upgrade: just add LR, fish, corals? How To?

yep.. Im excited/scared.. the thought of losing $1k+ in livestock is terrifying..

 

Oohhh I'm so excited!!! Keep us updated and post pictures!

 

oh, you know I always post pics!

 

Alright!! I'm so excited for you! Can't wait - and good luck!! Your fish are going to love their big new home!!

 

Plan, plan and plan some more and it will go smoothly.

 

checklists are what I like for procedures of this nature and this is how I would do it if it where me lucky enough to be going over double in size on an upgrade

if the new tank is going to be in a different location to existing tank - easy option
1- locate new tank - with additional equipment - PHS heater etc
2 - fill the new tank 60% full with new salt water and mix for 1 week
3- add new sand bed (throw the old one away as most mini cycle problems come from there IMO) and additional base rock to make the tank look full
3 - one week later, have some large buckets, holding tubs next to existing tank
4- syphon water from existing tank into holding tanks and as water level gets high enough add your corals to there
5- once corals are removed - syphon balance of water into buckets and add to new tank
6- move the rock from existing tank into new tank - leave 1 inch of water and sand bed and throw this away
7 - start adding water to new tank from holding tubs and start with lower level corals
8 - finish moving water and live stock - then order beer and pizza

if the new tank is going to be in same location - procedure is almost the same
but you need more tubs/ holding buckets -

1- make up 40 galllons of new salt water 1 a couple of days prior to move
2- remove all your contents except sand and last inch of water from old tank and place in buckets/ holding tubs
3- out with the old- in with the new
4- add new 40 gallons of water
5-add new sand bed and new rock - if you get base in either case - you dont have any potential cycle issues - and your existing live rock will soon colour up the new base rock.
6- begin transfering water from holding tubs and as level gets high enough, start adding the rock from existing tank into the new tank
7 - continue excercise making sure that you move as much old water as possible and only add corals once it becomes apparent that the removal of more water would leave them expossed to air
8 - finish of with beer and pizza

thats how I would go about it in either scenario

Steve

 

Loving that last step. And this is one time that it definitely needs to be last.

 

Hey - no updates! How did it go?! I'm sooooo curious!!