Upgrading to 70g need help

[bucfan]

I currently have a well stocked 28g nano that is thriving. Due to space issues I have to move up to a larger tank. So here are my questions:

1. Do I need to establish and cycle the new tank independently and wait 6+ weeks before moving anything? If doing this I was planning on using some of my established tank water and sand to speed up the process. If so how much water and sand should I use from the old tank. And how do I know when the cycle is done?

2. If I use the above method then I'll have to move all my corals in one day after the new tank is set. That's because I'll need to move my AI lights over to the new tank. Or can I use my old MH lights over my new tank and place the AI over my new tank and then move things gradually? Will a switch from AI LEDs to MH on my old tank cause any problems? Or should I buy an extra LED stunner strip to place over my old tank?

3. How many corals can I move in one day? Can I just move the whole tank over (this would be preferred)? I am planning on getting more LR (mostly base rock) for the new tank so I will cycle that in first.

4. Should I get mostly dead rock for the new tank as base and use one of my current bare LRs to set up the new tank?

 

[CJO]

Unfortunately, you should go through the whole cycle with the new tank. Using water and sand from your old tank won't help much. If I were you, I'd get the new tank set up with new sand, the new base rock and put in a 1/2 cup or so of your old sand and a piece of live rock from your old tank.

You can run the new tank with the metal halides while it cycles. After the cycle is complete (really complete), you can move the rest of your live rock, coral and fish at once. Be sure to acclimate them because there will likely be differences in parameters between the two.

CJ

 

[MentalNote]

When I have upgraded my tank I simply transferred the inhabitants over. As long as your bioload remains the same I don't see why your existing liverock bacteria population can't handle the load.

I recommend curing whatever new rock you are adding outside of the system. I prefer reefsaver rock from BRS if you have to buy rock. I still cure it for a few weeks but that is only for my own sake, I don't think it really needs it.

I would not move the sandbed over. Too much detritus and risk of starting an algae bloom by stirring it all up. I would start with new fresh sand - it will get colonized by bacteria from the live rock.

Also, make sure you take this opportunity to swish your old rocks in a separate bucket before moving them, you will be amazed how much detritus is build up on them.

 

[rjcranor]

I went from a 29 gallon to a 50 I just transferred my stuff over and topped it off with freshly made mix

 

[stingray 125]

I went from a 55 to a 125 and moved all rock, sand and critters in they all seemed to do fine, but every case is different.

 

[Just Clownin Around]

If you have the opportunity to let it cycle I would and then move everything over. If not I would use a culture starter formula to give your system a bump

 

[ultramafic]

I recently moved all of my 135 over to my new 220 and i used new sand, 75% new water and 25% old water along with all of my live rock corals and fish in 1 day. I scrubbed off most of my rock (Algae issues) and believe i took away a lot of good bacteria with this. In my new tank all of my corals were thriving happy and healthy within a day, but i lost a good portion of my fish. Fish are still struggling and its been a month. I basically started a new cycle by depleting most of my bacteria. what was the question again?

 

[DaveA]

I hooked up the new and old tanks via a common sump for a while. I had dry rock in the new tank. When I move some live rock from the old tank over, the dry rock colored up with coralline algae very quickly.

As for sand, you need at least SOME of the old sand to seed the new sand. Other than that, I don't know whether stirring the detritus by transferring the same would be harmful or not.