moparcolt
New member
when I switched my old 55 to the curerent 90 I used almost everything from the old tank in the new one, the water, all the sand rock, the old sump.
I drained the water into a a bug plastic garbage can and used it in the new tank.
I later upgreded to a bigger sump, but kept as much as I could so that it would be less of a change, I moved the fish and critters last, and didn't loose anything, but it was an all day job.
I drained the water into a a bug plastic garbage can and used it in the new tank.
I later upgreded to a bigger sump, but kept as much as I could so that it would be less of a change, I moved the fish and critters last, and didn't loose anything, but it was an all day job.
