18g to 25g swap

[tomatoreef]

I have both a 12g main tank and a 6g refugium and i want to move both into a 25g with a built in refug. i have about a 4" sandbed and 12-15 lbs of liverock. the refug has about a 5" sandbed and like a pound of live rock. my plan is this....

 

1) empty some water from 12g into 25g...maybe 5 gallons?

2) empty refugiums sand, water, and LR into 25g.

3) begin moving sand from 12g to 25g.

4) begin moving LR from 12g to 25g.

5) add some new freshly made salt water. maybe 2-3g?

6) finish moving sand and LR to 25g.

7) add more water.

8) move tomato clown to 25g from 12g.

9) add the rest of the water to 25g from 12g.

10) add about 4-5g more of fresh salt water.

 

Does this sound good? is there any other way to do this better?

[tomatoreef]

??

[lizbeth]

Do you have any other livestock besides the clown?

 

I'd set up a tank (large critter keeper or spare tank) for the clown to stay in during the switchover. I'd be afraid of squashing him or having the stress of all the moving hurt him. The after you are finished transfering stuff to the new tank acclimate him just like he was a new fish.

 

Other than that I think your plan is ok.

[Dave ESPI]

well it looks good on paper and in theory.

 

Id suggest having the water cycled up to temp, and ready BEFORE moving. If you can move in stages, it will be easier.

ALSO can you use the fuge temporarily on the new tank?

Save a LOT more water than 5 gal. Do multiple W/C before the move to get the stuff realy used to "new environment" conditions. Save a few buckets of water a few days before and keep them airated every few hours with an airstone. Remember yer bacteria will need to recolonize the tank and the flows wont be quite the same as the LR and sand will be all mixed up and rearanged.

Good luck !

[tomatoreef]

Thanks for the replies guys but i went ahead and completed the transfer yesterday evening. I did everything as planned and its come out great. it was great to see all the worms in my sand that dont usually go near the glass. levels are pretty stable and my clown is now swimming around his larger tank. Hes eating too. No stress there. My refug now has an 8" LSB too!