Need help upgrading to 210 gallon tank

[gc1962]

Ok I currently have a 90-gallon reef tank that has been up and running for almost 2 years now and am fixing to upgrade to a 210 gallon 7ft tank. I have several questions regarding this upgrade, to begain with I plan on building a new 75 gallon sump/ref that will go under the tank after all this is complete I plan on filling the tank with new saltwater. Now to the questions, will I have to cycle this tank and wait for this cycle to complete or is there any way to transfer my live rock which I have about 125 pounds in my 90 gallon tank now along with some tank water from the 90 gallon without going through another cycle? I plan on using new sand but could get a little from the established tank if this would help. I just want my corals to make the transfer as smooth as possible without stressing them or my fish out. I plan on using my lights from my 90 gallon tank on the new one also but will have to add 1 more halide. I want to do this the right way so you guys give me some ideas on what would be the best way to make this transition.

 

[btldreef]

Originally Posted by gc1962
http:///forum/post/3168403
Ok I currently have a 90-gallon reef tank that has been up and running for almost 2 years now and am fixing to upgrade to a 210 gallon 7ft tank. I have several questions regarding this upgrade, to begain with I plan on building a new 75 gallon sump/ref that will go under the tank after all this is complete I plan on filling the tank with new saltwater. Now to the questions, will I have to cycle this tank and wait for this cycle to complete or is there any way to transfer my live rock which I have about 125 pounds in my 90 gallon tank now along with some tank water from the 90 gallon without going through another cycle? I plan on using new sand but could get a little from the established tank if this would help. I just want my corals to make the transfer as smooth as possible without stressing them or my fish out. I plan on using my lights from my 90 gallon tank on the new one also but will have to add 1 more halide. I want to do this the right way so you guys give me some ideas on what would be the best way to make this transition.
I transferred things from a 40G to a 155G in two days, with new sand. Just had to wait for the new sand to settle. I added a very little bit of the old sand. It's suggested not to use old sand. I happened to be using the same filter/overflow/sump from the 40G (it was overkill in the 40G) so I really wasn't cycling, I was just increasing water volume. So the big question is, are you planning on using a new filter?

 

[gc1962]

I will be using a new sump/ref, and that is where all my mechanical filtration will be other than the live rock. I will also be using the same skimmer that I currently am using on my tank I have set up now.

 

[btldreef]

Originally Posted by gc1962
http:///forum/post/3168677
I will be using a new sump/ref, and that is where all my mechanical filtration will be other than the live rock. I will also be using the same skimmer that I currently am using on my tank I have set up now.

You can do it.
I should have asked this earlier, can you keep both tanks running at the same time?

 

[bryce.martin23]

i just did the exact thing you are planning, i had a 75 gal and went to the 210 set up. On my old setup i had two filter socks, bio balls, and some cheato. what i did was put the cheato in a zip lock bag and poked some holes in it to allow some water to flow through it. I then put my bio balls in the filter socks and hung them in front of a powerhead to help cycle the water. As for the sand i put it in the refugium in the bottom and used as much of the old water as possible. The transition worked pretty well for me, i lost a monti cap though, it looked great for about a month and just recently bleached out.