downsizing

[j-cal]

I think i wanna downsize my 55 into a 29 for several reasons, btu I had a few questions. If i use the same sand, transfer it directly and quickly, use most of the same water and set up a Q tank for my live stuff for a few hours until sand settles etc, will my 29 minicycle? The stuff is only moving about 10 feet into a smaller tank. Any ideas?

 

[karajay]

From what I understand, stirring up the sand bed might cause an amm. spike. But no personal experience with that. Do you have LR? What are you doing about filtration? Are you transferring that also? If you've got some filter media with a build-up of bacteria to transfer, it should handle the move without much of a problem.

 

[ty_05_f]

you probably will have a mini cycle. But i have no personal experience with it. Personally i would start to cycle the smaller tank before putting livestock in.

 

[j-cal]

honestly i didint wanna hear that . I'm going to have a magnum 350, seaclone 150 and prolly a prism delux on this bad boy. If it was good for a 55 its gonna be gr8 for a 29, but i dont wanna lose livestock, and It seems like a waste for me to buy new sand when my 55 has more than enough. The onyl fish that I have are clowns, but my fav invert is a huge bright green LTA that i got when it was white, and ive had it for almost a year now, thats the only thing i fear losing really. The other corals that I have are hardy LPS, a toad stool leather and mushrooms, and i know i could prolly only keep some How big of a spike could I expect? I figure if I get a garbage can and siphon some of the H20 and run that with an airstone without feeding them for a night, then do a small h20 change the morning after i put it all in the 29. It CANT spike that high can it? This tank has been up for over a year now so its pretty well established. thanks in advance.
Justin
PS: Rye, does yer store ever trade frags, or do you ever need anything? I've got a few chunks of branching yellow porites and (this isnt a frag obv) if i tear down my 55 I wont have room for my gigantic open brain, I dont remember the name, but its not the common one. Its shaped like a disc and its base is about 5-6 inches in diamter and extends another 2-3 inches off of that upwards and on all sides. Tks

 

[j-cal]

Actually I work at a LFS that is pretty good so i figured Id do that, but i live kinda far out (like 40 min or so) from the place. I thought a move there and back in a few days might be more stessful than garbage cans/other tanks. Is the other tank idea a really bad one?
Another option I was considering...taking everything live out of the 55 put it into containers remove all sand and lr from 55, refill 55 w/ just new water, keep same filters on, return corals and such to the 55.
I've heard that bacteria for cycling freshies and salt is the same. The 29 has filter with good bacteria growth, so I could run it like that for a few days until it checks out perfect, then I move stuff back to 29. Sound reasonable?
Thanks Justin

 

[aarone]

I moved my 55 into a 29!
The ammonia wasnt a problem for me. The whole process took about two hours. just scoop out the sand and re add it to the new tank. HTH
aaron

 

[beaslbob]

I agree with aarone.
Your are moving quickly and adding the same stuff to the new tank. My "gut" feel is that you should not have any cycle at. Any you do have would be short lived. With the stress of the move and the new environment, I highly recommend you not feed the fish for two days or so. they will probably ignore the food anyway.

 

[jonthefb]

i also agree...when we moved from a 75 to 135 we dumped all the 74 stuff into the 135 wtihout a problem, added new stuff and didnt losa an animal....i say do it, just give the sand time to settle before you put all the fish/corals, etc in there!
good luck
jon