switching tanks

[denvig]

When I did my move from my 55 to my new 110 I filled the new tank with new salt water first. Then each day or two I switched 5 gallons of water between the two tanks. After a few days of this I also took some of the live rock (without corals etc) form the 55 and put them in the new tank along with some sand. I did this over a period of two weeks or so essentially making the two tanks the same. On the day of the final transfer I drained some of the water from the old tank into rubber made containers and buckets, so as not to get the sand stirred up and cloud the water. Next I moved and sorted the corals etc into these buckets and containers. Then I moved the rest of the rock into the new tank and did a final arraigning of the rock scape. Next I transferred the fish from tank to tank and last the corals. Everything went smooth this way and I think with very little stress. IMO this is the best way to do this if you can keep the two tanks running for a couple of weeks giving time for this method.

 

[reefnroll]

Hey Nate -

As Dennis explains... the very best way is a slight stagger. So.. if you've got heaters and pumps to run both tanks for a few days, I'd stagger the move. That way, if there are any issues at all... you'll see them before your entire tank is at the mercy of something you didn't predict.

I just opened my 140 gallon system up to an additional 140 gallons in the basement. I ran carbon through NSW in the basement for a week... matched temp, salinity and calcium... and then went for it. This is like a 100% water change in a very well established tank. No major losses or issues (yet!), but if I had to do it again, I would have swapped water back and forth over the course of a few days before opening up the works. I have about 90% SPS. They seem to have done o.k... but I can tell (major coloring down in a few colonies) that they definitely felt the difference in water. I also have some pretty rare fish I was concerned about. They didn't even blink.

b

 

[NateHanson]

I'm running both tanks right now with heaters, pumps, etc, They've been going that way for 5 days. The old tank has about 20# rock in it, (a bit less than 1/2 of the original load) and has an aquaclear filter to provide a little extra denitrifying power.

The new tank has about 80 pounds of rock, and is has everthing it will have, except for lights. I've put my pair of clowns in the 65g tank to ease the bioload a bit on the 30g, since it has less rock, and two small chromis, a Yashi Haze goby and a small majestic angel remain in the 30. (I don't want to move the latter two until I'm sure absolutely positive about conditions in the 65.) There are also some zoos and zenia, and a BTA in the 65 because the were attached to a large rock that I needed for my aquascaping foundation.

Today I'm going to supplement Ca and Alk in the 65 to match the old tank, test NO2, NO3, NH4 in the 65 again to make sure everthing is zero, and do a 10 gallon water swap. I'll probably do the same tomorrow, and then make the move.

All this input has been very helpful.

Thanks,
Nate

 

[denvig]

Sounds like you have a plan. Good luck.

 

[NateHanson]

Thanks Dennis.

I don't have as much rare and expensive livestock as some of you who have made moves, but I appreciate all the advice because I'd really like to keep everything I do have happy and healthy. Seems like there have been a number of tank moves gone wrong recently, and that's a morale- (and financial-) blow I'd prefer to avoid.

Nate

 

[wrassefan]

I would put the castle under the arch Nate. Good luck!! Sounds like a plan!!

 

[NateHanson]

I was thinking of putting the diver with the bubbling treasure chest under the arch though.