Upgrading to a larger tank

I currently have a 14g BC, but it's quite small and I'd like a bit more room. My brother has a spare 29g that he used to keep lizards in. I would like to set that up until I get enough money together for a lager tank.

Anyway, my question is can I just transfer everything over from my 14g and just add more live rock/sand? My current setup has been going for about 5months. Will this cause a new cycle to start?

probably so, just cause you'll be stirring up the substrate, but yea, you can move it over,

if you wanna do it really right, you could start the new tank up,(just like if it was just a normal new tank), put in the "additional new rock" that your gonna buy anyway(i'd suggest base rock cause its cheaper), and then just take a cup of sand and a rock or 2 from the BC and "seed" the new tank..., let the new one cycle, and then transfer the remaining stuff over, and then you have the option to tear down the BC if you wanna...

the other thing that i would do, is each time you do a water change, take the "old" water from the bc and put it in the new tank, that'll help seed it as well...

just a thought...

+1 project5k

If I "seed" the tank as you say, will the cycle time be shorter or the usual 4-6 weeks? Since there will be no livestock in the new tank during the cycling process do I need to run lights? Also, I've read about people adding an uncooked shrimp to the tank to help it cycle faster. What's that all about?

Well I got the new 29g up and running this past Friday night. It's got 30lbs sand (20lbs dry & 10lbs live). I have another 10lbs from my current tank that I will transfer in. I put in 12lbs LR and about 1-2lbs LR from my current tank to help seed. 200w submersible heater and a 160gph powerhead just to get a little movement, lighting with PC's. A few hitchhikers came on the LR(snails and small white stars. Do you think they'll make it through the cycling?

Some of them will. They managed to survive being shipped to your tank. Hitch hikers are hardy.

They seem to be doing fine so I guess they'll make it.

The wheels are spinning in my head with this new tank and got me thinking of possible issues. When I transfer my LR and sand from my current tank will it cause the new tank to go into another cycle because of all the junk in the sand? Or will I have enough bacteria in the newly cycled tank to handle the changes? I was thinking about adding the about 1/2 the LR and sand about a week prior to the actual transfer to reduce the amount of toxins released into the water....good or bad idea?

It's unlikely that moving your rock and sand over will start a cycle, but there is the possibility. Usually enough bacteria survives that you won't see anything spike. Adding some of it ahead of time is a great idea, IMO.

Thanks Biff!