Best way to quickly transfer to larger tank?

Weboh · 07/18/2018, 08:43 AM

My 30 gallon tank just sprung a leak. I managed to move everything to a 10 gallon tank temporarily, but I obviously can't keep 2 clownfish and a pseudochromis in there very long.

I have a 60 gallon tank I was going to transfer everything into, but I need to know how quickly I can do that. I have 30 gallons of seasoned water and I imagine I can't just add 30 more gallons of freshly mixed water and drop everything in there. What do you suggest? Add 5 gallons every day or something and once it's full transfer the fish? Or?

Thanks.

mcgyvr · 07/18/2018, 09:06 AM

You can just add 30 more gallons of fresh water and drop everything in there..
Most of the bacteria is on the live rock and little is actually in the water column itself..
So long as you keep the rock wet to avoid any bacterial die off all is fine..

I would recommend using new well rinsed dry sand and simply adding that to the 60g.. then pour in the 30g of "seasoned" water.. then transfer over live rock.. then transfer over livestock then add more new saltwater to tank as needed..
Quite easy.. Done all the time without issue.. All can be don one thing right after the other. A few hours if that and you are done..

journeyman · 07/18/2018, 09:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mcgyvr

You can just add 30 more gallons of fresh water and drop everything in there..
Most of the bacteria is on the live rock and little is actually in the water column itself..
So long as you keep the rock wet to avoid any bacterial die off all is fine..

I would recommend using new well rinsed dry sand and simply adding that to the 60g.. then pour in the 30g of "seasoned" water.. then transfer over live rock.. then transfer over livestock then add more new saltwater to tank as needed..
Quite easy.. Done all the time without issue.. All can be don one thing right after the other. A few hours if that and you are done..

Agree. It's basically a 50% water change.

thesimplereef.com

mattgumaer · 07/18/2018, 09:59 AM

Completely agree. Move rock over. Probably safer to leave sand behind, particularly if relatively deep and not regularly turned over. move everything else and you should be fine.

I moved everything from an established 90 to a new 180 this way (moving everything other than sand over at one time) and didn't lose a thing. No new cycle at all that I observed (visually or on testing for ammonia).

Matt

BlueMoonFox · 07/18/2018, 04:44 PM

I know I don’t need to say it, but just for clarification, fresh SALT water. Common sense, but in this day and age, common sense isn’t so common.

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mcgyvr · 07/18/2018, 05:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BlueMoonFox

I know I don’t need to say it, but just for clarification, fresh SALT water. Common sense, but in this day and age, common sense isn’t so common.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

yes... thanks... I shouldn't have said fresh water alone..
New salt water would be better..

Weboh · 07/18/2018, 09:09 PM

Thanks everyone. Do you think I need to acclimate my livestock to the newly mixed water like I do when I get a fish from the store?

slief · 07/18/2018, 09:15 PM

Just make sure the temp of the water in the new tank is VERY close to that in the old tank to reduce acclimation time. Also make sure the salinity matches.

mcgyvr · 07/19/2018, 04:33 AM

yep.. just make sure the salinity is the same..

Mike.B · 07/20/2018, 09:33 AM

As everyone has said already, salinity and temp, make sure they are exactly the same.

I just connected my 150g dt to the rest of my system which was about 70g with livestock and matched both salinity and temp and had no negative effects. I used the same brand of salt I had been using to try and keep the same parameters outside of salt/temp.

07/18/2018, 08:43 AM	#1
Weboh Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2016 Location: St. Petersburg, FL Posts: 217	Best way to quickly transfer to larger tank? My 30 gallon tank just sprung a leak. I managed to move everything to a 10 gallon tank temporarily, but I obviously can't keep 2 clownfish and a pseudochromis in there very long. I have a 60 gallon tank I was going to transfer everything into, but I need to know how quickly I can do that. I have 30 gallons of seasoned water and I imagine I can't just add 30 more gallons of freshly mixed water and drop everything in there. What do you suggest? Add 5 gallons every day or something and once it's full transfer the fish? Or? Thanks.

07/18/2018, 09:06 AM	#2
mcgyvr Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: North Carolina Posts: 20,050	You can just add 30 more gallons of fresh water and drop everything in there.. Most of the bacteria is on the live rock and little is actually in the water column itself.. So long as you keep the rock wet to avoid any bacterial die off all is fine.. I would recommend using new well rinsed dry sand and simply adding that to the 60g.. then pour in the 30g of "seasoned" water.. then transfer over live rock.. then transfer over livestock then add more new saltwater to tank as needed.. Quite easy.. Done all the time without issue.. All can be don one thing right after the other. A few hours if that and you are done.. __________________ Who me?

07/18/2018, 09:15 PM	#8
slief RC Sponsor Join Date: Sep 2009 Posts: 14,173	Just make sure the temp of the water in the new tank is VERY close to that in the old tank to reduce acclimation time. Also make sure the salinity matches. __________________ Director Customer Support Royal Exclusiv USA For All Royal Exclusiv & Bubble King questions please refer to our Sponsor forum: http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/fo...play.php?f=745 Current Tank Info: 480G display mixed reef, 90G sump, 90G refugium, 60G display refugium. Check out my build thread: http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1783476

07/19/2018, 04:33 AM	#9
mcgyvr Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: North Carolina Posts: 20,050	yep.. just make sure the salinity is the same.. __________________ Who me?

07/18/2018, 09:59 AM	#4
mattgumaer Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2013 Posts: 561	Completely agree. Move rock over. Probably safer to leave sand behind, particularly if relatively deep and not regularly turned over. move everything else and you should be fine. I moved everything from an established 90 to a new 180 this way (moving everything other than sand over at one time) and didn't lose a thing. No new cycle at all that I observed (visually or on testing for ammonia). Matt

07/18/2018, 04:44 PM	#5
BlueMoonFox Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2016 Posts: 113	I know I don’t need to say it, but just for clarification, fresh SALT water. Common sense, but in this day and age, common sense isn’t so common. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

07/18/2018, 09:09 PM	#7
Weboh Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2016 Location: St. Petersburg, FL Posts: 217	Thanks everyone. Do you think I need to acclimate my livestock to the newly mixed water like I do when I get a fish from the store?

07/20/2018, 09:33 AM	#10
Mike.B Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Canada Posts: 548	As everyone has said already, salinity and temp, make sure they are exactly the same. I just connected my 150g dt to the rest of my system which was about 70g with livestock and matched both salinity and temp and had no negative effects. I used the same brand of salt I had been using to try and keep the same parameters outside of salt/temp.