Transferring Sand and LR?

[jcsurfn]

I have a 5 gal. tank with 60# LS and 20# LR Plan on getting more. 10 snails, 7 hermit crabs, 1 peppermint shrimp and 1 sand sifting star.
2 percula clowns.
I am thinking of setting up a 20 gal. tank with the stuff mentioned bove. I am just woundering how to do this?
Should I set up the 20 gal. tank and take sand from the 55 gal. tank and put in as much as needed. Then add the water and salt mix? Then add a raw shrimp to cycle it? I really dont know how live the LS is. I started out with argonite sand and then I added my LR which should seed it but then I have had a sand sifting star going through the sand bed.
Then add my LR after the cycle is done along with the other stuff?
I probably dont want to take water from the 55 gal. tank to put in the new one right?
Also do I need a protein skimmer on a 20 gal. tank? I have one on the 55 gal. tank. Also what about any other filtration? I thought the sand and LR will be the best with a powr head.
Thank You

 

[bobo]

i would first premix several gallons(over 15 gallons)of seawater and aerate and heat it for over 24 hrs, then take out all your lr and most of the water of the 5 gal tank and the livestock(including your star) and transfer that into a bucket or any extra clean container. aerate and heat it as needed. then scoop out your ls into your 20 gal. then put in about ten gallons from your 55gal if it was established and has no history of diseases or ich. to prevent from disturbing the sand too much you can put a clean plate on it and pour the water over it slowly. then pour in your pre-aerated and aged water- just 5 gallons for now. let the sand settle in your tank and aerate it at the same time, also keep its temperature right. when it has totally settled, make sure its parameters are right-NH3, trates, trites, phosphate, silicate, pH especially...etc. if all is good you can bag your livestocks-like they do at the lfs (fill the bag with air from air pump, not your mouth). then slowily put in your lr and the bags of your livestock in 20 gal tank carefully as not to disturb sand. pour in your remaining water from the original 5 gal tank in cups also very carefully as not disturb sand. if 20 gal tank is not yet full fill with your pre-aerated, aged seawater. then pour the rest to replenish your 55 gal. However, if your 55 gal was not fully established or you do not trust that it is parasite free, i would go with the route of aging your 20 gal, which will take awhile. if you do so i would not take sand from your 5 gal since that may disturb the dsb. i'd cycle it with new sand.
as to your 20 gal set up, i would difinitely get a skimmer considering the amount of livestock you carry. i don't think you would need other extra mechanical filters if you don't overfeed.

 

[jcsurfn]

Well I am going to keep my 55 gal. tank up while I do this.
Can I take the sand out of the 55 gal. tank and clean it and put it into the 20 gal. tank and then seed it with some LS or my LR.
If I did that I would just ut the sand from my 55 gal. tank in as much as needed and cycle it for a month. Then transfer all my LR and other things from my 55 gal. tank. I really dont have much in there as mentioned above.
Any suggestions?
Thank You