Have a very well established 4' 150. Thinking about going to a 6' 180. I would have to put everything in a Rubbermaid tub. Move tank put new tank in place etc. What's chances on crashing or should I let it cycle then move everything and do a water change with old water. Have 4 tangs ,mandrain,6 line, mated pair of clowns. Thought? Thanks in advance.
Upgrading tank possibly
- Thread starter Ncreefer
- Start date
- Tagged users None
Dub_G
Active Member
I recently purchased a tank that was still up and running and had been up for about 18 months. The guidance that I received was if the sand bed was older than 12 months to toss it out and use new sand.
I followed that advice and had absolutely no cycle whatsoever. I did buy an ammonia badge for the tank just to make sure.
So perhaps you'll need to buy some new sand but otherwise place your live rock and fish in tubs and store as much water from your 150 so you can use the same water in the 180. Then have a water supply ready to complete the "water change" when you switch out tanks.
I followed that advice and had absolutely no cycle whatsoever. I did buy an ammonia badge for the tank just to make sure.
So perhaps you'll need to buy some new sand but otherwise place your live rock and fish in tubs and store as much water from your 150 so you can use the same water in the 180. Then have a water supply ready to complete the "water change" when you switch out tanks.
Brett S
Valuable Member
The bacteria that keeps your tank cycled lives attaches to surfaces... it exists in the rock and the sand and in filter media. There is very little, if any bacteria in the water column and reusing water from the old tank will do nothing to help the new tank cycle. Simply transferring your rock and filter media (if you use any) to the new tank will allow it to cycle immediately. You’ll need to make sure that the rock and filter media stays wet with salt water the entire time.
There is some benefit to reusing tank water simply because the fish and corals are used to the chemistry of that water... the salinity, pH, alkalinity, calcium level, etc. However, just getting the parameters as close as you can and using all new water isn’t too hard on the livestock either.
As I stated above, by transferring your rock you really shouldn’t see a new cycle, however, it would be prudent to keep a close eye on the ammonia level for a while after the move just to be sure that there was no die off or other issues. I might check the ammonia level twice a day for the first few days, then once a day for a week or two. You could also get one of those stick on ammonia badges to help keep an eye on it.
There is some benefit to reusing tank water simply because the fish and corals are used to the chemistry of that water... the salinity, pH, alkalinity, calcium level, etc. However, just getting the parameters as close as you can and using all new water isn’t too hard on the livestock either.
As I stated above, by transferring your rock you really shouldn’t see a new cycle, however, it would be prudent to keep a close eye on the ammonia level for a while after the move just to be sure that there was no die off or other issues. I might check the ammonia level twice a day for the first few days, then once a day for a week or two. You could also get one of those stick on ammonia badges to help keep an eye on it.
Brett S
Valuable Member
Honestly I suspect that most of your existing water will be used holding your fish temporarily.
What I would do is get some big Rubbermaid totes and fill them with tank water from your existing tank. Put the livestock and live rock from the tank in the totes. I would fill them with water before you start moving rocks and trying to catch fish as both of those activities will stir up a lot of junk, so you’ll get cleaner water by filling them first.
One everything is out of the tank, drain it and get it out of the way. At this point the water left in the tank is likely to be pretty gross from everything stirred up by moving the rocks and catching the fish, so I wouldn’t reuse this water.
Put the new tank in place, get sand, water and rocks in it. I would probably go with all new water that you mixed up ahead of time. I wouldn’t reuse the water from the totes that the fish and rocks and corals have been in because that water is likely to be dirty from stuff that was stirred up in the rocks and from fish poop and coral slime and such.
Then add the fish and corals and you should be good to go.
What I would do is get some big Rubbermaid totes and fill them with tank water from your existing tank. Put the livestock and live rock from the tank in the totes. I would fill them with water before you start moving rocks and trying to catch fish as both of those activities will stir up a lot of junk, so you’ll get cleaner water by filling them first.
One everything is out of the tank, drain it and get it out of the way. At this point the water left in the tank is likely to be pretty gross from everything stirred up by moving the rocks and catching the fish, so I wouldn’t reuse this water.
Put the new tank in place, get sand, water and rocks in it. I would probably go with all new water that you mixed up ahead of time. I wouldn’t reuse the water from the totes that the fish and rocks and corals have been in because that water is likely to be dirty from stuff that was stirred up in the rocks and from fish poop and coral slime and such.
Then add the fish and corals and you should be good to go.
Mastiffsrule
Where ever you go, there you are, so be nice 2 you
Only thing I may add if I didn’t see it already mentioned is take this opportunity to do a little cleaning.
Transferring the rock and substrate doesn’t mean you have to take along nitrates. I would leave 1 bucket of water aside to clean off rock and sand as applicable. I did my redo and it worked well. I put a small pump and hose in the bucket, used it as a water jet to hose the rock off to get detris out. I used a strainer for the sand. If sand is to fine there are other ways to clean it.
Be careful if you have palys, use gloves and eye protection
This is what you should expect to see
Transferring the rock and substrate doesn’t mean you have to take along nitrates. I would leave 1 bucket of water aside to clean off rock and sand as applicable. I did my redo and it worked well. I put a small pump and hose in the bucket, used it as a water jet to hose the rock off to get detris out. I used a strainer for the sand. If sand is to fine there are other ways to clean it.
Be careful if you have palys, use gloves and eye protection
This is what you should expect to see
