Need to move to new tank asap

Rodolfo Garcia · Mar 3, 2019

Hello guys, i have a little issue. I’ve had my 20 gallon (tall) reef tank running for 2 years now. Unfortunately it is leaking out real quick. I have a water mess on my floor. I dont plan on upgrading tank size. I bought a brand new 20 gallon (long) which i heard is better for fish and more spacious for corals and live rocks than a tall tank. How do i go about swapping everything? The quicker the better for me. Its a pretty low tech tank. Low as in the only things i run in it is hang on back filter for a 60 gallon tank, a heater and two power heads. I do weekly water changes and all my corals are thriving including an anemone i got 5 months ago. I only have a pair of clownfish in there and i plan on buying new sand and more live rock. Since the tank is long i can fit more live rock in it. I just dont know how to go about moving everything. Please any ideas would be greatly appreciated.

Alexreefer · Mar 3, 2019

I would use some of your old sand and some of your old water. Try to keep everything I water as much as you can. you want everything to stay alive or you might have to go through your cycle again. I would fill the tank halfway with water and then start placing rocks and sand. I would add some bacteria like microbacter7. Just trying to keep everything the exact same as the old tank to keep stability. Keep us posted. Also what brand tank was it? How did it crack?

Jon Fishman · Mar 3, 2019

For a tank that small, I am betting you could just pretty much siphon/bucket the water over, scoop substrate, net/pour fish etc..... just a complete "pour from one to another"

You will be running your old filter etc right? Re-use all the water etc minus maybe 5 gallons etc, and consider it a water change.

Alexreefer · Mar 3, 2019

Dont over think it and dont rush. Rushing can lead to a bigger mistake.

Sod Buster · Mar 3, 2019

Get a couple plastic tubs and work fast. Put everything in the tubs, take old tank down and put the new one up with new saltwater. Transfer everything that was in the old one out of the tubs except the sand, leave that in the old tank.

sfin52 · Mar 3, 2019

yep four or five 5gal buckets empty all the water as possible into the buckets. Take the sand out move to the new tank put rocks hob ph and fish into new tank your good to go

Rodolfo Garcia · Mar 3, 2019

I dont want to use any of the old sand guys. I mixed two different sands the first time and it made the sandbed look kind of unpleasant. I think i like the idea of using the same water from the old tank. I am placing the same live rock though as many of my corals have attached to them and plus i dont want to get rid of them. I am buying a few more pounds though and yes i was planning on using the same hang on back filter.
Honestly i have no idea how the tank cracked . It just started leaking water a few days ago . And its leaking it out pretty quick.

Rodolfo Garcia · Mar 3, 2019

So from what it seems, there is absolutely no issue with just transferring everything to the new tank? Since i guess im not upgrading tank size just tank dimensions. How can i go about adding new live rock, can i just go ahead and add it?

KrisReef · Mar 3, 2019

don't add any new live rock now. Move old rock to new tank with fish and water and let these stabilize for a month before you add anything new.

sfin52 · Mar 3, 2019

Rodolfo Garcia said:
So from what it seems, there is absolutely no issue with just transferring everything to the new tank? Since i guess im not upgrading tank size just tank dimensions. How can i go about adding new live rock, can i just go ahead and add it?

Thats what I do

sfin52 · Mar 3, 2019

Alexreefer said:
I would use some of your old sand and some of your old water. Try to keep everything I water as much as you can. you want everything to stay alive or you might have to go through your cycle again. I would fill the tank halfway with water and then start placing rocks and sand. I would add some bacteria like microbacter7. Just trying to keep everything the exact same as the old tank to keep stability. Keep us posted. Also what brand tank was it? How did it crack?

Sound advice

Rodolfo Garcia · Mar 4, 2019

Thanks guys. I really appreciate all the help.

Sod Buster · Mar 4, 2019

I doubt it will cycle with 2 year old live rock from his old tank and 2 clown fish. Be efficient moving things over so they don't lose temp or get dry. That is why water in the new tank is important, right out of the tub and into proper temp water.

Slim64684 · Mar 4, 2019

I just went through the same thing. Tank got a chip in the front glass. Replaced a 20 long with another. I reused my sand as tank had only been set up since November. I siphoned out as much water into a bucket for coral, fish, inverts and into jugs to hold the rest. Once water was out of tank i moved it out of the way and pit new tank in place. Moved rocks from old tank to new, moved sand, started refilling. Added fish, coral, inverts back and was done. Took about 30 mins total.