Tank to Tank Transfer?

[leslr]

Maybe Dave can help with this one.

 

I'm upgrading my nano from an eclipse 6 to a 10galAGA. I'm trying to figure out which would be the the safest route to take to prevent a alge outbreak or any crashes. Would it be better to lay down a bed of new plain sand with a few scoups of LS from the 6, top it up with old tank water, cycle it then add LR etc from 6.

 

Or top off new tank with old water and add a thin base of new sand and as much LS from old tank with most of the LR and then do a quick cycle, but try and keep the inhabitants in the old tank till everything is running?

 

Any opinions would be appreciated.

TIA.

leslr.

[TNreefguy]

when i have changed up tanks before it has been my experiance to go ahead and change everything over to the new tank. even with some new rock and sand the cycle if any will be hardly noticable, and most likely not to harm whaterver it is in your tank

[Lunchbucket]

i am gonna use all my old sand and add whatever i need to make enough on the 20H bottom. sand is comming from the 5.5g and a 10gal. i have a large skimmer so i should be ok no matter what all the old water and rock is gonna be used too

 

Lunchbucket

[spoondigity]

Depending on how old the 6 is, it may be better to put more new substrate in. If your tank is older you may go with more new substrate. No matter what you do you are still going to have some cycle. I would hark back to the basics and take it slow (don't rush the cycle). Starting with more new substrate with some of your old added in will reduce detritous and avoid additive buildup leading to old tank syndrom (theoretically) in the old substrate. Don't get me wrong, I am not saying no old substrate, just a higher percentage of new in my opinion. But then if your 6 isn't very old I see no good reason not to just transfer it all from the old to new tank.

 

Get your transfer groove on!

 

P.S. To specifically comment on the question, I would vote option #1 to keep your old tank more stable and let the new tank cycle even if it takes more time.

[Dave ESPI]

transfer 60 % old water. Use a diatom filter to keep transfered water cleanand the top 1/3 of the LS. The rock should transfer ok. all the corals and fish can be transfered in a bowl. leave the fish till last, they are eazy to catch that way. ALSO be very sure the new water is cycled. I generaly do like 3 X 20 % waterchanges a week before and durring. save 20 gal of water with old water also included. it will make it way eazy to reaclimate.

other than that, watch water parameters fer a week or 2, and add some new LS in a week.