Pictures below
I'd like to get some input and opinions on the best practices for doing what we are about to do.
We are having Glass Cages build us a 96x36x25 peninsula tank.
As it relates to the biologics - the new tank will have:
1) TBS live sand
2) Additional TBS live rock 60 pounds of base and about 100-150 of premium
3) Closed loop that will likely not have me using any power heads powered by an A400. More on this shortly.
Tanks I will consolidate into the new tank:
Tank 1:
- Red Sea Max 500 that has been running for 5 plus years
- Contains about 100 pounds of rock that has been in the tank for at least that long
- Lots of coral that are established
- As far as biologics in the display, only the rock and coral will be transferred
- In the sump there is about 25 pounds of nano rock
- There is a cryptic reactor with 20 pounds of TBS nano rock that I have looked at in ages.
- Lot's of gear, lots. Ozone, UV, Scrubber, Apex, DOS, Versa, etc etc
- 7 fish (yellow, purple, powder blue, clowns, fox, file)
- Tons of CUC
Tank 2
- Been running 12 months
- KP live rock shipped in water. 70 pounds of premium rock
- Lots of frags that have encrusted and are starting to grow.
Challenges/Order of events:
1) With ocean live sand and some base rock, will this tank need to cycle? Tank 2 was started with premium rock from KPA and the tank had a rough cycle for 3 weeks. I had never used ocean rock before, and I probably shouldn't have been sold premium to cycle a tank. I can find my thread on here somewhere about that.
2) The a good portion of the gear I am going to use on the new tank is operational on the other two systems. Can I leave the sump off line while I cycle the tank with the closed loop? If I can or if the tank is "insta ready". Should I get both existing tanks as close to the same in terms parameters, then try and get the new tank to those parameters? However, if there is nothing in the new tank taking up CA and MG, can you bring them down like you can DKH with muriatic acid?
3) Scaping this is going to be interesting. As it is, I am thinking I am going to have to break free and or cut free all the SPS on the small tank. I assume all the encrusted that remains could grow from there?
I know, I just did a quick brain dump. But, I need to start thinking how I am going to do this. I thought moving everything to a stock tank then to the new tank. But, I am think if it goes straight from one tank to the other tank, that should be one less stress event for the coral.
I know I am missing a ton and likely didn't convey all my thoughts properly. Here are the existing tank pics. OK, you can now toss popcorn at me...
I'd like to get some input and opinions on the best practices for doing what we are about to do.
We are having Glass Cages build us a 96x36x25 peninsula tank.
As it relates to the biologics - the new tank will have:
1) TBS live sand
2) Additional TBS live rock 60 pounds of base and about 100-150 of premium
3) Closed loop that will likely not have me using any power heads powered by an A400. More on this shortly.
Tanks I will consolidate into the new tank:
Tank 1:
- Red Sea Max 500 that has been running for 5 plus years
- Contains about 100 pounds of rock that has been in the tank for at least that long
- Lots of coral that are established
- As far as biologics in the display, only the rock and coral will be transferred
- In the sump there is about 25 pounds of nano rock
- There is a cryptic reactor with 20 pounds of TBS nano rock that I have looked at in ages.
- Lot's of gear, lots. Ozone, UV, Scrubber, Apex, DOS, Versa, etc etc
- 7 fish (yellow, purple, powder blue, clowns, fox, file)
- Tons of CUC
Tank 2
- Been running 12 months
- KP live rock shipped in water. 70 pounds of premium rock
- Lots of frags that have encrusted and are starting to grow.
Challenges/Order of events:
1) With ocean live sand and some base rock, will this tank need to cycle? Tank 2 was started with premium rock from KPA and the tank had a rough cycle for 3 weeks. I had never used ocean rock before, and I probably shouldn't have been sold premium to cycle a tank. I can find my thread on here somewhere about that.
2) The a good portion of the gear I am going to use on the new tank is operational on the other two systems. Can I leave the sump off line while I cycle the tank with the closed loop? If I can or if the tank is "insta ready". Should I get both existing tanks as close to the same in terms parameters, then try and get the new tank to those parameters? However, if there is nothing in the new tank taking up CA and MG, can you bring them down like you can DKH with muriatic acid?
3) Scaping this is going to be interesting. As it is, I am thinking I am going to have to break free and or cut free all the SPS on the small tank. I assume all the encrusted that remains could grow from there?
I know, I just did a quick brain dump. But, I need to start thinking how I am going to do this. I thought moving everything to a stock tank then to the new tank. But, I am think if it goes straight from one tank to the other tank, that should be one less stress event for the coral.
I know I am missing a ton and likely didn't convey all my thoughts properly. Here are the existing tank pics. OK, you can now toss popcorn at me...
