Tank upgrade help with swapping over

Zoran · Aug 15, 2020

My current tank is RSR 350 sandless mainly SPS that had been running for 18 months. I was lucky enough to purchased a used RSR 750 XXL that come with all equipment that I will be using and a lot of very nice live rock that has been neglected i.e green hair algae, aiptasia etc. Both tank are currently sitting next to each other.

Here are my questions below;

1. I plan to use all water and filter media from my current tank to the new tank. Old tank water + rock is 350L and I have mixed up 400L of fresh salt water with matching salinity & parameters. Will the new tank go into a mini cycle?
2. Should I only use my live rock for now or do I need to add more live rock as the system is larger. I don't plan to buy any fish or corals for a while till the system is running smoothly
3. The live rock given to me as mention is very neglected. It has been sitting in the open air for 6-8hrs, I have placed them in a brute with saltwater + powerhead over night. Is it safe to use now?
4. The neglected live rock has nasty aiptasia and green hair algae on it. Is it safe to add into the new tank and let the tank slowly deal with the green hair algae? I plan to cut off the rocks that the aiptasia is sitting on or deal with it later with aiptasia x/peppermint shrimp etc

If anyone who has done the swap with success, I am happy to hear your story/method also.

Thank you all in advance

GoVols · Aug 16, 2020

Just wan to point out one thing and hope others will add their content.

I rescaped and brought in some old live rock that was stored in my garage without curing it.

Well,
It's kinda been like a reboot and I'm going through a lot of those stages like a new reef goes through.

MaxxuM · Aug 16, 2020

Nice find! I've gone from 40g to 120g when moving years back. It wasn't fun at all.

The shock of going through a new cycle would likely lead to a mass increase of aiptasia and green hair algae should always be avoided. I wouldn't risk it. I'd scrub it clean and toss it into a can with fresh RODI for 2-3 days. Re-scrub it, then let it dry for another week. Then I'd place it into a clean trash bin with fresh salt, dump a bottle of BIO-Spira or similar product and feed it for 2-3 weeks. Only after it cycles would I use it. There's no rush, right? I'd also consider using a little of your old rock in the new bin as well as some bio-media like Matrix or bio-bricks to strengthen your biological filtration once you move. If you take these steps and wait that month whatever cycle you do have should be minor and short.

JasenHicks · Aug 16, 2020

I'm glad you asked this question because I am going to be doing the exact same thing. I have an Eheim Pro 4+ canister with the bio-pellets and ceramic rings in the 2 and 3 spot of the filter and unfortunately, since my new tank/old tank have to swap over rather quickly (its in my office with limited space and I need to do it over a weekend day) I plan on doing the following:

1. Set everything up for the new tank at the house and get the plumbing and everything dialed in/verified leak free.
2. Make 20-30 gallons of new saltwater (since my current setup is only 8 gallons and the new is going to be 15+sump.
3. Fill the new tank with the new water, put the new bio media I picked up in my fuge setup and take every ounce of bio-pellets and ceramic rings into loose mesh bags and toss them into the fuge too so I have a good "instant" bio-filter with little/no die off that can seed the rest. I'll leave it all in for at least 6 months.
4. Move the fish and few zoas/shrooms I have over to the main tank.
5. Monitor daily and Skim liberally to keep the bioload as low as possible.