Transferring contents of pico (+ new rock?) to nano tank to make ULM tank? Additionally- taking individual rocks + frags from that tank to make temporary pico?

[Tired]

Alright, let me explain that title. 

 

I have a 5gal pico (more like 3 gallons with the rock) that I've been planning to take to college. I've been away to deal with a health issue, and to avoid Covid, for the past several years, but am now looking at going back next year. The plan has always been to take the tank to college to me. I figure I can fill the tank to the brim, add a water-tight lid, and carry the whole thing with minimal disturbance to the contents. Lately, I've been re-thinking that. I'm concerned about stress to the fish- cars do vibrate a good bit. Plus, the stuff in here might shift around, or I might stir up some pocket of detritus. That, and reef aquariums need maintenance supplies and maintenance time, which are limited in college. And I'm worried about the campus spraying for pests and accidentally getting my corals. 

 

Now, I do have family staying at home. They're willing to do some limited maintenance, but I don't want to give them anything more complicated or time-consuming than "water this large plant once a week". I'm going to be staying about 45 minutes away, coming home now and then to check on a few plants. All sorts of webcam and remote viewing apparatus is available. And this tank is already pretty low-maintenance. Infrequent water changes, infrequent feeding. I'm entirely sure I could take this from "feed fish once a week or so" to "fish get food entirely from microfauna" just by adding more places for microfauna to live and multiply. The only thing I need to do often is top off evap, and there's machines for that. 

 

Which leaves me with an idea. What if I take the entire contents of this tank, including livestock, and put them in a 20-30gal tank? I'd add more sand and rock, and probably let the chaeto grow wild. I can't imagine that increasing the water and rock volume would require more maintenance, and I could add an ATO with a large reservoir. I'd also add an auto-feeder to put in a teeny-tiny pinch of Reef Roids every day or so, to feed the microfauna and give the corals nutrients. About the only thing I can think of is that the LPS might not be thrilled with not having meaty foods regularly, but I've neglected feeding them in the past, and they did okay. 

 

I have a bunch of well-established live rock, and I have some time. I figure, worst-case scenario, I can stick everything back in the pico and reassemble it. 

 

In short: I'm picturing a tank in the 20-30 gallon range. Relatively small amounts of soft corals, a few LPS, and a couple small colonies of encrusting montipora. Two, maybe three, pico-sized fish, a couple of hermits, a reasonable number of snails. ATO with a large enough reservoir to last a couple weeks, auto-feeder with a couple weeks worth of Roids, water changes every few months. Heck- maybe just water changes at the start and end of the times between semesters. I'd add a webcam (or two) to monitor it, and to enjoy watching it.

 

Is this reasonably doable? I assume people have tried this sort of thing- any of those people on here? 

 

Follow-up question: assume I have said nano. Could I then take an established rock or two from that tank (with some corals), put them into a pico, and have an established pico with happy corals? In the event I do wind up able to properly maintain a pico at college. I know the corals will stop growing for a couple weeks at being moved to a new environment, but that's workable. If anything didn't like the pico, I could just pop it back into the nano. Plus, I could pick different rocks and frags every semester, have something a little different every time. Maybe try out an experiment like "can I keep zoas in a sunlit, filtered fishbowl". Seems fun, but maybe there's a reason people don't do that sort of swapping. 

[Reefkid88]

I think if you have some live sand/rock and transfer it over you should be fine and not have any adverse reactions. 

[M. Tournesol]

If you still want to go the 20-30gallon road, you should check Easy reefs "easybooster nano". It's a room temp preserved dead phyto (my pods love it). When used with a doser, the expiration date (more than a year) don't change.

Quote

The expiration date does not change even if the package has been opened. The reason for this is that air is expelled from the bag as the product is being released, thereby preventing the oxidation of the phytoplankton. (source: http://www.easyreefs.com/en/easybooster_en.html)

[Tired]

Oo, definitely something to look into! That would definitely help with growing lots of pods for everything to eat. 

 

I'm eyeing a 25gal lagoon tank that I really like the looks of. I just need to measure the stand and see if that would fit. 

[M. Tournesol]

36 minutes ago, Tired said:

Oo, definitely something to look into! That would definitely help with growing lots of pods for everything to eat. 

 

I'm eyeing a 25gal lagoon tank that I really like the looks of. I just need to measure the stand and see if that would fit. 

😭, It look like BRS don't sell the "EasyBooster nano". They only sell the "EasyBooster 25" (more concentrated)

https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/easybooster-marine-phytoplankton-easy-reefs.html (the $29,99 one).

 

[Tired]

Eh, that'd work. It says it lasts 18 months. 

[M. Tournesol]

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