Upgrading Tank

[lzkamp]

Good morning everyone. We are upgrading our 46 bow front to a 120 gallon (60x18x24). I currently have both running side by side.

The 120 has been running a month now and has reached the brown diatom stage. Ammonia 0, Nitrite 0, Nitrate 5. It was started with 40lbs live sand 40lbs dry. 100lbs dry life rock and around 20lbs live from my 46.


Is it safe to move over the remaining rock, coral and inverts at this point?

 

[mcgyvr]

Yes... In fact it was safe to move everything over the second after you got saltwater into the new tank.. (aka it was safe a month ago to move everything over)

People upgrade all the time like that.. If you are moving everything including your rock over there is no need to create and wait for a cycling process in the new tank..
The rock from the old tank will bring all the needed bacteria with it and there will be no cycle....

 

[lzkamp]

That means I’ve cluttereted my living room for nothing lol.

Thank you Mcgyvr! I shall slide it over this weekend.

 

[CSmooth2009]

Depending on the bioload u are moving over, it still good to cycle your tank anyways cause u could still cause a mini cycle that can potentially kill off your corals and fish. It's happened to me... I didn't lose any fish but I did lose pretty much loose all my coral.


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[mcgyvr]

Depending on the bioload u are moving over, it still good to cycle your tank anyways cause u could still cause a mini cycle that can potentially kill off your corals and fish. It's happened to me... I didn't lose any fish but I did lose pretty much loose all my coral.

You are correct... "better to be safe than sorry" can certainly apply in some situations.. Usually though its not an issue and moving from one to another does not require cycling the new tank first..

There is a sufficient bacterial population that is maintained in a sand bed itself and many times people don't move that over so your "total" bacterial count will be less in the new system vs the old.. Typically however that isn't an issue unless you are "walking the line".. The bacterial population also has the ability to increase quite rapidly as needed..

 

[CSmooth2009]

You are correct... "better to be safe than sorry" can certainly apply in some situations.. Usually though its not an issue and moving from one to another does not require cycling the new tank first..



There is a sufficient bacterial population that is maintained in a sand bed itself and many times people don't move that over so your "total" bacterial count will be less in the new system vs the old.. Typically however that isn't an issue unless you are "walking the line".. The bacterial population also has the ability to increase quite rapidly as needed..

Very true [emoji1360] when going from a bigger tank to a smaller one never had an issue. But just really depends on all the other variables.


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[lzkamp]

Fish are in QT so they aren’t in the equation. I do however have 3 shrimp, a handful of snails, and plenty of coral that I didnt want to lose.

 

[mcgyvr]

Fish are in QT so they aren't in the equation. I do however have 3 shrimp, a handful of snails, and plenty of coral that I didnt want to lose.

You are totally are fine now (and very likely would have been fine day 1)..
All is good.. Don't worry..
I upgraded last year from a 40b FULL of corals to an 80G tank and filled the 80G with sand and saltwater and the next day moved everything over from the tank (rocks/coral/fish/crabs/snails/starfish,etc.. ) plus added 40lbs of a new dry rock and did not have any problems and I've done it multiple times before too..