switching to a larger tank help needed!!

[ffsteve]

hi all, i have a 55 gallon tank, running and all is fine. i also have a 180 gallon tank ready to fill and get running ( with a 55g sump). now for the Q's

can i just switch everything over to the larger tank?
(rock, sand, fish, and water)

or do i need to go through the whole new tank set up thing?

i'll still be using the same equipment as in the 55, but bigger pumps, and bigger skimmer.

any help would be good.

 

[FOXYB]

let the 180 run and test it before adding your livestock
going from the same size tank or smaller its easy to do a simple swap over but when adding water volume especially quadrupling your volume you will experience a cycle
I went from about 25 gallons to 100 and wish I left the smaller tank running while cycling the new system

 

[jorge147]

When I switched from my 45 to a 120, I let the 120 run for about a month before doing the transfer.... Everything went well for me.

 

[TomD]

let the 180 run and test it before adding your livestock
going from the same size tank or smaller its easy to do a simple swap over but when adding water volume especially quadrupling your volume you will experience a cycle
I went from about 25 gallons to 100 and wish I left the smaller tank running while cycling the new system

Exactly. I am already dreaming of an upgrade someday and when I do, that is how I will do it. There is no need to rush because you are in the best situation....You already have a tank running and established. Might as well take your time with a new larger tank.

 

[nichols]

When I switched from my 45 to a 120, I let the 120 run for about a month before doing the transfer.... Everything went well for me.

Did the same here. Left my 75 running while the 210 settled in for a couple months. Didn't lose anything in the transfer. (Except my mind for going to a 210 in the first place.)

 

[gweston]

I'm going from a 29 to a 125 later this year. I plan to let the 125 run/cycle on it's own for 4 weeks or so before transferring. But, I'm cycling rock in a basement brute well ahead of time. Should help shorten things. I did that for the 29gal (added cycled live rock and sand) and it was ready to populate in very short order.

 

[cakemanPA]

I have done 72 ---> 120 changeovers twice. I did not have enough space or equipment to run both concurrently. So I removed the critters from the tank and placed everything in stock tanks. I then set up the new tank including sand, rock, and most of the water. After I tested the new setup parameters, I put eveything back in the new tank. I had no issues either time that I did conversions. I will be doing the same when I get my 240 ready to set up.

 

[youngreefer]

I upgraded from a 45 to 75 in two days, just switched everything over. A week or two later began adding new fish and critters. THEN CRASH i went through a miniture cycle and i lost everthing.

I wouldnt recommend switching everything over with livestock. I would let the 18o run and then add everthing later on.

I let the 75 cycle for about 3 months after the crash, with some chromis and a firefish. Now, everthing is perfect and doing well.

 

[stingythingy45]

I upgraded from a 45 to 75 in two days, just switched everything over. A week or two later began adding new fish and critters. THEN CRASH i went through a miniture cycle and i lost everthing.

I wouldnt recommend switching everything over with livestock. I would let the 18o run and then add everthing later on.

I let the 75 cycle for about 3 months after the crash, with some chromis and a firefish. Now, everthing is perfect and doing well.

That's odd,did you have at least 50 lbs of LR?
I went from a 55 to a 90 gallon without issue.Before that I went from a 20L to the 55 gallon.But,I picked up some premium LR from a fellow reefer before the move.

 

[cakemanPA]

That's odd,did you have at least 50 lbs of LR?
I went from a 55 to a 90 gallon without issue.Before that I went from a 20L to the 55 gallon.But,I picked up some premium LR from a fellow reefer before the move.

I would agree that having sufficient live rock for biofiltration is the key to making that work and not having an issue with a big amonia spike. I am 2 for 2 doing this and will be doing it again soon

 

[pjryan21]

I also did not have the room to have 2 tanks running so I emptied my live stock and fish out of my 120 gl and into coolers and changed over to the 150 put the live stock and fish in that afternoon and had not a single issue. but that was only a 30 gallon upgrade or I was lucky

 

[ffsteve]

has anyone use PRIME additive? it's says it stops the spikes when tranfering to lager tanks or doing very large water changes.

 

[cakemanPA]

I added nothing other than more fresh saltwater

 

[Sherri]

I ran both tanks together for at least 6 months. I was not in a rush. There was no obvious cycle to the 180 and I lost nothing when I finally loaded it up.