How do I go about upgrading my tank?

Hi everyone!

So I'm finally getting ready to start up a new tank. My current tank is a 29 gallon FOWLR, that is having some horrible slime algae issues. (which I'm sure I could correct if I put enough effort into it) I'm not happy with how small the tank is, and I'm ready to go for something bigger. Obviously, I want to avoid losing any fish, and I don't want to carry over algae from my current setup to my new tank! I also need to avoid a big cycle.

In my tank now, I have 2 clowns, 1 pajama cardinal, and a blue damsel, all of which have been happily in my tank for a year.

The new tank is going to be 55 gallons (I haven't picked one up yet, but this is the perfect size for my room.) I'm going to set up a fuge, and will also install a phosban reactor to help prevent algae build up.

I will only be carrying over 1 piece of my current live rock, as I hate the way the rest of it looks. I have enough argonite in the 29 gallon to fill maybe 1/2 of the new tank, so I'll have to get some more. My concern is that my argonite bed has a bit of the red slime growing on it (not much, maybe 5-10% of the bed has growth on it)

This is my plan; please help me fill in any holes / correct my mistakes! (I'm sure there will be many)

1. My 29g is where I need to put my 55g. I have a spare 16 G tank that I could clean out, and transfer my livestock into, in order to move my 29 out of the way. Saving the remaining water from the 29 in a Rubbermaid with a power-head to keep it moving.

2. Remove the argonite from the 29, and wash it in salt water to get what little red slime may exist off of it, then place it in the 55 with new argonite purchased from the LFS. (I question this step, because I don't want to get rid of all my year worth of beneficial bacteria, leading to a major cycle... but I also don't want to carry over the red slime to the new tank?!)

3. Place new aquascape consisting of all base rock from reefcleaners, as well as the 1 piece of good LR that I'll be saving from my 29 (which I will also scrub in salt water to get the algae off of.) Add the water I saved from the 29, as well as enough new fresh water to fill the rest of the tank. (but not the sump just yet.)

4. This is where I am confused the most... Is this new set up going to have a MAJOR cycle? Obviously I can expect somewhat of a cycle, but can I just go ahead and drip acclimate my fish to this new water, and then put them in? (at this point the 55 will have been up for around 2 days and should be clear with powerheads and a skimmer running)

I'd appreciate any guidance, or a link to an upgrade thread that will give me some help! I'm not in a hurry.. I still need to purchase the 55, and build the sump, and get a lighting setup. I'm thinking I'll be ready to whip this project out by the end of Feb.

Just want to make sure I'm prepped, and not going to kill any of my fish.

 

i would put new sand in the new tank and then let that sit a couple days and then check your params and then if their good start adding stuff over..you may be able to just add dry sand and then let the water clear and then add..

since your not using the live rock..if it were my tank, i would put all new dry sand, and dry rock, and then you have your cured piece, this shouldnt cause a cycle...plus you get way more dry rock than if you got it cured from the fish store or online..it wont take very long for the rock to be cured..just me tho

also you can put clean salt water, as long as your water params are exact as the 29gal, temp, salinity, etc, etc,..the water doesnt have anything to do with the cycling..new 0rodi saltwater doesnt make your tank cycle..unless you have a bad batch of salt

as far as drip acclimating, if it were me i would drip them a little, but it shouldnt be a problem as long as the salt is the same, and the temp, ph , and other params are exact as the 29gallon..

and yeah like i said earlier, as long as you add dry sand and rock, you shouldnt have a cycle at all with new saltwater exact as the 29..put your cured piece from the old tank and your good to go..