Upgrading to 75g tank queries

[bucfan]

I currently have a well stocked 28g nano that is thriving. Due to space issues I have to move up to a larger tank. So here are my questions:

 

1. Do I need to establish and cycle the new tank independently and wait 6+ weeks before moving anything? If doing this I was planning on using some of my established tank water and sand to speed up the process. If so how much water and sand should I use from the old tank. And how do I know when the cycle is done?

 

2. If I use the above method then I'll have to move all my corals in one day after the new tank is set. That's because I'll need to move my AI lights over to the new tank. Or can I use my old MH lights over my new tank and place the AI over my new tank and then move things gradually? Will a switch from AI LEDs to MH on my old tank cause any problems? Or should I buy an extra LED stunner strip to place over my old tank?

 

3. How many corals can I move in one day? Can I just move the whole tank over (this would be preferred)? I am planning on getting more LR (mostly base rock) for the new tank so I will cycle that in first.

 

4. Should I get mostly dead rock for the new tank as base and use one of my current bare LRs to set up the new tank?

[Dani3d]

Best way would be to buy some cured liverock and use a bit of your old sand but it will probably need to be well rinsed because it's probably very dirty.

 

You will have to wait for the complete cycle yes, but how long it will take depends on your liverock and how well it will be cycled. The water from the old tank is pretty much deprived of live bacterias as the nitrifying bacterias reside on rock, glass, sand etc..not a lot in the water.

 

So the best thing is to buy about 40lbs of good porous liverock like Totoka, that is already well curec and check out the cycle as it goes. It can take anything from 2 weeks to 6 weeks to complete.

 

You cannot put too many things at the same times as the biolode increase will probably do a spike in ammonia and it will take a few days before the bacterias adjust to the new load.

 

I would put the fish in first once the cycle is completed and put the coral last because those are a lot more sensitive to the water parameters. YOu can put any light on the other tank while it gets ready. I use MH and my corals grow like weeds, my acroporas grow 1" per month.

 

Of course going from MH to LED need acclimatation as LED is stronger.

 

When I did my 75 gallons, I did it as an entirely new system with Totoka liverock. I waited 4 weeks before everything was ready and then slowly I transfered my corals from my 20 gallons to my 75. Did not lost a thing. I now use the nano as a frag tank.

 

 

 

I currently have a well stocked 28g nano that is thriving. Due to space issues I have to move up to a larger tank. So here are my questions:

 

1. Do I need to establish and cycle the new tank independently and wait 6+ weeks before moving anything? If doing this I was planning on using some of my established tank water and sand to speed up the process. If so how much water and sand should I use from the old tank. And how do I know when the cycle is done?

 

2. If I use the above method then I'll have to move all my corals in one day after the new tank is set. That's because I'll need to move my AI lights over to the new tank. Or can I use my old MH lights over my new tank and place the AI over my new tank and then move things gradually? Will a switch from AI LEDs to MH on my old tank cause any problems? Or should I buy an extra LED stunner strip to place over my old tank?

 

3. How many corals can I move in one day? Can I just move the whole tank over (this would be preferred)? I am planning on getting more LR (mostly base rock) for the new tank so I will cycle that in first.

 

4. Should I get mostly dead rock for the new tank as base and use one of my current bare LRs to set up the new tank?