We need nfo on changing over tanks 55g to 220g

Mix up your water,and go for it. Transfer as much of your old tank water as you can. Don't take this wrong,but don't make more out of it than what it is. This is what John at FAOIS said to me when I up graded to my 225. ,and he was right. Don't get me wrong it's going to be a little work,but after your done ,your going to say that was a piece of cake. Ted
 
changing as ted said is what I have done several times. be prepared to lose at least one thing. you will either lose a coral to the change or smash a fish or something. just don't be surprised. if you have a plenum in the old tank make sure to get all the livestock you want to keep and water before you move any rocks sitting on the bottom of the tank. you will more than likely release some ammonia pockets. even with deep or shallow sand beds this can happen. just being aware that it can happen is probably enough caution taken. good luck.
the last time I changed over I left my new tank run for over a month and drained alot from the new tank and added some old tank water during the move. I did water changes from the old tank to the new tank during the month. if you don't have sps I would probably just do it in one day myself.
 
Thanks Rob-

We have had the tank going for like 9 months and there are no SPS yet. I think we are just going to do it all in one day. Thanks for the advice...definitely will keep it in mind.

Question...We are getting rock from the LFS that they have been holding and curing for us for 2 weeks or so, do you think it will cause a spike in our readings still?

I was thinking of getting some regular sand instead of live sand since I have like 40 lbs of live sand and some crushed coral that is mixed in. The sand bed right now is about 3-4 inches and I was thinking about making it a little thinner on the next one with a DSB in the refugium. Any opinions on that idea anyone? Definitely want to get this right the first time.

We are probably going to try to do the change over not this Saturday, but the following Saturday so any advice in the mean time is greatly appreciated.

Ted-

Thanks for leaving us your number, we may end up calling you! LOL
 
whatever is done for a sand bed I personally like a consistent look. if you put in clearwater beach sand and then fiji sand and then some crushed coral you will in my opinion have a natural but dirty looking sand. like I said that is just me. I am always trying to get the chunkier stuff out so it looks nice and uniform and clean.
no matter what there will be a cycle to the new tank just because it's a new tank. it may not spike ammonia or anything enough to kill but there will always be the new tank syndrom. algea on everything including the glass and rock and maybe red cyano. I have experienced it with every tank and I believe the majority of us do. if you had your new tank running for say 1 year and decided to add a 20 gallon prop. tank shortly after adding the new tank you would experience the new tank syndrom in the new section only and the old tank would most likely stay just like before. no clue exactly why but it seems to happen.
if you have live rock and a shallow sand bed in your main display there should be no need to waste the time and energy installing a remote deep sand bed. it might help and might hurt but in the size of tank you are installing it is extremely easy the way you have explained setting it up so far to keep ammonia,nitrite and nitrate below detectable levels. my nitrates spiked at under 5 ppm when I did the change over from the 125. that lasted only a few weeks. I think by a month or so after changing over it was back to undetectable. you really only need a half way decent skimmer to achieve this but of course most of us believe more is better when it comes to skimming.
what lighting are you planning on using? and skimmer?
 
We are looking at a euro reef cs8-4 and it has all of the following
220g All-Glass RR, about 1.5 years old
- All-Glass Cherry stand and canopy
- 75g All-Glass sump, baffled
- Mag 18
- Mag 9.5
- 2 Ice Cap 660's
-8 T5, 54w Giessman Bulbs
-8 Ice Cap SLR reflectors, all endcaps and stand-offs
- All plumbing including durso drains
 
You can get some nice sand at pinch a Penney pool supply, it is a littel larger grain the the play sand. I used 80lbs of the filter sand and 80lbs of play sand + 120lbs for my old tank. You well probley need at lest 160 lbs + your 40lbs live to get a shalow sand bed.
 
I had the new sand and new rock in the new tank before I made the move. I put the rock from the old tank in toats(SP?), siphoned the sand out of the old tank and put the sand in the new tank. Then put the rocks in the tank. I ran filter socks.
 
I'm reading this thread with interest. I hope to be doing a similar thing in a year or so. A 90 to about a 250. However I have the additional problem of the new tank needs to go where the old tank IS. I never seem to make things easy on myself.
 
Reefer421, It's not hard if you have some large containers to drain your tank water into. If you want I have some 50 gal. food grade drums ,you are welcome to use. Ted
 
if your tank needs to go to the same place do yourself a favor and move the old tank to another area and set the new one up as complete as you can before changing over. moving small tanks can be incredibly easy especially when the floor stays the same level. drain as much water from the tank as it takes for you to be able to lift 1 end about 3-4 inches off the ground. cut 3 pieces of 1 1/2 inch pvc somewhere around 24-30 inches long. lift one end and put the first piece of pipe as close to center as you can and another piece toward the end you are lifting. get to the other side and push and the tank will roll on the pipes. when the one near the end gets close to the middle put the 3rd piece under the end and take out the first one. repeat as much as needed. a tank can be spun in the middle of the floor like this also. I moved my 265 on the stand from the garage like this and spun it in the livingroom with out any trouble at all. daddy jax and I moved a 125 from my living room to the road in front of my house like this also. hope this idea helps . at least you can leave the old tank running until the very second you are ready to add livestock to the tank. this is what I did so I could leave the new tank running for a month or so and cycle a little before moving things over.
 
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