[Twoface14]

Okay let me start off with I have a 20 gallon reef tank that I've had for almost 3 months. The tank was established when I bought it so there was no cycle when I got it up and running. All the Sand and rock stayed in the original water.

Now to my Q. I quickly learned I want a bigger tank but I can't go too big right now. Cause I'm in an awpartment. I found a 33 gallon long I really like. It's the same depth as my current tank just a little longer. How can I switch everything over? I have 2 fish, 5 corals, 1 pep shrimp, 1 serpent star, and several snails. Is it possible to transfer it all over without having to set it up for months

 

[hackshobby]

Hi Twoface,
I just did this move myself betwee the 45 to the 220g this past summer. Was worried silly......needless! I adjusted the salinity first, and started transfering water between the two getting everyone use to their new home. Then moved a handful of rock over first to start letting the existing bacteria do their thing. Then all in one night we grabbed the buckets, and haved at it! Bing, bang, boom! Just have the new home ready and was just like adding new fish to your tank.....
Best of luck to you,
Hack

 

[Twoface14]

So run it bare bottom, have the new tank salinity the same, switch the fish and coral over, then in a few days take the sand and rock out of the old tank and put it in the new. All doing this while leaving the rock and sand in the water with circulation

 

[Twoface14]

I think I just realized what you meant. You took water and pretty much acclimated the small tank first with the bigger tanks water. Then moved everything at once. Will this give you a cycle? If so, will this hurt anything?

 

[hackshobby]

I had probably 10lbs of rock from the old tank 'seeding' 75lbs of new rock for about three weeks prior to the move, and since I'd been transfering water over between the two for those 3 weeks, I had no cycle. That had been my concern, so I was pretty diligent matching the two tanks.

 

[Twoface14]

Ah got it. Did you transfer sand? Or did you even have any. If so how did you do it without exposing it to air

 

[hackshobby]

I had that misserable course crushed coral the lfs sold me......couldn't get rid of that stuff fast enough! Holds trash beyond all belief! Went with fine sand.....never regreted it!

 

[mopardwh]

Air is not going to hurt the sand. Are you planning to use new equipment? Adding more rock? More sand? Just more everything at one time and add more water. Pretty simple. Then add more sand or rock a little bit later.

 

[Twoface14]

Well I was hoping to use all the stuff from the 20 to the 33. I have a 3" sand bed and was gonna thin it down to about 2 so not adding any sand to the 33. Then I have about 25 or 30 pounds of live rock and was just gonna keep it at that. I'm more wanting to do the move for the wider tank and more water. That being said, since all the rock and sand that I'm gonna use in the 33 is going to be directly from the 20, will I still need to do the 3 week cycle?

 

[mopardwh]

No cycle. Your just moving everything from one piece of glass to another. You'll be stirring up deterius by the move but it will be fine. Just do a couple of water changes the next few days and some cleaning.

I've moved several tanks. Its not a big deal unless your changing lots of things or more than 50% water etc.

 

[hackshobby]

You may not get a cycle beings your more or less just changing glass boxes and keeping everything samie samie, But I would still play it safe and let it stabalize for a while just to be sure you didn't stir up a hornets nest moving everything around. I'm just the cautious type!

 

[Twoface14]

Nice. That's what I wanted to hear lol. The only thing I'm really doing is adding 13 more gallons of water. Idk when I'm gonna buy this new tank yet. Hopefully soon

 

[hackshobby]

Very best of luck to you bro!
Hack

 

[Twoface14]

Thank you both. I was very reluctant to even attempt this till I did my 210 build next year (well hopefully next year). But you both have made me feel better about it

 

[prowler66gt]

I think you should look at more options since you have yet to buy the new tank. 33 long has a footprint of roughly 4' x 1', a 75 or 90 would be 4' x 1.5', and a 120 at 4' x 2' http://www.aquariumdimensions.com/ You will always want bigger so might as well jump more than 13g if you could spare at least 6 inches in depth.

 

[mopardwh]

I think you should look at more options since you have yet to buy the new tank. 33 long has a footprint of roughly 4' x 1', a 75 or 90 would be 4' x 1.5', and a 120 at 4' x 2' http://www.aquariumdimensions.com/ You will always want bigger so might as well jump more than 13g if you could spare at least 6 inches in depth.

Very good point! Of course that would require a lot more coin all the way around.

 

[prowler66gt]

Very good point! Of course that would require a lot more coin all the way around.

Very true! But less coin than 33, then 75, then 90, then 120, then 240. My point is simply that we will always want bigger so plan for what you can see as the max do-able for now and incorporate how it will help you achieve your future desire.

 

[Twoface14]

Good points on both sides. But my appt is tiny and upstairs. Idk if the floor would hold a 1000 pound tank lol

 

[PhaneSoul]

I guess it's time to move

 

[Twoface14]

Haha yeah. It's hard for my wife and I to find a house that meets all our needs and wants lol. We want something close to town and with a garage(for me) that's not a 150k and needs work. Thank goodness the housing market in eastern ky is cheaper than most. And when I say eastern kentucky forget everything you see on tv. It's nothing like it. I obviously have internet lol