What's the best way to upgrade without causing a cycle

ThePurple12 · 12/10/2018, 01:30 PM

Hello. I will be upgrading from a 30 to a 75 soon, and I have a few questions.

1. What is the best way to upgrade without causing a cycle that will harm my anemones and corals?

2. Should I add dry or live sand?

3. Should I add dry or live rock?

mcgyvr · 12/10/2018, 01:52 PM

Define upgrade?
Usually its best to get the new tank going with all new dry sand (well rinsed sand) and fill it part way up with new saltwater.. Part way because the rock,etc.. will displace water when you add it..

Then just transfer your existing rock/fish/corals,etc... over and if needed add some more new water to top it off..

Voila..

A cycle occurs when there is an abundance of decaying organic material that creates ammonia and an insufficient bacterial population to quickly process it..

A transfer like stated above will maintain a sufficient amount of the bacterial population and not generate excessive levels of ammonia..

rffanat1c · 12/10/2018, 03:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mcgyvr

Define upgrade?
Usually its best to get the new tank going with all new dry sand (well rinsed sand) and fill it part way up with new saltwater.. Part way because the rock,etc.. will displace water when you add it..

Then just transfer your existing rock/fish/corals,etc... over and if needed add some more new water to top it off..

Voila..

A cycle occurs when there is an abundance of decaying organic material that creates ammonia and an insufficient bacterial population to quickly process it..

A transfer like stated above will maintain a sufficient amount of the bacterial population and not generate excessive levels of ammonia..

This. Done it myself with no issues. As long as the transfer occurs within an hour or two you’ll have no issues.

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ThePurple12 · 12/10/2018, 03:49 PM

Good advice. How should I add new rock?

cody6766 · 12/10/2018, 11:04 PM

If it's dry or already cycled, toss it on in. If you expect a bunch of die off and a new cycle, I'd do that in buckets or a separate tank/tub.

ThePurple12 · 12/11/2018, 10:15 AM

thanks for the help

candymancan · 12/13/2018, 12:26 AM

I just uograded my 27g hexagon to a 60g wide hexagon. All i did was get about 7 blue 5g buckets from lowes.. fill em up with the old tsnk water.. move my coral snails. cmhermitd and so forth to one bucket.. And my rocks to the other bucket. I drained my tank till there was about an inch of water.. took it off the stand moved the stand away.. Thrn moved the new tank in its place. Thrn i put my bigger base rocks in the tank and then scooped the sand over to the nee tank... I then pouted 2 5gal buckets of thr old water in.. Then started mkxing a 5 gal bucket with salt and poured it in and kept dping that until it was 70% full.. I put thr pumps and stuff in and let them run to clear the water a bit for like 2 hrs.. Then i moved the rest of my rock and then fish and thrn coral back in.

Its veey time consuming but it works... No cycle as long as you keep your rock and sand wet

12/10/2018, 01:30 PM	#1
ThePurple12 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2018 Location: Virginia Posts: 506	What's the best way to upgrade without causing a cycle Hello. I will be upgrading from a 30 to a 75 soon, and I have a few questions. 1. What is the best way to upgrade without causing a cycle that will harm my anemones and corals? 2. Should I add dry or live sand? 3. Should I add dry or live rock?

12/10/2018, 01:52 PM	#2
mcgyvr Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: North Carolina Posts: 20,050	Define upgrade? Usually its best to get the new tank going with all new dry sand (well rinsed sand) and fill it part way up with new saltwater.. Part way because the rock,etc.. will displace water when you add it.. Then just transfer your existing rock/fish/corals,etc... over and if needed add some more new water to top it off.. Voila.. A cycle occurs when there is an abundance of decaying organic material that creates ammonia and an insufficient bacterial population to quickly process it.. A transfer like stated above will maintain a sufficient amount of the bacterial population and not generate excessive levels of ammonia.. __________________ Who me?

12/10/2018, 11:04 PM	#5
cody6766 Super Best Friends! Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: OKC, OK Posts: 3,772	If it's dry or already cycled, toss it on in. If you expect a bunch of die off and a new cycle, I'd do that in buckets or a separate tank/tub. __________________ "The moral is the chosen, not the forced; the understood, not the obeyed. The moral is the rational, and reason accepts no commandments." - John Galt Current Tank Info: Cadlights 60G Arisan II mixed reef with 2x MP40s and 24" ATI

12/10/2018, 03:49 PM	#4
ThePurple12 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2018 Location: Virginia Posts: 506	Good advice. How should I add new rock?

12/11/2018, 10:15 AM	#6
ThePurple12 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2018 Location: Virginia Posts: 506	thanks for the help

12/13/2018, 12:26 AM	#7
candymancan Registered Member. Join Date: Aug 2013 Posts: 124	I just uograded my 27g hexagon to a 60g wide hexagon. All i did was get about 7 blue 5g buckets from lowes.. fill em up with the old tsnk water.. move my coral snails. cmhermitd and so forth to one bucket.. And my rocks to the other bucket. I drained my tank till there was about an inch of water.. took it off the stand moved the stand away.. Thrn moved the new tank in its place. Thrn i put my bigger base rocks in the tank and then scooped the sand over to the nee tank... I then pouted 2 5gal buckets of thr old water in.. Then started mkxing a 5 gal bucket with salt and poured it in and kept dping that until it was 70% full.. I put thr pumps and stuff in and let them run to clear the water a bit for like 2 hrs.. Then i moved the rest of my rock and then fish and thrn coral back in. Its veey time consuming but it works... No cycle as long as you keep your rock and sand wet