Upgrading to 300 gallon from 125...need suggestions.

[Ben Seaver]

Hello, I currently have a 125 gallon reef tank, been going for about a year and a half. Absolutely addicted beyond belief, immediately dived head first into this hobby, it's been an interesting first year to reefing and I can definitely say I learned a lot. Now to current situation, I found a 300 gallon set up, drilled, that I can acquire. My question is, what is the best way to get this new system going which would yield the best results when I transfer rock, coral and fish from current tank. I'm thinking I need to fill the new tank 100% and let it run for a bit before adding anything? I do have a couple of media bags in my sump that I can add to new system to seed it.

Is there anyway to avoid having to wait? Would it even be possible to add all the water from current system and fill the remaining with new water the rest of the way? I would obviously have to add all livestock immediately, I feel that might stress the corals and fish out too much? I mean the temperature of the new water would have to match of course, but what about adding that much freshly mixed water would that remove too much beneficial stuffs that it would kill fish & coral?

I know the answer I'm pretty sure but I'm hoping to short cut it..lol.

On a side note I currently have a sand bed but am contemplating going bare bottom, that way I can let my power heads rip full blast and reduce dead spots without kicking up sand... kind of a constant annoyance. Any opinions against that?

Any input is greatly appreciated.

 

[tdileo]

You should be okay. Make sure you use the same salt when adding the rest of the water and get all your params as close as possible, but especially temp, PH, and DKH (Alk).
You really won't want to reuse your sand after siphoning it up. It will very likely just start releasing nutrients. Just transfer over the rocks and corals, then fish shortly after them. I strongly suggest that if you don't mind the look you put down egg crate instead of full on bare bottom, just incase something falls it will hit that and not smash right through the glass.
I would put in your media bags and if possible a few pieces of rock from your current tank, add your hardiest fish and wait a bit. Since the bacteria is there it should support the fish just fine. Then add everything else

 

[Gweeds1980]

I would fill the new tank half way with new water, match pH, temp, salinity and alk. Leave to run for a few days to get all equipment dialled in etc. Then put fish and corals into a container, move over all the rock, chuck in a bottle of Dr Tim's or atm colony etc. Then move over all fish and corals.

I'd give everything a good blow in old tank water first.

Then fill up with old water, topping off with new if necessary.

Bare bottom has it's benefits... reduces cyano, easier to clean, can have more flow etc.

Personally I prefer a sand bottom. In my 320g I mixed fine grade with some coral gravel and it doesn't fly about... I have a jecod cp55, 3 x 6000lph and 2 x 20000lph wavemakers and the 6000lph return on full throttle.