JohnJoseph
New Member
Just purchased a 150 gallon. Setup aquascape and water. Adjacent is a 40 gallon that's been established for 2 years. The plan is to transfer everything. Ideas and process?
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JohnJoseph
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Livestock includes 2 true percula clowns, coral beauty, midas blenny, azure damsel, diamond goby and 6 line wrasse
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JohnJoseph
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I used live sand BTW and plan to transfer all live rock from 40
Tired
2500 Club Member
If you transfer your existing live rock, your tank will now be instantly cycled enough to handle that tank's bioload, so you're good there. Don't transfer any existing sand.
Start by taking some water from the old tank (before you stir it up) and putting it in a bucket with a heater, some form of circulation, A LID, and ideally a small rock or other in-tank object to hide behind. Ideally don't fill the bucket all the way, to help prevent jumping out. As you catch mobile livestock, put it in there. Also, make sure the new tank isn't so full that adding rocks (and your arms) will overflow it.
Catch whatever animals you easily can, then begin to move the rockwork into the new tank, piece by piece, catching livestock whenever you get the chance. Preferably catch all the livestock out before you move the bottom rocks, in case there's anything nasty under there. Either set the lid on top of the bucket whenever it's not actively being added to, or be vigilant in monitoring that all the fish in the bucket stay in the bucket. Or both.
Once all the rockwork is settled in the new tank, you should, assuming the tanks are at the same salinity and you've gotten the new tank up to normal temperature, be able to simply pour the fish in. Double-check before doing so that all fish are in the bucket and not on the floor.
Start by taking some water from the old tank (before you stir it up) and putting it in a bucket with a heater, some form of circulation, A LID, and ideally a small rock or other in-tank object to hide behind. Ideally don't fill the bucket all the way, to help prevent jumping out. As you catch mobile livestock, put it in there. Also, make sure the new tank isn't so full that adding rocks (and your arms) will overflow it.
Catch whatever animals you easily can, then begin to move the rockwork into the new tank, piece by piece, catching livestock whenever you get the chance. Preferably catch all the livestock out before you move the bottom rocks, in case there's anything nasty under there. Either set the lid on top of the bucket whenever it's not actively being added to, or be vigilant in monitoring that all the fish in the bucket stay in the bucket. Or both.
Once all the rockwork is settled in the new tank, you should, assuming the tanks are at the same salinity and you've gotten the new tank up to normal temperature, be able to simply pour the fish in. Double-check before doing so that all fish are in the bucket and not on the floor.
Stevorino
Well-Known Member
Just did this myself on Saturday:
In the old tank I slowly moved out the rockwork into buckets as to not disturb sand too much.
One the rockwork is moved into a bucket or two, I filled up some other buckets with ~20% old tank water. Then caught fish and put them in the buckets. Then I drip acclimated them using new tank water.
I had already pre-cycled my new tank rockwork. If you haven't done that, I'd at least temporarily move some of the old rockwork into the new tank before you move the fish.
In the old tank I slowly moved out the rockwork into buckets as to not disturb sand too much.
One the rockwork is moved into a bucket or two, I filled up some other buckets with ~20% old tank water. Then caught fish and put them in the buckets. Then I drip acclimated them using new tank water.
I had already pre-cycled my new tank rockwork. If you haven't done that, I'd at least temporarily move some of the old rockwork into the new tank before you move the fish.
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JohnJoseph
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Only other issue is clowns are breeding, RBTA's are splitting like crazy and I'm not sure what to do. New Tank is cycling
vetteguy53081
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Leave clowns in the 40g tank unless you dont care about the eggs. Utilize some of the old water and feed sparingly and monitor levels the first two weeks. Acclimate the fish to the new tank as if you just purchased them.
The first couple of pages is what I did with similar task you are facing: https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/so-vetteguy-did-it-again-400g-build-thread.952074/#post-10835224
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JohnJoseph
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The goal of purchasing the 150 is to upgrade from the 40 obviously but to transfer everyone over safely. Just want to do so safely
Stevorino
Well-Known Member
Clowns will probably keep breeding in new tank, though it may take them some time to find a new place. If they aren't already hosting one of the RBTAs, this is a good opportunity to force it (I am doing so with my mated pair).
If new tank is cycling, throw some of that existing live rock into the sump or display of new tank. It'll make it insta-cycle if you put in enough.
Tired
2500 Club Member
No need to cycle the new tank, since you're transferring the biofilter of the old. Instant cycle, instant maturity, at least for the number of fish in the 40gal.
You could put a couple chunks of old rock in the new tank with an ammonia source for a week or so, if you want to be overly cautious.
You could put a couple chunks of old rock in the new tank with an ammonia source for a week or so, if you want to be overly cautious.
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JohnJoseph
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Thanks for the knowledge and step by step, really appreciate it Plan on transferring this weekend.
