i'm looking to upgrade my current fo 55 w/ 20 gal sump, to a 75 w/ 20 gal sump. i have about 85 pounds of live rock. i have a crushed coral substrate about an inch and a half deep in the current 55. what would be the best way to transfer everything over to the 75, or will it be way to much of a hassle.
just when i thought i couldn't spend anymore money
- Thread starter ded08221
- Start date
Cool beans! Are you happy with your crushed coral? What about a 75g with a 55g sump? 
When I moved everything from my 75 to my 180, I had the 180 filled up with water, added the sand, and through (most of) my LR into the 180. After testing parameters for a few days, I added the lifestock.
When I moved everything from my 75 to my 180, I had the 180 filled up with water, added the sand, and through (most of) my LR into the 180. After testing parameters for a few days, I added the lifestock.
I went from a 30 gallon to a 55 in one day. I got new florida crushed coral. Rinsed it, and put it in the tank. Took my sand bed from the 30 gallon and put most of it in the 55, the bottom layers were nasty, those went to the garbage.
Turned the light off on the smaller tank so as not to freak the fishes out. Siphoned a small amount of water from the 30 to the 55 to cover the substrate. Mixed up about 30 gallons of new saltwater in a trash can. Took ALL the rock out of the 30, and put it in the 55 how I wanted it. Pumped all but what was needed for the fish to breath out of the 30. (this equaled out to about half of the 55 gallon.) moved the fishes from the 30 to the 55 (since it was the same water.) Put the new water in the 55 (making sure the params were matched.) Saved the excess water from the garbage can and put some airstones in it for next water change. Moved the overflow (I have a poopey hangon) and the filter. Done in about 9 hours. I had no spikes after I did this (at least that I found.) and EVERYTHING that I put in is still alive. You could probably do pretty much the same thing and be a little bit safer then what I was due to the fact that 45-50 gallons of old water would make up more of a percentage of the total volume of water in the tank (newld ratio.) But be sure if you do this to reuse as much of your old substrate as you can. But this is all contingent on using the same filter also. If you switch filters I WOULD not attempt it this way. Someone will probably warn you against doing it the way I did, and I probably would warn you too. But, this is just what I did and what I found in my experience. you are free to do as you wish.
Turned the light off on the smaller tank so as not to freak the fishes out. Siphoned a small amount of water from the 30 to the 55 to cover the substrate. Mixed up about 30 gallons of new saltwater in a trash can. Took ALL the rock out of the 30, and put it in the 55 how I wanted it. Pumped all but what was needed for the fish to breath out of the 30. (this equaled out to about half of the 55 gallon.) moved the fishes from the 30 to the 55 (since it was the same water.) Put the new water in the 55 (making sure the params were matched.) Saved the excess water from the garbage can and put some airstones in it for next water change. Moved the overflow (I have a poopey hangon) and the filter. Done in about 9 hours. I had no spikes after I did this (at least that I found.) and EVERYTHING that I put in is still alive. You could probably do pretty much the same thing and be a little bit safer then what I was due to the fact that 45-50 gallons of old water would make up more of a percentage of the total volume of water in the tank (new
ld ratio.) But be sure if you do this to reuse as much of your old substrate as you can. But this is all contingent on using the same filter also. If you switch filters I WOULD not attempt it this way. Someone will probably warn you against doing it the way I did, and I probably would warn you too. But, this is just what I did and what I found in my experience. you are free to do as you wish.Sponsor Reefs
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