Moving and upgrading thoguhts?

[Mini4x]

I am moving really soon, and will be most likely setting up my 75g tank, or getting something 50ish gallon depending on how dimensionally challenged the new apartment ends up. Any thoughts on "moving in" my exsisting setup (25g with about 25lb live rock, 2 ocellaris, a psudeochromis, BTA, many misc inverts. Am I just better off starting fresh with the new tank? or can i jumpstart it somehow with my current tank? Just not sure the best approach.

 

[nitrofish]

use many buckets and transfer as much live stuff to the new tank, this will cut down on cycling time

 

[Mini4x]

I hope to use my current tank as a 'fuge' but going up 3x the volume, not sure the safest way to accomplish this for my reef friends.

If i were just moving the current tank this would be much eaiser.

 

[nitrofish]

why not just setup the existing tank temporary till you have the 75 gall setup

 

[Mini4x]

why not just setup the existing tank temporary till you have the 75 gall setup

Probably the best solution and about 95% sure this will be the route I end up going.

 

[Ray]

How much stuff is in your tank now? I moved my 75 to a 120 overnight. Use NSW if you can to start up the new tank that will help alot

 

[Mini4x]

Stuff in my tank...
2 ocellaris, a psudeochromis, BTA, many misc inverts.

Need to decide about my tank.. I think it's got a tempered bottom so the bottom can't be drilled.. might look into drilling the backside.. so many ideas, I don't know what to do!

 

[NateHanson]

Personally I think the safest way, if you can do it, is to set up the new tank about 2 weeks before breaking down the old tank. Do a water change from the old tank, and use the 10g you remove to partially fill the new tank (fill the rest with fresh mixed SW). Put your sand in the new tank, allow it to settle, put some fully cycled rock in your new tank (a couple pieces from your current tank, and new pieces that you've cured ahead of time in a tub with a heater). Wait about a week, then start transfering 5 gallons of water between the tanks every day or every other day. After doing that a couple times, move all the livestock and rock to the new tank.

That's how I moved from my 30 to my 65 (granted it was in the same house). I had no losses or unhappy livestock. It's a bit more work than just dumping it all in, but there are a lot of people who have lost a lot of livestock when they moved, so I think it's worth the extra effort and care.

 

[ScottM]

Personally I think the safest way, if you can do it, is to set up the new tank about 2 weeks before breaking down the old tank. Do a water change from the old tank, and use the 10g you remove to partially fill the new tank (fill the rest with fresh mixed SW). Put your sand in the new tank, allow it to settle, put some fully cycled rock in your new tank (a couple pieces from your current tank, and new pieces that you've cured ahead of time in a tub with a heater). Wait about a week, then start transfering 5 gallons of water between the tanks every day or every other day. After doing that a couple times, move all the livestock and rock to the new tank.

That's how I moved from my 30 to my 65 (granted it was in the same house). I had no losses or unhappy livestock. It's a bit more work than just dumping it all in, but there are a lot of people who have lost a lot of livestock when they moved, so I think it's worth the extra effort and care.

They key is to re establish the bacteria in the new setup.
if you have a significant amount of live rock going into the new setup, the time to re-establish can be reduced but IMO not eliminated.

 

[Mini4x]

I am looking at some "used" live rock from a friend.. should help out alot. but need to figure out the plumbing first and foremost.