Tank transfer, good plan?

[littlefoxx]

I transferred my 65 gallon to a 180 gallon around a year ago. I had zero issues. Here’s what I did.

1. Set up new tank and new rockscape.
2. Allow room for existing rock scape to be placed in new tank
3. rinsed all new sand until water ran clear. It took forever! But I used a 5 gallon bucket and a bag of sand at a time. Once rinsed I dumped it into new tank.
4. I made salt water… 50 gallons at a time and added it to the new tank as it was ready.
5. I ran the new tank in order to heat water to desired temperature to match my 65 gallon.
6. Day of transfer, I already knew how much water could be siphoned out of the 65 gallon while just leaving enough after rocks were removed for fish. So I removed 30-40 gallons from the new tank. I wanted to use as much water of the old water as I could.
7. I added fritzyme turbo start 900 to new tank.
8. I removed old rock scapes and placed them in the new tank
9 . Caught fish and moved them to new tank.
10. Combed through old sand looking for any snails and such to transfer.
11 I transferred my lights over plus a couple. I knew my par readings in the 65 gallon so on the new tank I set lights up at 30-50% of that and gradually increased the percentage up by 3% every couple of days until I hit my goal.

It wasn’t nearly as bad as I had feared it was going to be. Just once you start, move swiftly and with a plan.

Ah okay! That makes sense and sounds efficient.

 

[SudzFD]

Im actually leaving my tanks up until Im ready to complete the fish transfer!

Even better, you should have no trouble.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Step 1) obviously getting the tank installed and plumbed, might need some assistance on that when the time comes

2) get new sand

3) place existing rocks from my other tank in the aquarium to scape it

4) fill the water from my old tanks to at least submerge the rocks

5) move fish and place wavemakers and air stone at that level for oxygenation of the water

6) continue making new saltwater until the tank is full

Does this plan sound good??? Ive never done a transfer (of saltwater) and I just want to do it right and not loose anyone!

Is it okay for the water to be cloudy from disturbing the new sand with putting water in it to continue to fill the tank? Im just not sure what to do with the rocks because i know they are seeded for the fish.

I have the advantage of not having to use totes as my tanks are still up and running as the plan is to tear them both down after everyone is transferred and settled

I do similar but mix new water in bare tank with powerheads, add the sand, allow water to clear a little, then add rocks, then denitrifying bacteria and following day the fish

 

[MnFish1]

Problem is I only have a few 5 gallon buckets and dont want to completely shock everyone with all new saltwater, or is that just me being paranoid? I just dont know how I would scape the rocks with all the water in since it will probably take me a few days to fill. Unless I fill with all new SW and then move the rocks over and fish?

Usually I would use 1/2 water from the old tank - and 1/2 from the new. let that flow (In your new filter) - and then add the fish, etc.

 

[littlefoxx]

I do similar but mix new water in bare tank with powerheads, add the sand, allow water to clear a little, then add rocks, then denitrifying bacteria and following day the fish

So you fill the tank with RO then add salt and mix it with the power heads?

 

[vetteguy53081]

So you fill the tank with RO then add salt and mix it with the power heads?

Yes- call it a short cut but has no effect on coral as its well mixed

 

[Bruttall]

April last year I migrated a 75g into a 300g. It's all documented in my build thread. Good Luck and Great Choice on Tanks! I love my 8 foot tank.

 

[WhatCouldGoWrong71]

@Bruttall Thanks, I am going to go read about it. @littlefoxx I am doing nearly the same sized consolidation, just cashing some retirement in. I am taking a 130 and a 60G and putting them in a 400G peninsula. I am starting with TBS sand and adding about 140 pounds of TBS rock, some base on day 1 and premium on day 10. I have 70 pounds of gulf premium rock in one of the tanks and 6 year old wet rock in the other. I will be putting sand in the tank on 8/17 give or take a day. I too plan on mixing the salt in my tank and using the closed loop to act as a blender. I want to follow this as it will be cool to share notes and see the difference in approaches. In my tank with the 70 pounds of wet gulf rock, I was super impressed with essentially not having any uglies. The rock looks incredible almost 18 months in. I am not crazy about the sand, BUT, it's less prone to blow around and comes loaded with additional bio. So, let's see how this goes, lol.