Upgrading Tank. Have a few questions

My tank has been setup for only 2 months and I plan on upgrading it to a 40G Breeder. I currently have a 20G with Live Sand And Live Rocks, a pair of Occelaris and a CBA and mostly softies.

How would I go about transfering?

Is it safe to transfer the Sand as well or should I just ditch it? Thanks.

 

http://www.3reef.com/forums/reef-aq...g-aquarium-transferring-bigger-one-54342.html

hi Ducktales - all you need to know is contained in the article above

sand - tank is only 2 months old, so no time for anything really nasty to be happening in there so IMO rinse it with a bucket of existing tank water and ditch that water, and you will be ok

Steve

 

Steve,

Thanks! I really didn't want to ditch the sand.

 

I am planning on doing the following, please correct me if something doesn't sound like a good idea.

I will get new substrate, some extra rocks, and put new water in the new tank. I will then let it cycle by adding a piece of rock from my existing tank and a cup of sand. Once it's cycled, i'll move everything over, excluding the sand, to the new tank from the old, including some water. Salinity will be the same and will be checked with a refractometer.

Would this be ideal to keep everything alive?

 

Yes, that will work perfectly, and I agree with only two months on the sand it should be fine with just a rinse.

We're going to need pictures also

 

I changed my mind on the course of action.

So I will probably just add new sand and new rocks, mix some new water(with a different brand of salt) and then just move everything from my current tank to the new tank. I assume the die off will be minimum since they will be exposed to air for no more than 10 seconds.

Can this work or will it still cause a mini cycle? The old sand I plan on rinsing and then adding later on.

 

You're going to cycle whether you want to or not, so it would be much safer to go with the first plan.

 

ducktales

IMO - you will be fine with that course of action
you mean put 20 gallons of new salt water or thereabouts allowing for rock into the new tank
adding rock to new tank (Base rock?) and then moving your existing water and live rock from the 20 to the 40

if so then I believe you will avoid a massive problem cycle
but if you add new Live rock instead of base rock, there may be some die off from that depending where its from and how it travels, etc

Steve

 

True, I didnt think of adding just base rock. I was thinking adding all new LR.

 

yea, its all base marco rocks. this is what i'm adding to the new 40g tank:

20lbs of new base rock.
60lbs of new dry sand (rinsed)
20gallons of newly made salt water
15gallons of old tank water
40lbs of old sand from current system (rinsed with rodi water)
30lbs of live rock from current system
live stock.