so...how do you swap out a tank?

[steve2121]

My 75g setup just seems way too small now. When i got it, everyone said go bigger, i know you, its not gonna be enough. I told them to go piss up a rope. Well, they were right. 75g is way too small. But how do i swap out tanks? The space where i would put the new tank is right where the old tank would go. I see you guys constantly talking about swapping tanks from <100 to 200>.
Hows it done? where does the new tank go and how do you move it in place?

 

[geoj]

Well I save the water in Ice chest or clean trashcan. If you have sand I would clean it before reusing. You will need some make-up water. If you have an extra tank that can help. A temp setup that can go for a week helps when you cant do it all at once.

 

[flower]

I have done this twice. So save yourself some trouble... go really big to start with so you won’t have to do this again.

Put your stuff in new tubs, be organized move as quick as possible. Something for corals, another for fish and a big plastic garbage can for your rock.
55g Garbage plastic cans with new saltwater, a few to put old water into (save as much of this as possible)
I always buy new sand, it isn’t worth it to try and move it. I do try and save some, but not too worried about the sand. Take one tank out, slide the other in... Set it up...w/ sand and rock then acclimate the critters and cross your fingers.
The tubs and garbage cans don't cost too much and you can use them for emergencies and water changes later. When dry they stack real nice and won't take up much space.
My LFS has 55g drums they were willing to loan me. Pumps and all. I bought my own because I hate to borrow anything. (That’s just me) You can always ask them and see. They do their own water changes somehow. It is worth a shot.
Happy reefing!

 

[eric b 125]

empty some water and all the fish into a big rubbermaid, move the old tank, put new tank in it's place, put all your sand and LR into new tank w/ more sand/LR. put the fish with old tank water back into the 75 while you wait for the sand cloud to die down in the new tank plus wait for any spike you might have. once your chemistry is back to ideal, put the live stock back in new tank.

 

[stanlalee]

not really that hard just time consuming.
get a storage bin(s) to store your rock and livestock and throw a powerhead and heater in it. throw your light over it and if your rock is established stuff can live in there longer than you'll ever need for doing a transfer.

if your going bare bottom just move and replace. If your transferring sand and its going to be a one day job just leave it in the tank wet/damp. you can either leave the livestock in bins and wait for the sand to settle or transfer the sand so it doesn't kick up to begin with. you have to fill the tank up with water first. I put the sand in tupperwear with a lid, bring it to the bottom of the tank and slowly remove the top and pour out the sand. have done countless sand transfers without dusting up the tanks this way. If this is going to be a 3 day job setting up plumbing and such on the new tank do the same with the sand as you did with the livestock and rocks in its own bin.
I'd suggest you have new water ready for the tank. half your old water will be used to house the livestock while you transfer and that water will be compromised by the change (mainly you are going to put your live stock and rock in a bin half the size of what it was in with less than ideal if any filtration besides biological from the live rock). Even if you used it all if a 75g is way too small you are still going to need a heck of a lot of water to fill the much larger new tank.