Upgrading from a 29 to 72 bow front.. need some help

[sturner91]

Hey guys got a couple questions here.

I am upgrade my 29 to a 72 bow front(as if the title didn't say enough ). I plan on reusing the water in my 29 as well as my sand and rock. Plus whatever is in my sump will be reused as well(rock rubble, macro algae, more sand).

When I do this will I need to wait for the tank to cycle again or should I be good since it's already precycled?
I will be reusing my skimmer, overflow, return, same tubing(if it fits).
Also, how do I go about temporarily storing my livestock?

I need to drain my 29 before I can start working with the 72, the 72 is going exactly where the 29 is. I need to drain the 72 then disassemble the stand, remove my sump/refugium, move the stand, put the new stand in place then setup the sump again.

My plan was to call a couple local fish stores to see if they could temporarily hold my livestock while I do this process. Last thing I want to do is put them in 5gallon buckets while I move from tank to tank and put them through all that stress.

 

[CarrieB]

If it were me, I'd get a temporary tank (either used or from the Petco $1 per gallon sale) not drilled. Put it someplace out of the way. Move everything into that tank (except maybe the sand) with a heater and a powerhead or two.

Get it all up and working and make sure that you don't see any cycle. Then you can take your time tearing down the old tank and setting up the new plumbing etc.

Then move everyone back. No problem.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[CarrieB]

Ah, I see you are planning on using your sand in the new tank. Then I'd rinse it well in tank water and put it in the temp tank, too, to minimize the cycle.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Sonyardo]

There are lots of variables. I would do something along these lines. I would likely slowly remove the sandbed out of the existing tank well in advance, assuming there is one. use a couple of 30 gal brute containers. distribute the water liverock and livestock between the brute containers. Move the 29 to a temp location and set up the 72. Temp house the livestock between the 3 containers however makes the most sense. Scape the 72 and use new sand. Aquascape and seed the new sandbed and check for stablility. It's likely to go very fast and be ready for the livestock to be transfered over. You may not even notice a cycle, but it's better safe then sorry. I guess it also has a lot to do with what's in the tank before the transfer. Things like how old, dirty and deep the existing sandbed are will play into it as well. If you have a barebottom system that is 6 months old and a couple of Chromis in there then you could likely skip a few steps. If you have $2000 in livestock and a 6" deep 5 year old sandbed then you might want to slow down a bit

 

[sturner91]

I wish I had the room to get another tank. Unfortunately I do not. My plan was to move everything to a plastic bin and try and get everything done within a weekend.
What's the best way to prevent the tank from cycling?

 

[sturner91]

I just thought of something else. I am going to need to add some rock. If I get dry rock, would it mess with the cycle at all?

Other than the rock coloring looking "off" it would be easier to get dry rock.

 

[ddanis60]

Upgrading from a 29 to 72 bow front.. need some help

I just did this with a 55 to a 90. Make it easy and get new sand. It's not expensive and it's the biggest headache. Next, just slide your 29 out of the way and set up the new tank. You can slide the tank.. Water and all. I did with my 55, just took maybe 10 gallons out. After you have the open space and the current tank still running, take a week to match parameters and you'll be good to go. I didn't have a single loss. Start the new tank with new sand and saltwater, and twice a day or so, do a 5 gallon water swap between tanks. A few days later, levels will be very close. Swap the sump and rock a few days in to get the bio started. I also used biospira. 7 days in, transfer the rest. Good to go!


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[ddanis60]

Dry rock won't mess with the cycle. It will eventually color up. Throw some in and enjoy


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[OrQidz]

I second the new sand suggestion. There can be SO much gunk in a sandbed, and when you dig it all up it can very well cause a cycle. If possible, go with new sand and existing rock. Adding dry rock should be fine. If you must reuse the sand, I would not do it in a weekend, but siphon it out and rinse it clear, then set the new tank up and monitor for a cycle. It will be a lot of work but worth it to have the new tank doing well.

 

[sturner91]

I may just do that and use new sand. I will have pre-existing sand in my sump along with rock rubble in the sump.

Unfortunately due to the size of my place I cannot really move the 29 out of the way. I need to move the 29 + the sump + the stand. I already bought two tubs to use. A 20gal brute tub to put rock and livestock in and a 32gal Brute trashcan to load up a lot of water into. I will still be 20gals short of water though, which I will have to add in later.

My plan is, seeing as i lack an ro/di setup again due to size of my location, to progressively buy distilled water and fill the 32gal can. Get some salt in there and start mixing. When my dry rock comes in I can throw that in there to get something started in the mean time.

My current live stock consists of:
Bicolor Angel
2 clowns
Firefish
Bullet Gobie
Watchman Gobie
2 rockflower anemone
2 cleaner shrimp
various amount of snails/hermits which will get replenished after the move

Corals which are all frags:
Torch
Hammer
Zoa
Acan
Toadstool
Trachy
Clove Star Polyps
Clove Polyps

Maybe what I do is keep my corals and rockflowers separated while the tank does what it does or I chance it and see how everything goes. Meh.