[scubadude]

I have a 90gal tank with a 20g refugium both have 5" DSB's teaming with life and I have about 100 +/- 10lbs of cured LR....this system has been up and running for over a year now and I would consider it Mature. I also have a 20gal reef tank with approximately 20lbs of LR and a 4" DSB (some life, not teaming though). Approximately half of the LR has corals attached to it....My question is should I take all of the LR (w/out corals attached) and put in my new tank to cycle? I have plenty of Southdown sand (new) how, and how much of the sand should I put from my mature tank into my new tank? I obviously want the tank to cycle quicker so I can start moving my corals into the bigger tank. But Im willing to wait a month or two if need be....My new tank has a 55gal tank for sump refugium too. All tips and procedures appreciated.

[golfish]

I should have asked this when I relied or at RC......your going to empty the other tanks or keep them going? I would still setup the new tank with extra LR and sand and let it run for a few months before adding anything from your other tanks.

[scubadude]

im gonna empty the old tanks....but will keep them running as long as I hafta....but Im gonna put them up 4 sale as soon as possible....I have to sacrifice everything for this 220g I have a bunch of DIY LR that I made for the new 220....but its still curing! I wanted to cycle w/only what i have!

[organicreefer]

will there even be a cycle?i wouldnt think so im about to transfer my 93 into my new 120,and im hoping to do it in a one day all and everything switch.
the only thing im really worried about is the dsb and how to move that(ill end up scooping and dumping).
well actually what im really worried about are my fish, my mandarin has been in captivity for over three years,and is the picture of health...my tang has become a "freind",he recognizes me from other people.....my pair of cleaner wrasses,ive had for over a year............
so ,who has made the switch ,and how did you do it did you lose anything?

[SCETT316]

Hi Rocky:
Did you get your new tank yet? Wow, I am so happy for you. I ran my new tank (168gal) w/ DSB and the almost cured LR for about a month, before transfering anything from my 20 gal.
As far as how the transfer was done, well....... I don't even want to go there I can tell you it did not go exactly the way I prepared and planned for it. (as far as the acclimation) I am still having flashbacks
But thank God all the animals adapted very very quickly, and are doing fine.
I did use most of the DSB from my hang on refugium for my new one, and about 1" of the top of the DSB from the 20 gal. the rest I just got rid of. Both SB were very much alive.
HTH

[organicreefer]

susan ,no losses at all?

[SCETT316]

Originally posted by organicreefer
susan ,no losses at all?

None whatsoever. I still can't get over it. In fact I had all my buckets all lined up for my carefully planned acclimation procedure for the transfer. When I realized that everything had just been transfered from the 20 gal. straight into the 168 gal. I was speechless to say the least, I thought for sure eveything would die. But as I stated before: no losses. Go figure.

[scubadude]

Susan:

Yep i got the tank....Love it....Im gonna try and post some pics tonite...if I can get this bad boy on its stand in my office....My wife is an EMT and she has those stretchers with collapsible rollers....I think we are gonna try that to get it into the house ....they supposedly can capacitate 500lbs.


Organic:

Im not sure if Im gonna have a cycle or not....but im gonna be prepared for one!


Here is how im thinking of doing it so far, once i test the tank with freshwater for leaks then drain it back down I will put in approximately 3" of brand new Southdown sand in both the Main tank and the refugium....then I will fill it up about 2/3rds of the way with water....then I will mix in the salt and get my salinity correct.....then I will do about a 40% w/c on my big and small established tanks...and use that water to hopefully fill up the rest of the 1/3rd of the volume...and if it doesnt fill it up....im gonna go out in my boat about 5miles offshore and bring a bunch of 5 gal buckets and get me some Natural seawater and topoff my tank with that!....then after about a week or so im gonna slowly start adding some of my LR from my established tanks into the big tank as well as some of the LS from the top layers of my established tank.....My DIY LR that i have made has about a month or so to cure anyway so after my tank has been running for about a month then I will do the transition of all the corals and animals (as long as levels are up to par)

[saltjunkie]

this may or may not help. When I upgraded to my 39 gal from my 10g, I put in my new sand and water. I did not fill the tank with new water. Then I purchased some cured live rock (about 20 #'s) placed it in the tank.
After 2 days, to allow the sand to settle in my main tank and refugium, I put all the live rock, corals, fish, and other misc. inverts into the main tank aong with the water from my 1og. Then i dded the entire lsb from the 10 ..1/2 in sump, half in tank. My system never went through a cycle.... And everything lived.
Within one week, my tank looked as though nothing had ever hspppened.