Changing a Tank Over

[MaggieH]

Hi All,
I recently bought a new tank and I want to swap my current tank to the new much bigger one. Which is the best way to do this without killing anything.

 

[dopey]

I recently went from a 37L to a 220L system.

I considered a few ways:
1.) Fully cycling the new tank before moving anything.
2.) Moving over rock+fish after new tank is filled/temp/salinity.

I'd imagine #1 is objectively the safest approach, but I went with #2.

I filled the new tank, ensured temp/salinity matched. My rockscape included a space for the 37L tank's rock. I moved over the rock/corals then the fish.

I monitored ammonia daily for the first 7-10 days, and did water changes every other day or so regardless what tests read as. I did see a mini cycle/ammonia, but saw no stress or issues with the fish. I also dos'd a bacteria in a bottle for the first couple weeks.

I do not know if I got lucky or if this is a good method to follow, it did work for me. My logic was it be basically a large water change since I was moving the live rock aka filtration, I wasn't increasing fish and greatly increasing the water volume.. so I thought it should work. I did not move the sand.

 

[MaggieH]

I recently went from a 37L to a 220L system.

I considered a few ways:
1.) Fully cycling the new tank before moving anything.
2.) Moving over rock+fish after new tank is filled/temp/salinity.

I'd imagine #1 is objectively the safest approach, but I went with #2.

I filled the new tank, ensured temp/salinity matched. My rockscape included a space for the 37L tank's rock. I moved over the rock/corals then the fish.

I monitored ammonia daily for the first 7-10 days, and did water changes every other day or so regardless what tests read as. I did see a mini cycle/ammonia, but saw no stress or issues with the fish. I also dos'd a bacteria in a bottle for the first couple weeks.

I do not know if I got lucky or if this is a good method to follow, it did work for me. My logic was it be basically a large water change since I was moving the live rock aka filtration, I wasn't increasing fish and greatly increasing the water volume.. so I thought it should work. I did not move the sand.

OK, so thats what I was thinking. The tank is larger but not by vast amounts, Im going from a 3ft 150 litre to a 4ft 190 litre. I dont want to use my sand either as its fine coral sand and blows around the tank with the current and it frustrates me. So I was going to get more live rock together with what I already have and use courser crushed coral. So it looks like my logic isn't so off center atm I only have 3 fish 2 clowns and a beautiful file fish and I dont intend adding anymore until I can make my mind up what I want to add next

 

[NY_Sea]

i have done this before with an almost 100% success rate.
make sure you use all of your current tank water and rocks.. Then add the new water with temp and salinity to match. add the new rock. You will have a small cycle because of the new rock but a couple of water changes and the 3 fish should be ok. Good luck

 

[MaggieH]

i have done this before with an almost 100% success rate.
make sure you use all of your current tank water and rocks.. Then add the new water with temp and salinity to match. add the new rock. You will have a small cycle because of the new rock but a couple of water changes and the 3 fish should be ok. Good luck

I am very nervous about doing this as the 3ft is only 5 months old, but its just not big enough to be the forever home as I want more rock surface and places for the fish to chillax, that extra foot is visually more appealing. I

 

[monti mike]

I recently went from a 37L to a 220L system.

I considered a few ways:
1.) Fully cycling the new tank before moving anything.
2.) Moving over rock+fish after new tank is filled/temp/salinity.

I'd imagine #1 is objectively the safest approach, but I went with #2.

I filled the new tank, ensured temp/salinity matched. My rockscape included a space for the 37L tank's rock. I moved over the rock/corals then the fish.

I monitored ammonia daily for the first 7-10 days, and did water changes every other day or so regardless what tests read as. I did see a mini cycle/ammonia, but saw no stress or issues with the fish. I also dos'd a bacteria in a bottle for the first couple weeks.

I do not know if I got lucky or if this is a good method to follow, it did work for me. My logic was it be basically a large water change since I was moving the live rock aka filtration, I wasn't increasing fish and greatly increasing the water volume.. so I thought it should work. I did not move the sand.

I did almost the exact same thing minus the bacteria dosing. Everything was just fine including my anemone and sps coral. Congrats on the upgrade! Exciting!

 

[MaggieH]

I did almost the exact same thing minus the bacteria dosing. Everything was just fine including my anemone and sps coral. Congrats on the upgrade! Exciting!

I wasn't planning on doing it so soon, but I saw the tank second hand for AUD 25, way too good of a price to walk away from, and its in good condition too

 

[Backreefing]

I upgraded from a 37 gallon to a 90 gallon. I reused all gravel and rock . I do add more gravel to the old aquarium weeks in advance. To have as much cycled gravel as possible. I used the same filter media and all .
Things went great . And no cycle or any loses . Sps tank .

 

[Backreefing]

I searched for upgrade threads for information . Here is mine.

I finally got the upgrade done

This weekend I finally got my 37 gal to a 90 gal upgrade done . It’s been a couple days and everything seams well . the aquarium is a mostly SPS tank . It’s got a few acropora and Several montipora, and two birdsnest corals . Oddly my bird of paradise looks happier then it did in the old...

www.reef2reef.com

 

[MaggieH]

I searched for upgrade threads for information . Here is mine.

I finally got the upgrade done

This weekend I finally got my 37 gal to a 90 gal upgrade done . It’s been a couple days and everything seams well . the aquarium is a mostly SPS tank . It’s got a few acropora and Several montipora, and two birdsnest corals . Oddly my bird of paradise looks happier then it did in the old...

www.reef2reef.com

thank you