Upgrading and Need Help!

[BonnieB]

My problem is I just made the decision to go from a 32.5 AIO to a 100g…an awesome problem in that my tank is already outgrowing itself and I need more room for growth.

So I’d love some solid, tested advice on how to do this responsibly and hopefully lose no one but definitely as little as possible.

I have fish, inverts, CUC, softies and lps. I want to move everything slowly. My plan so far is to get the new tank cycled and then go forward transferring an “inch” at a time, no matter how long it takes, from hardy to most delicate.

What would you recommend?

 

[joseserrano]

Sounds like you got an effective plan

 

[pledosophy]

If the new tank is cycled and you are moving the rocks from your old tank, your life will be pretty easy.

If you want to be extra careful after the 100g tank is cycled start doing a 5-10g water change on your 30g a day replacing the water from the 30g with water from the 100g. Then clean water into the 100g.

If you do that for 3 days it will almost be like you are drip acclimating the fish/coral over days.

Usually it is the microfauna and bacteria that take time to build, but the rocks from your 30g will help a lot. Get rid of the sand.

 

[BonnieB]

If the new tank is cycled and you are moving the rocks from your old tank, your life will be pretty easy.

If you want to be extra careful after the 100g tank is cycled start doing a 5-10g water change on your 30g a day replacing the water from the 30g with water from the 100g. Then clean water into the 100g.

If you do that for 3 days it will almost be like you are drip acclimating the fish/coral over days.

Usually it is the microfauna and bacteria that take time to build, but the rocks from your 30g will help a lot. Get rid of the sand.

That is awesome advice! Thank you!

 

[drexel]

This is why I keep genesis blocks in all of my tanks, instant tank cycle when needed. Seed the tank with established sand and rubble/rock from you current tank or a healthy, clean system. If you want some free monti cap, just lmk and I'll give you some pieces. I need to clear my tank of all montis.

 

[BonnieB]

What is

This is why I keep genesis blocks in all of my tanks, instant tank cycle when needed. Seed the tank with established sand and rubble/rock from you current tank or a healthy, clean system. If you want some free monti cap, just lmk and I'll give you some pieces. I need to clear my tank of all montis.

What are Genesis blocks?

 

[Discotu]

It sounds like your new tank will be in a new spot so that takes care of 80% of your headache. There are many ways to do this but this is what i would/have done. Setup the new tank with new sand/rock and filter system. Run it until the initial cloudyness clears up. Double check salinity. On your next water change for the 30g sand vac 5g to siphon up all the nice detritus. Then dump this into the 100g. This will spread throughout the tank and seed everything. If you can spare sand toss that in too. Then I would order a new cleanup crew and add to the tank. Let the cycle being! Honestly once the 100g is fully cycled there should be no problem transferring the livestock from the 30g directly over. Its a lot more water volume so it can handle the new bioload. However, since you can have both tanks running at the same time you can go at you pace. Good luck!

 

[rishma]

Good advice given. After the cycle I’d let the new tank soak with some rock and sand from the old one for a couple of weeks and then make the move all at once. The couple of weeks is not science, but that’s what I’d do.

 

[drexel]

What is

What are Genesis blocks?

Polyp Lab makes a ceramic media block that will act as a bio filter when seeded in a mature tank.

https://www.polyplab.com/products/genesis-rock


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[drexel]

It sounds like your new tank will be in a new spot so that takes care of 80% of your headache. There are many ways to do this but this is what i would/have done. Setup the new tank with new sand/rock and filter system. Run it until the initial cloudyness clears up. Double check salinity. On your next water change for the 30g sand vac 5g to siphon up all the nice detritus. Then dump this into the 100g. This will spread throughout the tank and seed everything. If you can spare sand toss that in too. Then I would order a new cleanup crew and add to the tank. Let the cycle being! Honestly once the 100g is fully cycled there should be no problem transferring the livestock from the 30g directly over. Its a lot more water volume so it can handle the new bioload. However, since you can have both tanks running at the same time you can go at you pace. Good luck!

This is a solid plan, but the only thing I would change is adding the CUC. They should be added when they’re needed, otherwise they’ll starve in a new tank with no food (algae). Once you see diatoms and algae growth, then I would add the appropriate amount of CUC. Don’t add CUC based on your size tank as some vendors advertise/offer bundles based on tank size. Instead, buy the animals needed for the particular algae or chore. Most people will pay for these tank bundles, only to have half of these animals starve to death because there’s nothing to eat or there are too many snails/crabs and not enough algae. Unless you’re turning on a shit-ton of light all at once, it’s completely unnecessary to do this.
I’ll also repeat my previous advice, buy the reef aquarium volume(s) 1 and 3. Or buy the conscientious marine aquarist by Bob Fenner. I’ll also add this, the more coral you can put in the new tank at once, the better.


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[BonnieB]

It sounds like your new tank will be in a new spot so that takes care of 80% of your headache. There are many ways to do this but this is what i would/have done. Setup the new tank with new sand/rock and filter system. Run it until the initial cloudyness clears up. Double check salinity. On your next water change for the 30g sand vac 5g to siphon up all the nice detritus. Then dump this into the 100g. This will spread throughout the tank and seed everything. If you can spare sand toss that in too. Then I would order a new cleanup crew and add to the tank. Let the cycle being! Honestly once the 100g is fully cycled there should be no problem transferring the livestock from the 30g directly over. Its a lot more water volume so it can handle the new bioload. However, since you can have both tanks running at the same time you can go at you pace. Good luck!

That is exactly what I was wondering. Will be using new sand, adding new rock and filter. I’m glad you said the bioload will be handled by the bigger tank. I was also thinking just like you said of using some of the water and put in CUC and pods. I’m glad you wrote me and affirmed my thinking, I do have a question about moving the corals. A bit at a time? They’re all attached to their rocks.

Polyp Lab makes a ceramic media block that will act as a bio filter when seeded in a mature tank.

https://www.polyplab.com/products/genesis-rock


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Thanks Again!

 

[BonnieB]

This is a solid plan, but the only thing I would change is adding the CUC. They should be added when they’re needed, otherwise they’ll starve in a new tank with no food (algae). Once you see diatoms and algae growth, then I would add the appropriate amount of CUC. Don’t add CUC based on your size tank as some vendors advertise/offer bundles based on tank size. Instead, buy the animals needed for the particular algae or chore. Most people will pay for these tank bundles, only to have half of these animals starve to death because there’s nothing to eat or there are too many snails/crabs and not enough algae. Unless you’re turning on a shit-ton of light all at once, it’s completely unnecessary to do this.
I’ll also repeat my previous advice, buy the reef aquarium volume(s) 1 and 3. Or buy the conscientious marine aquarist by Bob Fenner. I’ll also add this, the more coral you can put in the new tank at once, the better.


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OK now I see what you’re saying about having CUC when there’s nothing to eat. My LFS would never let me buy anything in bulk. They’re more of a step at a time place, which is helping me learn to do it well with as little loss as possible.

 

[Discotu]

if you seed the new tank using the method i describe above (more gunk/detritus the better) all that stuff with stick to everything and will jump start the cycle. It will also help develop biofilm which cuc can consume. it's also easy to feed hermits fish food so no worries there. Like drexel said don't overdo it. Personally i like using cuc during the cycle vs fish.

regarding moving corals, assuming the new tank is FULLY cycled its up to you. you can move everything over at once or piece by piece as you figure out your aquascape. depending on the coral, you can break them off at the base and reattach to your liking. I do it all the time. I use a long flathead screwdriver and chisel the base of the coral to loosen then reattach using a combo of putty and CA.
look foward to your progress! post pics!

 

[Jimbo327]

So if you setting up your new tank is another location than your current tank sits, then it is much much easier. You can cycle the new tank with new sand and other additional rocks, and once it is ready, you can just move the old rocks with corals over at your own pace. May be a good idea to move the easier corals over first. Depending on your new aquascape, you may need to move / chisel corals off of rocks and move it to the new scape. Or if you like your old scape, then just move the whole rock over. If you don't have SPS, I would just move everything over at once. If you have SPS, then you might want to go a bit slower as they are more sensitive to their environment like PAR, flow, etc. If it is starter SPS like digitata or monti, then I just move it over at 1 time, they live through everything.

 

[drexel]

I can give you some free monti cap to start when you're ready, just reach out. I need to rid my system of all montis.

 

[Discotu]

I have freebies too when youre ready

 

[OldReefGuy]

I can give you some free monti cap to start when you're ready, just reach out. I need to rid my system of all montis.

@BonnieB

I would take him up on that....his coral don't sux........

 

[jrrob98]

This is why I keep genesis blocks in all of my tanks, instant tank cycle when needed. Seed the tank with established sand and rubble/rock from you current tank or a healthy, clean system. If you want some free monti cap, just lmk and I'll give you some pieces. I need to clear my tank of all montis.

Genesis blocks? What are those? Thanks

 

[drexel]

Genesis blocks? What are those? Thanks

See post #9 in this thread, there’s a link.


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[OldReefGuy]

an if you need softies, I have to cull my kenya's again