Tank upgrade

[Austin J Vatalaro]

I recently just got back into the hobby after a few years due to my 75g reef tank breaking in the process of moving it. My question is; I currently have a 20 gallon all setup and going on my 3rd week of cycling and already regretting not going bigger to begin with because my stocking ideas are very limited. Can I add a few fish and inverts into my tank and maintain it for a few months and then transfer it all into a 55g down the road without any issues? Or am I better off turning the 20g into a 55g right away?

 

[Billldg]

Welcome to R2R!!! I personally would just go ahead and start the bigger tank now to get it over with. Good Luck either way.

 

[nautical_nathaniel]

Welcome to R2R!

You could do that as long as the fish are small and get along well together in limited space. I would not pack it full of fish though. You could also start off on the right foot by using the 20 as a quarantine tank since it takes a while to quarantine fish. By the time they are ready you could have your 55 set up and ready for fish.

 

[Retro Reefer]

 

[mike werner]

Welcome to the family!! 55!55!55!

 

[dbl]

Welcome to R2R and your new reefing family.

 

[Austin J Vatalaro]

Thanks guys! So say I do decide to use my 20g for a few months. Would I be able to just transfer the fish, inverts, live Rock and water without any major spikes. Or would I have to cycle the 55g from scratch?

 

[4FordFamily]

Welcome home, you will love it here!

Bigger is better (more forgiving), but do whatever you’re comfortable with.

Keep us posted with your build with tons of photos, in any event!

 

[mich2599]

Welcome to R2R!

 

[Ruben's Reef]

!!! Welcome to R2R and back in the hobby !!!

 

[KJ]

Welcome to R2R!!!

 

[ngoodermuth]

You could also start off on the right foot by using the 20 as a quarantine tank since it takes a while to quarantine fish. By the time they are ready you could have your 55 set up and ready for fish.

This was my exact thought! Perfect, have your QT all ready to go.

Welcome to R2R!

 

[Captain Quint]

Welcome to R2R and thanks for the questions as it has already set you up for greater success.

One other thing to consider....a 75g

A 75g will really make a huge difference with it not being as narrow as the 55g. You would not be disappointed and have years of enjoyment.

Just a thought.

 

[Triquatics]

Welcome to R2R! I would start the bigger tank sooner than later!

 

[Skynyrd Fish]

Welcome! Start thinking of the future you three to five years. Buy stuff for that so your not upgrading all the time. Saves money in the end. A 55 is nice, but all the equipment will work great on a 120. Food for thought.

 

[BedrockIOMC]

I would go bigger and turn the 20gal into a sump for a bigger tank

 

[PDR]

Welcome to R2R!

 

[Bleigh]

This support group will always have your best interest at heart. We will ALWAYS advocate for bigger better tanks to fuel your addiction! I like the idea of upgrading and using the 20 gallon as a QT.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Not only " Bigger is better", but the larger tank will be more forgiving and have larger capacity for use and stocking.
Now is also fitting to Welcome you to the group.

 

[Salty Lemon]

I transferred my stuff over from my 60 to my 210. 55 is a great size, but if you want a 48" tank, why not just purchase a 75 while you are at it -- or a 90. Oooh! You could just purchase a 120! See...we can do this all day. Just don't overstock your 20 with livestock -- but you can add some extra rock to it to get the cycling process started and ready for the transfer. I had about 100 lbs of already cycled rock ready to go in my 60 when I set up my 210. Then I attached a canister filter to it for a few weeks that was also already running on my 60. My tank cycled really quickly because of all of this. After it cycled, I pulled off the canister filter and it was ready to go. Welcome to R2R! You are going to love it here.