New/Tank transfer question???

[oc reefer]

OK so i'm not a total nub but not an expert, i want to switch my 29gal + 5gal Fuge to my 55gal. Basically take every thing from the 29 into the 55. Can this be done or do I have to set up the 55 let it run for the month or whateva and then switch over?

Also the 55gal was once a fresh water, is there any cleaning methoids or cleaners that are recommended and ones that are an absolute NONO!

The reason i want to do this and not run both is i dont have room for both and my girlfriend will flip out if i have 2 tanks (for all you single who laugh just you wait they run the show once you move in together or get married).

Thanks fellow reefers!

 

[bigguy101]

When you go to clean your 55gal use NO cleaners. New rag and pure water. If there is ANY chemical residue from a cleaner leftover it could harm your tank life.

I would cycle the new tank because if you transfer the fish from an old tank to a new tank there will be no bacteria to fight the ammonia and your fish could possibly get ammonia poisoning.

 

[oc reefer]

even if i transfer all the live sand rock and water from my 29gal?

Anyone else care to help out with 2 cents pls?

 

[bigguy101]

I missed the whole transferring the water to the 55 gal tank. Sorry about that. In my opinion you should be fine with the water and live rock, but im not quite sure about re-using your sand you might have to clean it before putting it in the new tank.

 

[WVUReefer]

I'm currently in the process of transferring my 40g to a 65g. My plan is (it has worked in the past) to transfer the LR and filter over. The filter and LR should contain enough bacteria to support the switch, if your tanks has been up and running for a while. The SB will seed quickly as there is a good stock of bacteria already available. The substrate should be washed (although a small amount should stay unwashed to help reseed) because the built up detritus will be a mess. You may think the SB is clean on top, but once you really start stirring it up you will see particles you never knew where there.

 

[BigAl07]

I wouldn't re-use sand unless you go to the trouble of thoroughly cleaning it before hand which would partially negate the reason to re-use it.

In a perfect world you'd set up the 55 and slowly move things over but in the real world you're most likely going to do the whole move in one day. Just be prepared for heavy and frequent water changes due to all the disturbing of the system and potential die-off. Once set up I'd let the system run as-is for several weeks before adding any more stock. Remember you'll still have the biological filtration of the 29G so let it slowly build before you add more bio-load.

 

[WVUReefer]

Also, I would mix a new batch of water (about 85%). You will have to anyway to accommodate the volume. When you mix a large amount of old water, with a large amount of new water (in your case 50/50), the chemistry can easily go into free fall. Toxins built up in the old water(i.e. nitrate) can react with the new waters PH for example and cause problems.

 

[WVUReefer]

This also means a total acclimation of everything.

 

[oc reefer]

ok thanks very much for your advice, i will take it all into consideration and hopefully the move will be a success!