Possible Upgrade

[Northstar24]

So, I have been offered a Marineland Pro 300 gallon for a price that is simply too good to ignore. This is far from a sure thing, because I still have to get approval from the wife - but there is all kinds of stuff I learned about this hobby that I had wished I had known when doing my current setup, and I'd love the chance to do it over again.

That being said, if I do go forward with this, I have a 180 full of livestock that would need to be moved. Is the general jist of the process to save the tank water from your current setup, and use that along with newly mixed saltwater?

I assume as you take down the current tank, you just throw your fish in rubbermaids with some of the live rock, and possibly a heater?

Then you save as much water as possible for hte new tank, put in your live rock (and corals) add your sand, finish filling the tank, and then add the fish in?

How likely is a cycle? Is it possible that fish will be lost as part of this process?

 

[Ted]

When I changed tanks last September I did basically what you said and never had a cycle. However it was only 15 gallons of new water and all the rock was established from the old tank. I used new sand not the old stuff. Not saying it would go this good for you but it did for me.

 

[Northstar24]

I would use the approximately 225 pounds of 3 year old rock that I have now, with the addition of some additional dry rock (i'm thinking ~100 pounds to start). I would NOT be re-using the sand - I would be buying new

 

[salt_for_brains]

I have done this more than a few times and have never experienced a cycle or lost a fish. There are always possibilities. I have always used new sand and never risked stirring up the old sand bed. The biggest I did was a 150 to a 240 and it was done without any issues.
I would throw a heater and a power head in the containers with the fish when I did it.

 

[Bifferwine]

Like the people above, I've moved/transferred tanks several times and never lost anything or saw a cycle. I also used new sand every time, and kept the live rock wet (either submerged or covered in wet newspaper or paper towels).

 

[little_fish]

here is all kinds of stuff I learned about this hobby that I had wished I had known when doing my current setup, and I'd love the chance to do it over again.

It's that the truth!!

 

[Northstar24]

This is still all in the planning stages, but at the price I was given by the owner of the store, I have to at least sit down and figure out if I can reasonably pull it off, which includes the price as well as the logistics of making it happen

I'd have to redo all of the filtration as well, as the stand dimensions are different from what I currently have. The Lifereef setup that I currently run is too tall. In reality, what this means is that someone will probably get a turn key setup minus rock, sand and livestock for steal if I decide to go forward.

While in the planning process, what do you guys feel is a fair price to ask for a Reef Read 180, stand, and full LifeReef filtration setup, including skimmer and system pumps?