Switching tank over to new tank.

[phillipjlael]

Well right now i have a 36 gallon bowfront that i'm gonna be switching to a 46 gallon bowfront. The tank is gonna be going in the same place . The tank is allmost 3 months old. What would be the best way to go about this? I've asked this on other forums allready but i just gonna get as much input before i do this. I plan on doing it maybe this coming monday.

 

[Bifferwine]

You should buy a plastic rubbermade trash can from the hardware store, and a few 5-gallon buckets. Move your rock and livestock into the buckets, and pump your water into the trash can. The sand can stay in the bottom of the tank. Make the switch, then put your rock and water back in.

 

[yote]

+1 Biff
That should a fairly move.Just take your time with it and there shouldnt be any problems.

 

[phillipjlael]

You should buy a plastic rubbermade trash can from the hardware store, and a few 5-gallon buckets. Move your rock and livestock into the buckets, and pump your water into the trash can. The sand can stay in the bottom of the tank. Make the switch, then put your rock and water back in.

I have the 45 gallon rubbermade trash can allready cause i knew i would need that. Do you think keeping the same sand is ok? Cause it's only 3 months old. I have 40lbs of live sand now and i'm gonna prob get another 20lbs bag of live sand. Should i mix the two sands or put the new in first and the old on top? I'm also setting up a cpr aquafuge. Should i put new live sand in there or use the old sand?

 

[Bifferwine]

Keeping the same sand is fine. If you can, you can scoop the sand out in a bucket and rinse it with some RO water to clean it a bit. But it shouldn't be too dirty for being so young. It doesn't matter if you mix the sand. It will be less messy if you just put the new sand on top.

 

[phillipjlael]

Keeping the same sand is fine. If you can, you can scoop the sand out in a bucket and rinse it with some RO water to clean it a bit. But it shouldn't be too dirty for being so young. It doesn't matter if you mix the sand. It will be less messy if you just put the new sand on top.

Yea the sand is still white as can be . Right now i have my rock on top of my sand. From what i understand that's a no no. So when i move it over i should set up the rockwork first then place in the sand around the rock? I just got my new t5 light so that's why i'm making the switch finaly. I know i was told to wait at least 3-5 months before i start getting corals. When i switch over do you think i've gotta start that time frame over again or i should be able to start putting in coral after a month or so?

 

[yote]

If the rock you already is live rock,then invest in just enough dry base rock to build the foundation.Then you can place the live on top of that.No need to bury expensive live rock in the sand when you dont have to.

 

[wontonflip]

Wow....looks like the mods double teamed you and got you covered :D

 

[phillipjlael]

If the rock you already is live rock,then invest in just enough dry base rock to build the foundation.Then you can place the live on top of that.No need to bury expensive live rock in the sand when you dont have to.

Yea it's 42LBS of live rock that i had gotten cured 3 months ago. How long do you think it would take plain base rock to get good coloring like the rest of the rock? I wanna go about 60LBS in the new tank. So i was thinking of geting 12 dry rock and about 5 or so of new live rock. The main thing that sucks about this switch is that everything has been going fine so far with no problems . It's just i wanted to bigger tank so i could get a 36" light and put on a large aquafuge. I just know with my luck everything will go downhill after i switch . That's why i'm doing so much research to try and avoid anything bad.

 

[phillipjlael]

Wow....looks like the mods double teamed you and got you covered :D

:D:D:D Yay there very helpful ! And i just joined this forum . I think i'll be coming to this one more often then the one's i've been using :D

 

[Bifferwine]

You don't need to wait months to add your first corals. There are lots of easy corals out there that do well in a new tank. They are easier to keep than fish, IMO.

 

[phillipjlael]

You don't need to wait months to add your first corals. There are lots of easy corals out there that do well in a new tank. They are easier to keep than fish, IMO.

That's good to know. I feel bad cause i'm thinking about getting rid of my Falco hawkfish. He's a very cool fish and fun to watch. But when i got him i didn't know he was a shrimp eater. He's so small yet he's made shrimp twice his size go bye bye. I want to keep a cleaner shrimp or a fire shrimp. Do you think my six line wrasse will mess with the shrimp?

 

[Bifferwine]

It's very unlikely that the wrasse would mess with shrimp.

 

[phillipjlael]

It's very unlikely that the wrasse would mess with shrimp.

That's good to hear. The falco eat permanent shrimp. Do you think he would be able to take on a fire shrimp? There alot bigger and seem a bit tougher.

 

[Bifferwine]

Yeah, I don't think the fire shrimp would have a chance against the hawkfish either.

 

[yote]

For the base rock,you wont have to worry about it coloring up.It'll be covered by your live rock.

 

[wontonflip]

Look at this...it's an all mod thread :D

I have nothing useful to say cuz they still have you covered. :mrgreen: