Tank upgrade!! Not sure how to go about doing this

[Natescorals]

Drill that tank and put in an over flow box. Turn it into a real reef.

Can I drill glass?

 

[Hemmdog]

Can I drill glass?

Yeah, it’s very easy, youtube a video or ask for details when you are ready to do it. I drilled my 40 breeder, it was so easy. I use this overflow and it came with the drill bit that works on glass.

Eclipse M Overflow Box (800 GPH)

Quiet, Slim, Plug & Play The Eclipse aquarium overflow system consists of a slim black box that is mounted inside of your tank and a clear external box that mounts outside of your tank, to transport water down to your sump with as little noise generated as possible. The DIY project only takes a...

www.bulkreefsupply.com

 

[Gabriel Trifa]

What is special grade?

Its a type of live sand from Carib Sea

 

[Hemmdog]

What do you guys think about Caribsea live “black sand”

NO! Never!!! They should legally not even be allowed to call that sand. It’s chunks of mystery metals.

 

[Natescorals]

Here is what I did in a nut shell:
Cycle additional rock in a plastic bucket
Get a brute or plastic tote and drain 1/2 of the water
Remove rock/coral/fish and inverts. Avoid stirring up sandbed if possible
Pull out sand and toss it. Keep 1 cup to seed if you desire
Setup the new tank with new sand and let it settle for a day or two
Test, top off and change water in the holding brute/tote
Move everything over

Tank shouldn't cycle as the established rock should keep you going. Cycle any additional live rock for atleast 2 weeks in the bucket.

I’m afraid of leaving my fish and corals In a brute container for that long

 

[Natescorals]

If you are using the same live rock, you don't even need cycling. Most people here would say you should use new sand. Just transfer the rocks, add new sand, add some water from the old tank and top off with new salt water, plug everything in, check parameters and transfer livestock

But there are corals attatched to every single rock

 

[Eleni18]

But there are corals attatched to every single rock

well it does not matter! You transfer rocks and corals, the whole thing to the new tank, add the sand and salt water and you are ready to go

 

[OrionN]

You make it sound easy haha

It is easy. You should finish it all within a few hrs. The corals won’t even be stressed. Make sure salinity and temp match well when you transfer the animals.

 

[Katrina71]

+1 new sand. Go 40g imo.

 

[Natescorals]

+1 new sand. Go 40g imo.

What type of sand?

 

[Katrina71]

What type of sand?

Look at Caribsea special grade. Not black!!!

 

[ylreefer]

I recently upgraded from a 110g to 170g while moving house. Granted the new tank was in place empty before I started. At the end of the day its just like doing a big water change.

What I did was
Pre filled 50% of the new tank with new salt water and heated this up to operation temp.
Turn off all equipment.
Drain as much water as poss into plastic srorage boxes
Added a heater and airstone in each. (I have spares)
Removed all rock and placed into the stored water, plus any corals.

Placed the rocks & corals into the new tank and used the water they were in to top up the new tank. Box by box until all rock and coral were in. (I'll add here that my salinity, pH and alk were a match for the current tank)

At this point I added the new sand (old tank was bare bottom) followed by fish acclimation then in they went.

The water the fish were in was discarded as it would have had ammonia build up possibly.

Then new tank was topped off by the new sw mix I had prepared. Ultimately just like doing a big water change. I dropped the heater into the DT and powerhead just to keep the animals happy while I took my time installing all remaining equipment

Points to note,
1. make sure you have more new salt water then you think you needheated to the tanks temp.
2. Plan ahead
3. Take your time.

I managed all without loosing anything so I was happy. All in all. It took 6 hours.

 

[Natescorals]

I recently upgraded from a 110g to 170g while moving house. Granted the new tank was in place empty before I started. At the end of the day its just like doing a big water change.

What I did was
Pre filled 50% of the new tank with new salt water and heated this up to operation temp.
Turn off all equipment.
Drain as much water as poss into plastic srorage boxes
Added a heater and airstone in each. (I have spares)
Removed all rock and placed into the stored water, plus any corals.

Placed the rocks & corals into the new tank and used the water they were in to top up the new tank. Box by box until all rock and coral were in. (I'll add here that my salinity, pH and alk were a match for the current tank)

At this point I added the new sand (old tank was bare bottom) followed by fish acclimation then in they went.

The water the fish were in was discarded as it would have had ammonia build up possibly.

Then new tank was topped off by the new sw mix I had prepared. Ultimately just like doing a big water change. I dropped the heater into the DT and powerhead just to keep the animals happy while I took my time installing all remaining equipment

Points to note,
1. make sure you have more new salt water then you think you needheated to the tanks temp.
2. Plan ahead
3. Take your time.

I managed all without loosing anything so I was happy. All in all. It took 6 hours.

Beautiful! Thank you

 

[ecamden]

Hey I’m currently using a cheap glass 20 gallon long and I want to upgrade to acrylic possibly 29 or 40 gallons. Any ideas on how I can go about doing this without killing anything? How do others do this and what exactly is the process of this? Is this even possible?

I would avoid acrylic personally. I have a 180g acrylic aquarium that the coraline has gotten so encrusted I'm moving everything to a glass tank of similar size. It scratches really easily and is way more difficult to keep clean. The advantage of acrylic however (what convinced me to go acrylic in the first place) is weight, potential clarity, and better insulation.

 

[Natescorals]

Where should I position my powerheads in the new tank? It’s going to be a few inches taller do you think it’s better to have surface flow? Or should powerheads be more towards the bottom of the tank?

 

[Natescorals]

I recently upgraded from a 110g to 170g while moving house. Granted the new tank was in place empty before I started. At the end of the day its just like doing a big water change.

What I did was
Pre filled 50% of the new tank with new salt water and heated this up to operation temp.
Turn off all equipment.
Drain as much water as poss into plastic srorage boxes
Added a heater and airstone in each. (I have spares)
Removed all rock and placed into the stored water, plus any corals.

Placed the rocks & corals into the new tank and used the water they were in to top up the new tank. Box by box until all rock and coral were in. (I'll add here that my salinity, pH and alk were a match for the current tank)

At this point I added the new sand (old tank was bare bottom) followed by fish acclimation then in they went.

The water the fish were in was discarded as it would have had ammonia build up possibly.

Then new tank was topped off by the new sw mix I had prepared. Ultimately just like doing a big water change. I dropped the heater into the DT and powerhead just to keep the animals happy while I took my time installing all remaining equipment

Points to note,
1. make sure you have more new salt water then you think you needheated to the tanks temp.
2. Plan ahead
3. Take your time.

I managed all without loosing anything so I was happy. All in all. It took 6 hours.

Hey why do I need an air stone what’s the point of that?

 

[Natescorals]

Hey also In the 20 gallon tank I have right now I’m using Fiji pink sand. When I do the upgrade can I mix a little Fiji pink with the special grade? Or should I just get all new Fiji pink with the new tank? I’m trying to decide on special grade or Fiji pink

 

[ylreefer]

Hey why do I need an air stone what’s the point of that?

You need some circulation in the containers that are housing the fish for oxygen exchange. ideally for corals a small power head to circulate the water and keep the temp stable.

If you don't have spare powerheads you can use airstones with an air pump to circulate the water.

 

[Natescorals]

You need some circulation in the containers that are housing the fish for oxygen exchange. ideally for corals a small power head to circulate the water and keep the temp stable.

If you don't have spare powerheads you can use airstones with an air pump to circulate the water.

Could I put the rocks and corals in an old 10 gallon tank and add a powerhead? Instead of using a brute can

 

[ylreefer]

Hey also In the 20 gallon tank I have right now I’m using Fiji pink sand. When I do the upgrade can I mix a little Fiji pink with the special grade? Or should I just get all new Fiji pink with the new tank? I’m trying to decide on special grade or Fiji pink

As for reusing the sand I've never really made a tank swap before this one. But if I did I would definitely use some of the old sand as it will help to seed the new sand with all the benificial bacteria.

Depending on how long your current tank has been running and how deep your sand bed is you maybe able to use all of it after a rinse in tank water.

If your not sure or can't decide id definitely syphon off the top layer, wash in tank water and reuse that on the new tank. Just remember not to disturb the entire sand bed before you have all life stock and as much water or as possible. As once you disturb the sand whatever water is in the tank at this time won't be usable, and you really want to keep as much as possible.