Tank Move & Upgrade

[dolphins8426]

I have a few question I would like to ask. First off I currently have a 55 gallon system, but I am upgrading to a 110 gallon tank. I would like to start over since I have xenia that have taken over part of my system and some yellow polyps that have grown out of control too. Also I have an on going battle with those damn Aiptasia and was wondering how I could get ride of all of those before I tranfer them to my new tank. What would be the suggestion to killing all the bad overgrown stuff on my live rock? I might just have a live rock fish boill and I am sure that will take care of all my problems. Any and all suggestions would help.Thanks

 

[Hiker4twenty]

Boiling would probably be the best method to make sure you kill off everything. Then you should take a hard bristle brush and scrubb off all the dead junk. Then you'll have to set up a holding tank to start curing all that dead rock for at least a month or more.

 

[Bifferwine]

I think boiling should be used as a last resort. It will kill everything on the rock. I boiled my rocks before when they were overtaken by majano and kenya tree.

Are you planning on buying more live rock for your new tank? Since it's twice the size, I would expect you to have to buy a whole bunch more. In that case, boiling the rock may be an okay decision, since you will still have a bunch of live rock in your new tank. Your old rock will effectively be dead or base rock.

Xenia is difficult to kill using any other method. If you cut or scrape it off, it will just grow back.

Those are desireable corals to some people, though. You may be able to trade your yellow polyp and xenia covered rocks in at the LFS for store credit, or sell them to somebody local.

 

[dolphins8426]

Yes I do planning on buying more live rock for my new system. I was thinking about buying about 75lbs of new rock to start the system and then possibly taking all my rock from my current tank boiling it and then placing it in a tub of saltwater with a pump to recure it and then introduce it back into my new tank. I would hate to lose all the rock I have, but I am not going to take the chance of placing it in my new system and have those damn pests back.

My next question would be about having to cycle my new system again. I plan on placing my new tank where my old one is currently. Would it be safe for the fish and corals I have to move right away into my new system. I plan on getting all new sand, but i would take a few cups from my old system and mix it together. So the real question is, if I get about 75lbs of new cured live rock and all new sand with a few cups of my old sand would it be safe for everything to go back into the new system? I am not sure if I missed anything, but if I did please help.

 

[rdahlke1105]

I think if you do it that way it is possible that you will have a cycle.