Tank Up-sizing

[dlhirst]

Folks, I just ordered a larger tank for my modest coral addiction. I am not as capable at all the plumbing and piece fitting etc that a lot of the tanks out there seem to utilize. My first tank is an "all in one" Red Sea Max 130D, which is a 29G display, with a small 5G sump in the back. I really enjoy it, but I have already outgrown it.

I am getting the larger sized Red Sea Max 250. This is a 66G total water volume tank. Their literature is always a bit of a leap of faith, but I would assume a similar proportion of Display to Sump. Ergo, probably about a 55G display area. There is really only one location in my house suitable for a tank, and accessible to all, this tank will fill it very completely.

So, now I have some questions...

1. The new set up comes with sufficient sand to put about 2-3 inches on the bottom of the tank. I DO like the look of a sand bed, so I will be using it. Should I use the existing sand that I have, and just add ~half of the new dry sand? Or, should I go with ALL NEW sand for the bed?

2. I have 28lbs of LR in my current tank. When I drain the existing tank, I will put the LR in one Rubbermaid container of SW, and the corals and fish in another. I plan to add about 30lbs more LR from an existing (already cured) set up. Should I have any real concerns of an algae bloom if the LR is going from one tank to another - all in the span of a couple hours?

3. I plan to use all of the old water - plus the ~30G of new water I will need. When I introduce the fish back into the now larger tank, I will probably need to "re-acclimate" them with slow steady drips of the "new water". Do I need to worry about the corals in this regard? The water in both tanks will be withing a degree or two of each other. The pH and salinity should be pretty close as well.

4. What about (acclimating) the CUC? I have a few turbo snails, a couple sally crabs, POSSIBLY a strawberry crab (that is never seen), and a cleaner shrimp. Various other cirtters are in there, I know I see them from time to time. But, they came in as stowaways, so I don't really know/care.

5. Anything else I should really worry about in advance? This is my first (and possibly last) upgrade...

[tazzy695]

ok here is what I would do in answer to your questions I have one more question about the current sand
and that is how often dose it get stirred if not regularly then it probably went anaerobic and can release toxins in the water once stirred

so with that said I would use a small amount of your current sand to help seed the new

as for acclimation I would think you would only have to temp acclimate not really drip acclimate again as most parameters aren't going to change this is going to basically be like a large water change for the fish and corals

for the new rock I would probably go with dry rock that has been thoroughly cleaned vs more live that could have die off and cause a possible mini cycle as your current live rock will still have all the bacteria in it to support your fish and corals as is

[dlhirst]

Thanks, Tazzy. The current sand is only about 2" deep. It was my understanding that it needed to be deeper than that to get anaerobic properties? With that in mind, I stuff the 2" diameter vacuum syphon deep into the sand every week when I replace 10% of my water. Never thought to worry! (I'm a newb.)

When I take the old tank to my office, should I be worried about using the rest of that old sand? Never even thought about toxins. I was more worried about a nitrogen cycle. I expect that will happen at my office (with all new everything except the old sand), but that tank won't have fish or corals to fret over. At least, not for a while!

[Sir Patrick]

1. Use all the new sand, and a scoop or 2 of the top layer of the old sand.

2. I would expect a mini cycle when transfering from one tank to another. How big the mini cycle is impossible to predict. I have had good luck with fish, coral and inverts doing what you are doing, but many have not had such luck. Can be a flip of a coin.

3. Most important- the new water should be mixed and circulated for 12-24 hours, before the change over takes place. If this is done, the switch is just like a 50% water change. Temp acclimation should be the only acclimation necessary, unless you exsisting parameters are out of whack.

4. Same as 3

5. If you want to be completely safe, and you have room to do it-

Your best bet is to set up the new tank, with the new rock and new water and cycle it. Leave the old tank running with the coral, fish and inverts. After the new tank is cycled, transfer your rock, fish, coral and inverts- and sell, trade, throw away or givaway your old sand.

If ya want to flip the coin, go ahead and make the switch. I cant rtecomend it- but have done it a few times. If you do make the switch, expect to see a diatom bloom, possibly a cyno stage, and most likely an algea stage- just like cycling a new tank, with the peaks of the nitrogen cycle not climbing very high, and possibly not too stressful. I need to stress though- possibly!

[Sir Patrick]

Must say though-

I recomend cycling the new tank first.

[jimsflies]

Agree that using new sand is best with a few cups of old sand to seed. I assume you are adding additional liverock. You should cycle the tank and get it stable before moving existing stock into it.

[dlhirst]

I have only one viable tank location in my house. And unfortunately, the current tank is already there. Gonna have to take my chances. My LFS said he would hold my livestock if things start looking hairy.

Thanks for the advice guys!

[dlhirst]

I was thinking about my responses above, and was reminded of the many posts I have seen where newbs (like me) ask questions and then seem to ignore the obvious answers. Kinda looking for somebody to say "yes you can", when really you should not.
I need to slow down and re-read some of this... and again, I want to thank you for all the advice!