Upgrading from a 70 to a 250 gallon....transition tips!!!

[Lousybreed]

I am looking for help with the transition from an established mixed reef (becoming SPS dominant). My 70 is too crowded and I am setting up a separate 250 gal DT. My question is what tips can you give me on the transition. Already planning on letting all the dry rock sit in the new system for two weeks before the transfer. The rock has been conditioned via rainwater and outdoor exposure. There is no remanining dried out hitch hikers on the rock. I don’t want to lose any coral, hell I want zero rebound time where the corals stop growing and adjust.

 

[Lasse]

Based on my experiences I would simply fill up the new aquaria with new mixed salt water but leave a free volume of about 70 gallon (or the amount of water you have in the old aquaria). Let it run – as you already plan – for a while with the new rocks in. When it’s time for the move – just empty your old and put the water into the new aquaria, rinse the sand somewhat (not 100 percent clean but try to get out the organics)

If you want to do it a little more complicated (and maybe a little bit easier for the corals) you could take out 10 gallon (or so) from your old every day – put it in the new tank, mix and fill up your old again with the mixed water – repeat daily for a week or two. The day for the final move – just move your corals, rocks, fish and other organisms. Let the water clear up – transfer most of the clear water to the new tank. Clean the sand somewhat and put it in your new tank.

Sincerely Lasse

 

[Lousybreed]

That makes a lot of sense. I like the idea of doing the slow transfer over for a week and then move everything at once. I will try it out. I am going to switch from kalk to a calcium reactor but I plan on using kalk to start with so my levels stay constant.

 

[Leslie Tabor]

I am following along! I am doing an upgrade from a 120g to a 318g! Good luck to you!!

 

[Lousybreed]

Another thing I will try is to scrape all the coralline algae off the tank walls, pulverize it, and spread it on the new rock in the new tank. I want to learn this as best I can, my next tank will be a 900-1000gallon DT. That is scheduled in 2021....

 

[Leslie Tabor]

Another thing I will try is to scrape all the coralline algae off the tank walls, pulverize it, and spread it on the new rock in the new tank. I want to learn this as best I can, my next tank will be a 900-1000gallon DT. That is scheduled in 2021....

Holy Hannah! I am looking forward to your posts in 2021!!

 

[Lousybreed]

Holy Hannah! I am looking forward to your posts in 2021!!

I am going from a 70 gallon to a 250 gal DT with 4 lowboy frag growout tanks. If you aren’t familiar with them they are 2’x4’ and 10” tall. The goal is to have grown out colonies loaded up in the low boys by the time we go to the 1000 so it won’t look like an underwater rocky desert.