HELP- suggestions/opinions

[NaCl H2O StL]

I recently found a crack in the bridge of my 46g bowfront. It has been running for about 18 mos. I have decide to upscale a bit and go to a 55g. I have gotten mixed opinions on whether or not I can just transfer everything over to the new tank without a spike in ammonia. Is it safe or not?

I have 2 starfish, 2 clowns, hippo tang as the fishes and mostly mushroom corals along with about 50-65lbs of live rock.

Another opinion was that i could put rock, fish and corals in a sand-less temporary 30g aquarium and wait for the new tank to cycle. could i just circulate this tank with a couple of circulating pumps?

PLEASE HELP.

Thanks,
Jim

 

[Gwiz3005]

This is very doable in one day. I had may 120 moved from one house to another recently. Just ditch your current sand bed and use new sand and make alot of new water just in case you need it (I'd recommend one of the live sands to minimize your cycle). Move the fish and coral to a temp home - rubbermaid, airstone and pumps etc. Move the rock to the new tank and add the sand and water. Get the system running for a little while (couple hours), then acclimate your fish. Done!

 

[thirty5]

You can def just move it all over, but i would recommend that when you actually move it all, make sure that you as you drain the tank you put the rock right back into water in buckets. Do not leave the rock out in the open while you are working with it.

I recently moved my 28 to another room in the house, while i did not have to change the sand bed, it is still a move. Make sure that everything stays in water to prevent die off.

Adding live sand in this situation I also agree with, will help minimize a cycle if you even have one. But be prepared for frequent water changes, and test the system often after the change.

"just my 2 cents"

 

[sponge127]

This is very doable in one day. I had may 120 moved from one house to another recently. Just ditch your current sand bed and use new sand and make alot of new water just in case you need it (I'd recommend one of the live sands to minimize your cycle). Move the fish and coral to a temp home - rubbermaid, airstone and pumps etc. Move the rock to the new tank and add the sand and water. Get the system running for a little while (couple hours), then acclimate your fish. Done!

Why would I not want to use the sand already in my established tank ? I have been wanting a larger tank also . On my 46 bow my brace is cracked all the way threw in the front corner .Looking for a 60 in. long .

 

[KathyC]

I recently found a crack in the bridge of my 46g bowfront. It has been running for about 18 mos. I have decide to upscale a bit and go to a 55g. I have gotten mixed opinions on whether or not I can just transfer everything over to the new tank without a spike in ammonia. Is it safe or not?

I have 2 starfish, 2 clowns, hippo tang as the fishes and mostly mushroom corals along with about 50-65lbs of live rock.

Another opinion was that i could put rock, fish and corals in a sand-less temporary 30g aquarium and wait for the new tank to cycle. could i just circulate this tank with a couple of circulating pumps?

PLEASE HELP.

Thanks,
Jim

Putting the fish/rock/coral into a temporary tank while your new tank cycles is really the same as just putting it into a new tank...both will start to cycle, so you may as well just move it all to the new tank. The cycle will be minimal, as mentioned, check you ammonia levels daily for a couple of weeks and react immediately if you see a spike.

I would change out the sand bed when you make the switch.

+1 with Thirty 5 on making sure the rock absolutely stays submerged when you switch tanks.
Make sure you have a source of aeration for the fish if you are putting them in a temporary tank for the day wile you make the move!

More than anything - you might want to consider this...if you are going for the 4' length of a 55G - I would sincerely suggest you step it up to a 75G tank as the difference of the 6" in tank width is HUGE!
A 55g has got to the the HARDEST tank to aquascape due to the 12" width, they pretty much all look like a wall of rock and end up having lousy circulation as you have no choice but to pile the rock along the rear wall, or have minimal rock in 2 or 3 'designer' columns.

Add to that you mentioned a Hippo Tang...he would really appreciate a tank with the room he deserves to thrive (considering you are building this home for your FISH )

 

[sponge127]

Sorry to ask ,but why change your sand ?

 

[KathyC]

Sorry to ask ,but why change your sand ?

Sand beds tend to deteriorate with all of the garbage that falls down into them (...think detritus settling under the rocks due to poor flow within the aqua-scaping). At 18 months old and completing a tank switch anyway, it's a great opportunity to put in a new sand bed.

Have you ever stirred the area of a sand bed that is rarely disturbed and seen the plume of yuck that comes out of it? Ewww.

Some folks with long running tanks will remove their sand bed in sections ( 1/10th or 1/5th at a time..) over the course of a month or more and replace it with new sand to minimize the impact to their water quality of what has been absorbed in there over time.

 

[sponge127]

So then when I move into a larger tank than my 46; I should not use my sand and supplement with new to make up the difference in tank size . The sand plum settles after a while.
My first set up I went with crushed coral,then a clean bottom ;then finally live sand.I have snails in my sand as part of my cleaning crew.Like my name a sponge,a sponge for info thanks.

 

[FlyTekk]

This is precisely why i dont use a sand bed. Especially not a dsb. Half inch to an inch for asthetics i guess is fine if u must have the sand look. Reason why u have to change sand is cause its packed with garbage. So why keep the sand in the first place? Also ive read about how sand can store other things. And when u disturb it a quick change in the ph occurs in the sand bed and those things that were stored may be released all in one shot.

Its like a ticking time bomb. Dont want to turn this into a sand or no sand thread just trying to let u know why everyone is telling u to leave the sand and get new one.

Also disturbing the sand by syphoning or shoveling will probably kill some of the animals inside the bed which will also cause a cycle.

Why build ur house over a ticking time bomb?

Can u tell i hate sand! Lol. Love the look though. :0)

 

[slytsi]

I don't want to hijack this thread, but I have the same questions and concerns.

I am upgrading from a 47 gallon to a 90 gallon and am trying to figure out the how to move everything over with the least interruption to my environment. Right now I have about 4-5" sand bed, some fine sand mixed with argonite and would like to re-use it. It is teeming with life, pods, stars and other things. I am very concerned about wasting not just the material, but the lifeforms that have grown up in this mature tank.

Can I just repurpose this sand bed in the fuge instead? Then I can add new sand to the display tank. The fuge seems like the best place to keep these critters and shouldnt cause a big mess in moving it due to the slow water movement through the fuge. Is this doable?

-Justin

 

[budddman]

I went from a 40 breeder with no sump to a 50 reef ready in a few hours. I did most things as stated above ie keeping fish in rubbermaid tubs or buckets, keep rock submerged as much as possible. However i did reuse most of my old sand. I layed most of it down in the new tank and then covered it with a few bags of new sand. I never had any problems or ill effect

+1 on 75 gal over 55gal, its a huge difference

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[mbg75]

Agreed, don't bother with a 55. Go 75

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