Tank transfer

Blndbunny

Active Member
Hi all,

I'm picking up a new tank to upgrade my 14g biocube to. This tank have been up for 4 years next month. My plan is to pretty much do a straight transfer to the new tank,29g nanocube hqi. My concern is moving the sand bed. Am I best just putting fresh sand in? Then I will add a bit of dry rock to get enough rock and move over mxisting live rock that's covered in corals, then then the clown, flame tail and peppermint shrimp. Does this sound about right?
 

StirCrayzy

Well-Known Member
Disruption of the sand bed is an interesting topic, that's come up on a few of the recent tank swaps, including my own.
I went through a huge algae bloom over the 6months following my upgrade in which I've done exactly what you describe.
Others also have noticed huge phosphate swings, where the previous setup was perfectly stable.
I used all of my old sand and rock , plus 50% additional new dry rock and Live sand.
I would be prepared to do lots of WC following the transfer no matter what the test results say.

I don't remember seeing you were Detroit area before, so "howdy neighbor"
 

Blndbunny

Active Member
Yay more detroit neighbors! I grew up in Fraser and now live in Wayne. I know there will be all kinds of fun with the change. I'm thinking of fresh sand because I know disturbing the sand bed can be iffy. I'm planning to scrub my old rock a bit to get rid of a few bits of bubble algea, that the new tank doesn't need. It's a softy tank so no where near as temperamental as my Nuvo is
 

DaveK

Well-Known Member
I would replace the sandbed. You'll stir up a lot of unwanted garbage if you try to move it.

You should use a couple of handfulls of sand from the old system to seed the new sandbed.
 

Blndbunny

Active Member
Went ahead and put a new shallow sand bed into the tank, Hawaiian black then spent the morning slowly transferring everything, did this during their normal night. At this point it looks like the two fish, shrimp, 4 nems, gaggle of fuzzy shrooms and a few other corals have happily made the transfer. Stunner strips in the new tank just turned on. I've limited he full light time since they are going from PC lights to a 14k metal halide. I'm expecting pouty corals
 

PSU4ME

JoePa lives on!!!
Staff member
PREMIUM
Sounds like a successful transfer! Might want to let them sit for a day or two with just the led and then introduce the halide starting at 4 hours a day and let the corals tell you (via their reaction) how they are accepting it
 

Blndbunny

Active Member
I have it set for 4 hours right now, it just came on about 20 min ago, everything is happy nems are super bubbly, but I'm checking on them about every 30 min. If anyone looks stressy I will turn the halide off. So far my clown is loving the extra space, loving the open swimming space and all the new places to check out. My blenny is over it and not coming out of its rock, and showing us his fangs when we approach the tank
 
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