Tank upgrade questions

[GlassMunky]

ok, so its coming time for me to ugrade my tank. My current 29G SPS heavy tank is doing GREAT, but im very quickly running out(have run out) of space for frags or for corals to grow, so its tie for an upgrade. One of my LFS is having a sale and i can get a brand new RR 75G tank and stand for $300, or a 90RR and Stand for 400. So im pretty sure that one of these will be coming home with me in the near future. Now brings up the questions. 1) should i definatly opt for the 90 over the 75 just for the added volume, or will those few inchs not really be worth it? plus woulnt that mean id need stronger lights to get all the way to the botttom? 2 and one of my biggest questions) how do i go about actually transfering everything into the new tank? Like i want the 75(or 90) in the same spot in my living room as my 29 is currently. but i have to cycle the 75 or 90, so i do i put the corals and established LR in the new tank durring the cycle and just keep up and WC to make sure the corals are ok? or do i need to setup a small (10-20G) frag tank for the time while the new tank is cycling and then move the SPS over? never had to do a tank upgrade, only moves, so im not sure whats best. (and i havnt cycled a new tank in over a year) After those big main questions comes the other tank related questions that come with just owning a bigger tank. i ONLY do WC and havnt tested any params in months since everything is healthy and growing like crazy, but i feel like with the bigger system WC alone wont be enough to take care of it.....Like do i go with a calcium reactor, or doseing pumps or how do i keep up with so much ca and alk being used in a big system??? also anyone have suggestions on a good skimmer and sump? im pretty sure i know what lights (MH for now untill im more sure about SPS and LED's) and Flow (MP40, or 2 MP10's), but always open to suggestions on anything that can help make this build awesome! thanks RS, you rock!

 

[nanoreefing4fun]

If there is anyway possible to drain the current tank down & move it, then set up the new tank in it's place & allow it to cycle normally - this would be my 1st choice and is what I did when I upgraded. With a dolly, I was able to move my RSM 130D & stand - with two people across the room temporarily (6 weeks), as my new RSM 250 had to go in it's place. I remember dreading all this, but it really went well doing it this way. Hope this helps

 

[steved13]

After those big main questions comes the other tank related questions that come with just owning a bigger tank. i ONLY do WC and havnt tested any params in months since everything is healthy and growing like crazy, but i feel like with the bigger system WC alone wont be enough to take care of it.....Like do i go with a calcium reactor, or doseing pumps or how do i keep up with so much ca and alk being used in a big system???

On this part you have it backwards. A larger volume system uses less PPM than a smaller system, with the same livestock. As an example...coral x uses x amount of calcium...x amount of calcium is a fixed amount like 1 grain of sand from a bucket...if you put that same coral on a beach it uses the same size grain of sand but now from a beach so it's less PPM, than from a bucket. As you add more coral to either system, you would have to start dosing at the same rate. When I went from a 250L to a 250 gallon I moved my dosing pumps over, and left the program the same. I didn't transfer all of the coral so I actually backed it down for a short time, because of less usage.

Pay attention to glass thickness for the MP10 Vs MP40 question. I've come to the opinion, buy the larger pump if you can afford it...you can always turn it down and the wider flow is nice. I wish I had gone with MP60s instead of MP40s.

 

[sasquatch]

ok, so its coming time for me to ugrade my tank. My current 29G SPS heavy tank is doing GREAT, but im very quickly running out(have run out) of space for frags or for corals to grow, so its tie for an upgrade. One of my LFS is having a sale and i can get a brand new RR 75G tank and stand for $300, or a 90RR and Stand for 400. So im pretty sure that one of these will be coming home with me in the near future. Now brings up the questions. 1) should i definatly opt for the 90 over the 75 just for the added volume, or will those few inchs not really be worth it? plus woulnt that mean id need stronger lights to get all the way to the botttom? 2 and one of my biggest questions) how do i go about actually transfering everything into the new tank? Like i want the 75(or 90) in the same spot in my living room as my 29 is currently. but i have to cycle the 75 or 90, so i do i put the corals and established LR in the new tank durring the cycle and just keep up and WC to make sure the corals are ok? or do i need to setup a small (10-20G) frag tank for the time while the new tank is cycling and then move the SPS over? never had to do a tank upgrade, only moves, so im not sure whats best. (and i havnt cycled a new tank in over a year) After those big main questions comes the other tank related questions that come with just owning a bigger tank. i ONLY do WC and havnt tested any params in months since everything is healthy and growing like crazy, but i feel like with the bigger system WC alone wont be enough to take care of it.....Like do i go with a calcium reactor, or doseing pumps or how do i keep up with so much ca and alk being used in a big system??? also anyone have suggestions on a good skimmer and sump? im pretty sure i know what lights (MH for now untill im more sure about SPS and LED's) and Flow (MP40, or 2 MP10's), but always open to suggestions on anything that can help make this build awesome! thanks RS, you rock!

honestly? sounds like buying a pig in a poke, you want real-estate not depth, think wide and shallow, save a few bucks and get a custom, you will most likely have the tank for quite some time, lighting and flow are easier

 

[BigAl07]

I like both sets of advice above.

A) Move current tank for meantime and cycle new tank in correct place

B) I ran my 90g Mixed Reef system for years and didn't dose. It was a heavily stocked Reef tank and I didn't dose. I was a stickler for water changes and I used a high quality salt mix.

 

[BigAl07]

honestly? sounds like buying a pig in a poke, you want real-estate not depth, think wide and shallow, save a few bucks and get a custom, you will most likely have the tank for quite some time, lighting and flow are easier

Ahhh words of the wise

I'm of this mind-set:

If this is to really push coral growth aka fragging wide & shallow is the way to go. Sas is 100% right in lighting and flow in a shallower tank is much easier.

If this is a tank more about displaying the coral as opposed to really pushing their growth my "personal" taste is for a taller tank. My ideal 2 tanks are: 4' 120g or 4' 240g. They just have the most eye pleasing proportions for making a tank that looks the most natural.

 

[jjmoneyman]

You could do what I did, partially drain your existing tank and slide it out of the way for now and fill it right back up. Cycle your new tank, then move things over once it is good to go. Worked well for me. I'm also of the mind set bigger is better, just from the water volume side of things. Even if you get the 75 now you might find it filling up fast and thinking you should have went with the 90 down the road.

 

[GlassMunky]

save a few bucks and get a custom, you will most likely have the tank for quite some time, lighting and flow are easier

Where would you reccomend getting a custom made?

On this part you have it backwards. A larger volume system uses less PPM than a smaller system, with the same livestock. As an example...coral x uses x amount of calcium...x amount of calcium is a fixed amount like 1 grain of sand from a bucket...if you put that same coral on a beach it uses the same size grain of sand but now from a beach so it's less PPM, than from a bucket. As you add more coral to either system, you would have to start dosing at the same rate. When I went from a 250L to a 250 gallon I moved my dosing pumps over, and left the program the same. I didn't transfer all of the coral so I actually backed it down for a short time, because of less usage.

I realize that i wont have to start doseing or anything now with the corals as they are, but down the road when the tank gets more FILLED up like i know it will, whats the better route? reactors or doseing pumps? or just still regular WC with quality salt? I'm religious with my weekly 15% WC (using Red Sea Coral Pro, my corals love it) now....

If this is a tank more about displaying the coral as opposed to really pushing their growth my "personal" taste is for a taller tank. My ideal 2 tanks are: 4' 120g or 4' 240g. They just have the most eye pleasing proportions for making a tank that looks the most natural.

i LOVE how they look, but it wouldnt really fit well in my living room with the 2 ft width.... :-/

 

[steved13]

Sorry I mis-understood.

From what I understand, Dosing pumps are more accurate, but also more costly. I never tried reactors for dosing.

I use a 4 channel doser and I like the results.

 

[sasquatch]

for any kind of dosing whether pump or by hand you first need to know your tanks demand, if your testing on a regular basis and keeping a record you will soon know when the teaspoons are costing too much

 

[Eric]

I'm with Al the 4ft 120 is the best medium sized manufactured tank, if that is to large I'd probably go with the 90 and stack the rock like a 75 leaving plenty of room for corals to grow up and out, this will also give your fish a little more swimming room up top, the cost of lighting won't differ that much between the two tanks you can always use T5s and keep the lower light corals towards the bottom, really your only talking a couple inches that will probably be taken up by sand and the base of the rock pile.

Just my opinion

 

[GlassMunky]

I wasn't sure if those few inches would be worth getting 400W MH instead of 250's. But good point with the sand taking up that space.
Also, just for sh*!s and giggles, I contacted a (semi)local tank manufacturer about a quote on a 5 ft tank instead of 4. Waiting to hear back

 

[Eric]

The 250s are more than adequate for a 90 gallon even on a 5ft tank, you could always run 1x250 on a light mover and do supplimental lighting which give a cool natural look like clouds moving over and you won't get as many grow spots since the corals get light from different angles, the supplimental lighting will keep the tank from getting to dark at one end while the light is at the other.

Don't over think it

 

[GlassMunky]

Well, I took the plunge. I'm picking up my new 90G RR tank and stand tomorrow! SOOO excited!

 

[nanoreefing4fun]

Congrats ! look forward to pics & the build !

 

[jpsika08]

Congrats on the new tank, hope to see a new thread for it soon

 

[GlassMunky]

My new 90G tank!
Temporary spot untill it gets setup in the living room

 

[nanoreefing4fun]

Pretty new tank - fun starting a new build ! When do you plan to start adding water?

 

[GlassMunky]

Not for a couple months unless some extra cash comes rolling in. I'm gonna be somewhat slowly gatthering up the other equipment. The store where i got the tank is haveing another huge sale next month where everything is 25-50% off, so im gonna be grabbing an MP40 and maybe some other stuff like lights or a skimmer

 

[GlassMunky]

So I just got back from home depot, and on the phone with every home depot and lowes in the philly area, and not one of them has the street ell needed to make my durso pipe.... guess i gotta order the PVC online.

Mods, Can I just have this thread moved over to the reef chronicals section with the title "90G Tank Upgrade"?