upgrading tank

Hello again. My question is what would be the proper/safe way to upgrade to a larger tank, I have got a 72 gal BF that I am going to change out to a 120 gal. The new tank will go where the old tank is currently. I want to do the swap with as little loss to fish and corals as possible. My thought was to break down the old tank and move it. set it back up before setting up the new tank. I will be using most of my old equipment but I do have extra pumps and an old sump that I can use. I'll be using most of my old LR and my sump with a fuge but will be putting in new live sand and will be adding more Live rock in the new tank. Do I need to wait before moving corals and fish and if I do how long. I am sure some of you may have been through this and any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

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

hello Yamaharider
This should help you

Steve

 

Thanks the info will be very helpful

 

Looks like a good article. Best of luck and congrats on the new tank

 

welcome
the Coral Reefer article explains it really well

having recenly swapped tanks - (same size just replacing a badly scratched one)

I threw out my sand - rather than worry about releasing stuff from it and having parameter spikes etc , I just dumped it and started with new sand
keep a couple of cups of it to seed new sand is a good idea

other than that

1)simply make some new salt water ( 20 gallons plus)
2) have some holding tanks, tubs for your corals while moving things across
3)start filling new tank with water from old tank
4) add new base rock
5) add new sand/ plus some of the old sand
6) move the old rocks across
7) top up level as required to ensure corals placed are submerged
8) add corals
9) replace and run equipement
10) lager and curry.


Thats how I would do it (did it)

 

I will be doing the big tank shuffle soon as well.

Luckily my 90g is in the same room as the 193 will be, but not in the same place. I will be getting new sand as well. I have heard too many bad stories have been told when you try to use all the old sand. Of course you want to save a good amount of the old sand for the new tank, and you can wash and dry the old stuff out for future bigger tanks, but if you dig deep enough is where you can get in trouble.

Remember to wash your new sand out to keep the "dust"in your new tank to a minimum.

I would plan on having enough newly made saltwater on hand for the size of tank you are upgrading to. You might have extra new water by the time you use the water int he tubs from your corals and rock, etc, but IMHO, you can't have enough new SW for a tank swap.

In your case, I would make 60g of new SW to have just in case. That should be 1 brute trash can wort or similar vessel.

Me, I could probably get away with 2 trash cans full.