what do u think?

[rogergolf66]

I have about 90 sps mostly frags in a 65 gal tank. I'm upgrading vto a 120gal. I have half the rock will be dead rock the other half will be rock from the current 65. I am thinking I may not be able to stop the cycle with 50% of the rock being dead? Since that's the case. I'm thinking about removing all the coral from there rocks in the 65 current tank and then setup all the aquascaping in the new 120 store the 90 sps in a large tub with a controler to monitor the temp and ph in the tub. Hang the leds over the tub to give them light. I would also have a skimmer running in the tub. Well with no live rock in the tub how would the corals do? I would have the fish in the tube also by the way.

What do u think? Do u see any problems?

Is this the best way to do it?

By the way the current 65 gal is sold and will be gone so leaving everything in it is not an option

 

[JT3069]

i went from a 75 to a 90gallon
what i did was use 20 gallons of aged water, with about 50% new and aged rock
it worked well for me
the new rock has some alage on it but it's to be expected

 

[rogergolf66]

I don't have aged rock though

 

[RRaider]

Where did the dry rock come from? Personally, based on my own experience, I would cycle the dry rock in another container first, then make the move.

 

[JT3069]

[QUOTE I have half the rock will be dead rock the other half will be rock from the current 65][/QUOTE]

the rock in the 65, is live cycled rock, live rock that has been in a system with a biolaod,
has massive bacteria colonization.

you could do what Rraider said to help with the alage that will grow on the new rock

 

[rogergolf66]

Yes I know that is an option but I really want to setup the aquascaping and have the cycle take place with no coral in it.

The question is will the sps be ok in a large tube with no live rock just a skimmer?

 

[JT3069]

hard to say i've seen it work, then again i've seen it not work
so i say 50/50 chance.
just test,test and test the crap out of the tub you put them in and make sure they stay in a healthy environment

 

[RRaider]

So you want to put all of your corals and fish in a tub with NO biological filtration while your tank cycles and you want to know if it will work? I wouldn't do it, but if you are serious it depends on how often you are prepared to do large water changes (daily imo) with water that matches so you don't have large swings in chemistry. Even then, i'd be nervous.

 

[glennr1978]

It can be done. There's a thread around here somewhere with a tank that has no liverock at all, just little tile tower sort of things.

 

[kaserpick]

It can be done. There's a thread around here somewhere with a tank that has no liverock at all, just little tile tower sort of things.

Those tiles work similarly to live rock; they provide surface area for bacteria. In other words, the tile towers are providing a home for biological filtration.

Like Rraider said, you'll need to be prepared to do large water changes frequently. I did it in a 30g breeder for emergency reasons; everything did fine until I missed 2 days without 50% water changes. Corals starting going downhill quickly.

There might be more creative options using bacteria dosing and skimming. Now, I'm wondering if heavy bacteria dosing would work.

 

[rogergolf66]

Those tiles work similarly to live rock; they provide surface area for bacteria. In other words, the tile towers are providing a home for biological filtration.

Like Rraider said, you'll need to be prepared to do large water changes frequently. I did it in a 30g breeder for emergency reasons; everything did fine until I missed 2 days without 50% water changes. Corals starting going downhill quickly.

There might be more creative options using bacteria dosing and skimming. Now, I'm wondering if heavy bacteria dosing would work.

Yes I had planned on using bio pellets too that I have running on current tank but a week ago my pump died and I didn't know it so they rotted and died.

 

[plyle02]

Roger,
Your best % shot IMO would be to make the move swiftly as you can. I would move all corals and fish to a bin with tank water, all rock to a bin with tank water. While doing this, make sure you have all the additional water needed ready, just make sure the params match. Next, put down your sandbed in the new tank, assuming you are going to have one. I would then design the stucture with new and existing rock until you are satisfied. After that, I would take the bin with rock and water and move over into the new tank, at this point, make sure the new tank can run with enough water that the filtration is able to run. Let this run until the water clears a bit, then add the corals and fish, and simply remove water as necessary to you are at the level you want in your sump. Now, everything is moved over, hopefully only a 2-3 hour process. Over the next several weeks, I would add a bacteria source to seed the new rock, skim on the wet side to remove organics quickly, run fresh carbon, and maybe cut the photoperiod back a 1/3 or so. I have done this myself on 2 occasions in the past with little cycle and ill effects on corals and fish... GL

 

[rogergolf66]

Thanks for all your advise. I will post later on after I deside what I will do and I will post my results as well.

This is going to happen soon as the old tank will be picked up Sunday. By the way the dead rock was killed by me. I bleached it then gave it acid bath. Then it sat in a tub with pump moving water and I swished the rock in fress rodi water and put new water in the tub ever day for a week. That being said I think the worst of the rock has already been done out of the new tank.

Roger