Need advice please

[jnj97]

It's about that time to upgrade my tank. I'm currently running at 55 with hob filters. I'm upgrading to a 125 with a 55 sump. I'm going to be transferring all the live rock, sand and water from the existing 55 to the 125. I also adding 4 bags on new live aragonite to the 125. How do I do this without causing a cycle??? Any input or advice would be helpful. Thanks in advance

 

[tomtom2245]

There is no way really that I know of to avoid a mini cycle at least. With that much stirring up of the tank, you are going to have a bunch of nutrients and gunk stirred up. The best way to help lessen that may be to avoid transferring all of your sand. I would start with mostly new sand but mix in just a few cups of the old stuff and then rinse your live rock in some old tank water before transferring over to the new tank.

 

[jnj97]

Thank you

 

[madweazl]

I keep my sand pretty clean by vacuuming it every couple months. I've transferred live sand once with no impact to the new tank (tank looked like it was about to spring a leak so I had to swap it).

 

[cromag27 Verified Sponsor]

I would vacuum the sand really well. even if you do stir up a bunch of nasties, the live rock should prevent a new cycle. after everything's moved over I would do a quick ammonia test.

 

[jason2459]

Your cycle should be fine IMO. I upgraded my 55g to a 180g. Transferred everything out of the 55 to the 180 and added more sand and rock. The bioload is the same and you're transferring over the bacteria.

One thing that could cause issues is if the new rock added is uncured rock with lots of organics ready to decay. If you're added dry rock I would look at soaking in a bleach solution, rinse really well, soak in a muriatic acid solution, and rinse well.

I also wouldn't waste money on live sand. IMO

 

[stevo01]

Good advice already given here. I'll be doing the same soon, going from established 20g to fresh 65g with a 40b sump. In this situation we may just skip a cycle. The cured sand and rock have plenty of bacteria to make up for the new live sand and dry rock being added. I plan on using live water out of the 20g as well.

Good luck Miss!

 

[jason2459]

Oh, and to add if you're running a deep sand bed in the 55 I'd transfer over only the top layer. If you see black patches or smell rotten eggs leave it.

 

[tomtom2245]

One more thing, get some Prime and use that during the move.

 

[Salty1962]

I would not transfer any of your old sand, there's just too much junk that could be transferred and cause you issues. New live sand has the same bacteria you'd be getting from your old sand without all of the issues. If you transfer over your LR, that's going to be the major portion of your good bacteria. I tried to do this one time and it caused me so many issues I had to re-start the tank over again, major pain. You also need to, as mentioned, monitor your ammonia and nitrites for the first few days no matter which way you elect to go. I did what I've mentioned with my current tank and after a week added some of Dr. Tim's ammonia to verify that my system was able to handle a bio-load. After 2 weeks my tank was ready to go. JMO

 

[jnj97]

Thanks everyone!!! The sand isn't bad at all. Just upgraded from a 20 to a 55 in february. (Unfortunately the corals got to big to fast lol) so time for another upgrade lol.

 

[jason2459]

There's a lot of microfauna in the sand that I would want transfered over. I would have no issue in transferring some over minus what I already mentioned.

I also would not purposefully dose ammonium of any kind just to see if it will cycle.

 

[Jude135]

I'm getting ready to upgrade as well, from my 30 gal to a 90 gal with a 40 gal sump. One of the LFS's is going out of the marine side of business and offered his LR for $4 a lb. Any cautionary advice is welcome. I'm currently having to kill off Aiptasia every week or so in my 30 gal tank and so fear using that rock in my new tank. In July I gave away probably 100 bucks worth of LR that was just covered in the critters. I scrubbed the tank and treated the rock in a high salt bath, but the anemones are back, just at a more manageable level. I'd appreciate any ideas about this as well. Do lots of folks have them? Do I just keep them under control or is eradication possible.

 

[Scott.h]

I just moved a 110 from home to work last week. Shake the rocks off as you pull them out. Once the tank is emptied from rock and fish take advantage of all that water and vacuum away. It will be clean enough by the time you run out of water. I stored the sand in buckets full of tank water while I was resetting everything up. I emptied the extra water out of the buckets before dumping the sand back in. Filled the tank with water, and let settle overnight yesterday. Nitrates tested about 2.5 after 24 hours of running. Monday I'll put the fish back in.

 

[Scott.h]

I'm getting ready to upgrade as well, from my 30 gal to a 90 gal with a 40 gal sump. One of the LFS's is going out of the marine side of business and offered his LR for $4 a lb. Any cautionary advice is welcome. I'm currently having to kill off Aiptasia every week or so in my 30 gal tank and so fear using that rock in my new tank. In July I gave away probably 100 bucks worth of LR that was just covered in the critters. I scrubbed the tank and treated the rock in a high salt bath, but the anemones are back, just at a more manageable level. I'd appreciate any ideas about this as well. Do lots of folks have them? Do I just keep them under control or is eradication possible.

one drop of joes juice in the center will do the trick. Certain fish such as copper banded butterflies are known to eat them, but it's a harder fish to keep.

 

[Matthew]

Peppermint shrimp eat aiptasia (and are common/cheap), also Berghia nudibranchs eat aiptasia but are less common.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

It's about that time to upgrade my tank. I'm currently running at 55 with hob filters. I'm upgrading to a 125 with a 55 sump. I'm going to be transferring all the live rock, sand and water from the existing 55 to the 125. I also adding 4 bags on new live aragonite to the 125. How do I do this without causing a cycle??? Any input or advice would be helpful. Thanks in advance

It won't cause a cycle. Live rock and live sand is cycling. That's a cycle.
Stirring up funk causes weird algae growth and cyano blooms. Rinse the sand well or toss it. rinse the live rock well. Ther may be a time of settling and ph stuff due to new rock at sand in the seawater. But for the most part easy to do. Just fight the detritus.
I love my canister filter btw. Floss only it's like a shop vac for the reefer. Clears a lot of funk out fast. $60 on Amazon by sun sun.

 

[Sharvey103]

Sand is to cheap to risk an issue. Throw out the old and start with new live sand. Rinse off you rock really well with the old tank water and you should be fine. I have never had very good luck no matter how much I rinsed the old sand before transfer.

 

[jason2459]

I personally would not and did not rinse the sand or rock. I see no issues with just moving the rock and top layer of sand.

 

[oldcrusty]

It's about that time to upgrade my tank. I'm currently running at 55 with hob filters. I'm upgrading to a 125 with a 55 sump. I'm going to be transferring all the live rock, sand and water from the existing 55 to the 125. I also adding 4 bags on new live aragonite to the 125. How do I do this without causing a cycle??? Any input or advice would be helpful. Thanks in advance

I did the same thing back in March found after removing the fish and corals that my live rock had trapped so much waste that I replaced most of it as well as all new sand. It dawned on me that I was basically starting a new tank, I bought a couple of bottles of Fluval Cycle and used it as directed checked my parameters daily and never wet through a new tank cycle fish and corals did great! Completely cleaned out the original tank and replaced sand and live rock used the fluval cycle on it and moved my nano tank inhabitants to it, Only difference was the bio material in my wet dry filter was original no new. Easiest saltwater tank set ups I ever had since myfirst tanks in 1979.