Upgrading my 55gal to 100 gal

R

reebs

Reefing newb
My question is if I were to do this all in one day would it cause my tank to cycle again? I currently have a 55 gal tank that I would be transferring over to a 100 tank. I would remove all the fish into buckets and then drain all the water into the new tank. I would put the live rock in as well as the sand from the 55 gal. I am probably going to add some more sand because I wont have enough from just the 55gal. I was hoping that later the same day I could add all my fish back in to the 100 gal tank.

Would this cause the tank to cycle or should I be ok? Unfortunately I cant really start the new tank up early because of where I am going to put it. So it all has to be done in a day.

Any suggestions are welcome.
 
Sounds like a busy day!! I think you will be fine. Use as much water and sand as possible.Unless the sand is real dirty,that in its self can cause a cycle.Make sure all your rock transfers without getting dry.Also be ready with water changes if you do start to build ammonia and nitrites.
 
thanks, i plan on moving the rocks from one tank directly to the new one. So there isn't much time out of water. I was planning to add some new sand because I wont have enough and then add all the existing sand on top of the new sand. I am going to use all 55gals of old water along with some premade new water to fill up the tank.

I hope I dont really have much of a cycle but will be monitoring it and if needed I will do a water change. Since this is a 100gal tank how much of a water change should I be doing? 10 - 15 gals?
 
I absolutely would not use the old sand with out cleaning it first! That will for sure cause a cycle stirring up all that stuff. If you want to reuse your sand i would thoroughly wash it out before putting it in the new tank.
 
Hanna, is right be careful with the sand.It can cause you some problems! It also can go a long way in seeding the new tank. I stir my sand bed once a week. Every time i do a water change I clean my sand bed as well.
 
Just put it all in a bucket and then put the hose in the bucket, and stir the sand around. The small particles, which you want to get rid of, will go out with the overflow from the bucket and just keep stirring the sand until the water coming off is clear.

And if you want to seed your sand, just save a cup or two of unwashed sand.
 
+1 Hannah. You'll want to rinse that old sand out really well. It takes a good 10 min or more to rinse out a 5g bucket of sand with the hose to where the water comes out clear.

You can definitely upgrade the tank all in one day, but its going to be a long hard day. Make sure to use as much of the old tank water in the new tank as possible. It will help to keep your new water as much like the old water as possible so it doesn't shock the livestock as much. The water MUST also be the right temp before putting any of the livestock back in.
 
thanks, I plan on transferring the water from the current tank to the new one right away. Basically siphon from the old to the new. Then once I have enough water in the new tank I will turn the heater on. I was going to keep my fish in the old tank as long as i can until the new tank has the right temperature and then I was going to just transfer them over. Or should I re-acclimate them again.
 
I would not just drop the fish or inverts right in the tank. They will need to be acclimated like normal to get used to the different water conditions. The corals can go right in as long as the temp is within a degree or 2 of the original tank.

It's going to take a while to get that water up to temp so get the heater going asap to speed it up.
 
I would be prepared to keep your fish in a temporary tub (literally, a plastic tub will be fine for this) for at least over night if need be, which means heat and powerhead.

If this was me, i would fill up the new tank about half way to conditions as close as you can match to your other tank (salinity, pH, and temp). I would then put your live stock in the tub, and then i would move the old rocks from your 50, add your new dry rock, and rearrange. Add the old water and then begin re acclimating your stuff.
 
I've done this 3 times in a year...It's not that difficult.

Here are the steps.

1. Get about 50 g of new water ready and to temp with proper salinity. I use 32g rubbermaid garbage cans....You'll need 2. They're $15.
2. Take all of your rock out, and put it in the rubbermaids.
3. Catch the fish.
4. Put them in a tub, that is big enough that they can't jump out and will hold them....throw a power head and a heater in there..use your existing tank water to fill it.
5. Transfer your water from your old tank to the new tank.
6. Put in all of your rock and complete your aquascaping.
7. Add the new water
8. Put fish in new tank..

Throw away your existing sand.

Let them get used to the new place for a week and add your sand. Here's how to add the sand.

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=20C0VGEaEM4&feature=player_embedded"]YouTube - Putting Sand in an existing tank.[/ame]

This shouldn't take more than 2-3 hrs if you've planned it out properly.
 
PRC said:
I've done this 3 times in a year...It's not that difficult.

Here are the steps.

1. Get about 50 g of new water ready and to temp with proper salinity. I use 32g rubbermaid garbage cans....You'll need 2. They're $15.
2. Take all of your rock out, and put it in the rubbermaids.
3. Catch the fish.
4. Put them in a tub, that is big enough that they can't jump out and will hold them....throw a power head and a heater in there..use your existing tank water to fill it.
5. Transfer your water from your old tank to the new tank.
6. Put in all of your rock and complete your aquascaping.
7. Add the new water
8. Put fish in new tank..

Throw away your existing sand.

Let them get used to the new place for a week and add your sand. Here's how to add the sand.

YouTube - Putting Sand in an existing tank.

This shouldn't take more than 2-3 hrs if you've planned it out properly.
Click to expand...


That's a great idea! Thanks for sharing!
 
PRC said:
I've done this 3 times in a year...It's not that difficult.

Here are the steps.

1. Get about 50 g of new water ready and to temp with proper salinity. I use 32g rubbermaid garbage cans....You'll need 2. They're $15.
2. Take all of your rock out, and put it in the rubbermaids.
3. Catch the fish.
4. Put them in a tub, that is big enough that they can't jump out and will hold them....throw a power head and a heater in there..use your existing tank water to fill it.
5. Transfer your water from your old tank to the new tank.
6. Put in all of your rock and complete your aquascaping.
7. Add the new water
8. Put fish in new tank..

Throw away your existing sand.

Let them get used to the new place for a week and add your sand. Here's how to add the sand.

YouTube - Putting Sand in an existing tank.

This shouldn't take more than 2-3 hrs if you've planned it out properly.
Click to expand...

+1 PRC, that is exactly the same way I did it whne I went from 55 to a 120. Except I rinsed and added the substrate as well in the same day.
 

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