Tank Transfer

Balanje · Dec 7, 2017

Hey guys,
I've been a long time lurker but I finally have a question that I don't think has been asked so I'm taking the plunge to throw my hat into the reef2reef community. So first off, thanks for all the info you've already unknowingly given me!!

I'm not a total newbe... I've kept a 30 gal reef tank for about 18 months. I've recently decided to upgrade to a 90 gal tank and I've been cycling for just over three weeks now. I have recently started the Red Sea mature reef starter kit and i'm through the initial ammonia spike. I have about 50 lbs of dry rock curing in the tank. I would like to start to add my live rock from my old 30 gal (I have about 30lbs of rock in there) in order to help seed the new tank with the denitrifying bacteria. The old tank is still running but I will break down once transfer is completed.

Here's my question (sorry for being long winded): With probably another 2 weeks remaining on my cycle, how much rock can I pillage from my 30gal without harming the fish still living in there? I have 2 clowns, 1 bangai Cardinal, 1 starry Blenny, 1 file fish and 1 neon Goby. I also have minimal coral; red mushrooms and green star polyp, which i wouldn't move until cycle is complete. Could these live in a tank with say only 5-10lbs of rock for a few weeks without issue?

Thanks for the help!

Tahoe61 · Dec 7, 2017

Sure, just check ammonia, do not over feed the 30 gallon and do routine water changes.

Brew12 · Dec 7, 2017

Balanje said:
Hey guys,
I've been a long time lurker but I finally have a question that I don't think has been asked so I'm taking the plunge to throw my hat into the reef2reef community. So first off, thanks for all the info you've already unknowingly given me!!

I'm not a total newbe... I've kept a 30 gal reef tank for about 18 months. I've recently decided to upgrade to a 90 gal tank and I've been cycling for just over three weeks now. I have recently started the Red Sea mature reef starter kit and i'm through the initial ammonia spike. I have about 50 lbs of dry rock curing in the tank. I would like to start to add my live rock from my old 30 gal (I have about 30lbs of rock in there) in order to help seed the new tank with the denitrifying bacteria. The old tank is still running but I will break down once transfer is completed.

Here's my question (sorry for being long winded): With probably another 2 weeks remaining on my cycle, how much rock can I pillage from my 30gal without harming the fish still living in there? I have 2 clowns, 1 bangai Cardinal, 1 starry Blenny, 1 file fish and 1 neon Goby. I also have minimal coral; red mushrooms and green star polyp, which i wouldn't move until cycle is complete. Could these live in a tank with say only 5-10lbs of rock for a few weeks without issue?

Thanks for the help!

How much algae do you have in your system?

If you had a healthy macro/microfauna population that would directly consume the ammonia I would feel better about running that little.

Otherwise, things like flow, rock shape, and porosity all impact how much rock would need to remain behind.

One other thing to think about. If you don't have ammonia currently in your new tank, and the live rock is enough to maintain all your fish in the 30g, you could move everything over right now and be just fine. Well, as long as your new tank is stable as far as parameters.

Balanje · Dec 7, 2017

Hm, interesting... parameters on the new 90 gal tank currently (just finished testing):

Salinity: 1.024
Ph: 8.4
Am: 0
Nitrite: 0 (down from 2.0 on 12/3)
Nitrate: 10 ppm
Ca: 450
dKH: 9.8
Mg: 1600

I've always tested 0's for Ammonia and Nitrite on my 30 gal. I have definitely had my battles with green hair algae cyno over the past 6 months but it's fairly under control at the moment. All my rocks do have this red "gloss" over them, but I hear that is actually a good think. I'm not sure...

I have always had an issue with high Nitrate and Phosphate on the 30gal...

My fear is that i'm dosing with Bacto-Start and Nitro-bac (the Red Sea stuff) which could introduce Ammonia, right?

Brew12 · Dec 7, 2017

Balanje said:
Hm, interesting... parameters on the new 90 gal tank currently (just finished testing):

Salinity: 1.024
Ph: 8.4
Am: 0
Nitrite: 0 (down from 2.0 on 12/3)
Nitrate: 10 ppm
Ca: 450
dKH: 9.8
Mg: 1600

I've always tested 0's for Ammonia and Nitrite on my 30 gal. I have definitely had my battles with green hair algae cyno over the past 6 months but it's fairly under control at the moment. All my rocks do have this red "gloss" over them, but I hear that is actually a good think. I'm not sure...

I have always had an issue with high Nitrate and Phosphate on the 30gal...

My fear is that i'm dosing with Bacto-Start and Nitro-bac (the Red Sea stuff) which could introduce Ammonia, right?

Nope, they wont add ammonia. If you want you would be fine transferring all your live rock over and the fish right along with them. You can either keep with the Bacto-Start and Nitro-bac or stop, up to you.

Nothing wrong with waiting it out, but no real reason to imo.