Upgrading to a bigger tank

balistik1

balistik1

Member
Hello all, I need advice in what process do I use in upgrading a 55gal to a 125gal?
What do I need to do as far as transfering my stuff? Do I need to fill the 125 with salt water and let it cycle or do I use the water from my 55? Please, give me step by steps on what to do with my upgrading.
Thanks
 
fishking

fishking

Active Member
even if u used the water from the 55 u still would need 70gallons more, so if i were u i would make a new batch of water and itroduce sum of ur tank water from the 55 into the 125 so u can help cycle the tank quicker, also put sum lr and live sand in the 125 to make it even quicker
 
squidd

squidd

Active Member
Two questions...
1. Is the 125 going in the same "spot" as the 55 (full transfer) or can you set the 125 up in it's new spot and leave the 55 running for a week or two...???
2. Do you have in your 55 (and plan on having in the 125) the "basic" recommendations of (at least) 1 lb LR and 2 lb LS per gallon of water ...IE: ~50 lb LR and 100 lb LS in the 55 and ~125-150 lb LR and ~200lb LS in the 125...? If not what "ratios" or filtration do you plan on running..??
Method of "transfer" will vary depending on above two answers...
 
balistikb

balistikb

Member
Live Rock I would say yes I have more than enough (fiji rock up the entire back wall) and as far as the sand I am not sure how much I have but it is about 1 1/2" deep. This is in my 55. I will buy more if need be.
As far as location, yes I will be replacing my 55 with a 125g in the exact spot.
 
squidd

squidd

Active Member
Well...That shoots that idea all to hell... :nope:
J/K...:D
Just going to make things "a little" more complicated...
I have done two "No Cycle" tank upgrades, but both times I could set the new tank up and get the sand "settled" prior to transfer...
Here's the "theory"...
You have "X" amount of LR, and "X" amount of LS, and "X" amount of bacteria that supports "X" amount of bio load (fish)...
"If" you can transfer that same amount of LR,LS and bacteria to the new tank (with "minimal losses") it should still support "X" amount of fish..hence ...No Cycle...(all you really have is more water)
The difficulty comes when you disturb the sand bed and add the "new" sand to the new tank...The resultant "sand cloud" settles out "on" the LR and surface of the sand bed "smothering" the bacteria...
Now you no longer have the "X" factor of bacteria but still the same bio load and a "new" cycle as bacteria needs to re-populate and catch up...
So to avoid (or at least "minimize" the effect) you are going to need to prepare (precure) the new sand and LR prior to the switch...so the sand will settle out "quickly with minimal "clouding"...and the rock will have minimal (no) die off and resultant addition to bioload...
There are many threads on "precuring" LR and LS (do a search in the reef forum) and start preparing LR,LS and water in clean "tubs" a few weeks prior to the "switch"...Maximizing living bacterial populations will minimize (or eliminate) any ammonia or nitrIte spike when you finally do the switch...
 
dskidmore

dskidmore

Active Member
I'm all about the temporary rubbermaid aquariums! If you don't have anything light dependant, you can move everything from the 55 gallon into a rubbermaid 55 gallon barrel, (or two if your bioload is high enough for suface area to be a major concern.) After everyone is settled in thier temporary home, you can take your time about setting up the 125, or move the 55 to a diffrent location and load it back up for the duration of the transfer. (I'd set the 55 back up if I had highly light dependant corals/algae and was going to take more than a few days to set up the new tank.) To comphensate for stirring up all the sand, you may need to make several water changes to the temporary home to keep the water clear. Take the waste water and use it to fill the 125. (Yay bacteria and nutrients!)
Add whatever ammount of new saltwater is needed 24 hrs before the critters move in. (Don't forget you'll get 55 more gallons of premixed homey water from the temorary home.)
Depending on what your plans are for the supplimental live rock, I'd then either start curing the new rock in the 125, or transfer everyone immediately from the temporary home to the new home. You can add precured rock one piece at a time after everyone is settled in if you'd rather not be stuck with the temporary setup for several weeks.
 
msd2

msd2

Active Member
did something similar a few months ago. I went from a 55 to a 100gal. three critical things
lots of new saltwater that had plenty of time to stablize (I used trash cans) and one extra for the old saltwater.
Lots of friends to move stuff
Lots of HD 5 gal utility buckets.
I had to use the same spot also. So I took out all the critters put them in the rubbermaid, trashcans etc. also the LR on a plastic tarp, tossed a few wet newspapers on em.
drained the old tank down to the sand and moved it out of the way a few feet setup the new one in location (all this heavy moving is where ur friends come in :) ) got a plastic dust pan and moved the sand from one tank to the next. Yes it got distrubed some. I actually didnt add sand, for the reasons squidd mentioned you may not want to also. Anyway, got all the sand in, put a plate down and started pumpin in water, while I started putting back in the rock. after I let it settle for a few hours and the water looked semi good I put everything back in. I didnt cycle, and didn't lose any animals. I did do a 15% water change the following week though just to be certain.
Don't stress about it, enjoy it and reward ur friends cause they are gonna be sore from all the lifting the next day :)
 
balistikb

balistikb

Member
Ok a few questions to add:
1. (MSD2) You said you had saltwater with plenty of time to stabalize. What did you mean by that? I will be getting my saltwater from the LFS.
2. I have corals that need light. So putting them in containers to hang out will not work for long.
3. I am not sure I understand why I wouldn't want to add new sand. The amount of sand I have in my 55 will not be enough for the 125. What should I do? What about sand from the beach?
4. I am sorry for all the questions but I am looking for a solution that will take the least amount of time and space.
Thanks for all your help.
 
msd2

msd2

Active Member

Originally posted by balistikb
Ok a few questions to add:
1. (MSD2) You said you had saltwater with plenty of time to stabalize. What did you mean by that? I will be getting my saltwater from the LFS.
2. I have corals that need light. So putting them in containers to hang out will not work for long.
3. I am not sure I understand why I wouldn't want to add new sand. The amount of sand I have in my 55 will not be enough for the 125. What should I do? What about sand from the beach?
4. I am sorry for all the questions but I am looking for a solution that will take the least amount of time and space.
Thanks for all your help.
I meant if your gonna make the saltwater let it sit for a week or so for the chemistry is equalized, ph etc. If your getting the water from the LFS its a moot point. Just make sure it exactly matches your existing water chemistry.
your corals should be fine w/o ur lights for up to a day, just make sure they dont get too cold.
The more sand you add the more disruption to the biofilter u will cause. What I attempted to do is disturb it as little as possible during the move. Personally if I had to add more sand to the tank I would put all the new sand in one section, leaving the old sand as alone in depth. Reason being the bacteria in your old LS is used to the height, etc it has grown, adding new sand to the top could smother it effectivly killing off part of your bacteria. DO NOT use sand from the beach unless you are a diver and can do way offshore and live in a tropical area otherwise agranite (sp?) is a good choice for additional sand. If your lucky u can go to HD and get southdown, if not LFS will sale it. I was lucky in this regard, I pulled additional LS from my fuge so compensate for the additional sand needed, then slowly replaced it in my fuge.
 
yellowtail

yellowtail

Active Member

Originally posted by balistikb
2. I have corals that need light. So putting them in containers to hang out will not work for long.

why not place the light over the rubbermaid with the coral?
 
dskidmore

dskidmore

Active Member

Originally posted by YellowTail
why not place the light over the rubbermaid with the coral?
That would work great if you had the corals in one of those totes, but if you put them in the rubbermaid trash barrel, the depth may be too much for the light to penetrate fully. All depends on how much floorspace you have for temporary containers.
 
msd2

msd2

Active Member
the problem with putting the corals in rubbermaid containers for that kinda time (if your gonna need lighting on them I assume ur talking days or even a week?) is that you are also gonna need several heaters for each container.
Honestly I think u guys are making it too hard, if you get it done within the day why bother with all the riggin of lights and powerheads, etc seems like a lot of additional work and could actually traumatize the animals twice, the move into the buckets, getting used to it then moving to the new tank. Don't forget when u order corals they sit in a totally pitch black box for 24hrs. If they are healthy then the transfer to the new tank I would think would be preferable.
IMHO after u get the rocks in and all the sand do a quick water test in afew hours if there isnt any major issues. If it comes back okay then I put them into the new tank. I would rather they acclimate to the new tank then to the temperary container, and then the new tank.
 
balistik1

balistik1

Member
Ok that all sounds great but I still have a question about the sand. What if I put all new sand in the bottom then the old sand on top?
What is south down?
I am sorry if I am making this hard but I want to make sure I fully understand what I need to do.
Once I get enough opinions I will put my plkan together to see what you think.
Thanks all and keep the suggestions coming.
This board is GREAT!
 
squidd

squidd

Active Member

Originally posted by balistik1
... What if I put all new sand in the bottom then the old sand on top?

Yep, that would be great...and if you have time to "precure" your new sand (prior to move ) it would be better...
 
msd2

msd2

Active Member
southdown is aragonite sand, the same expensive stuff u get at the LFS, except at HD its about 1/10 the cost. Dont get crushed coral whatever u decide.
 
dskidmore

dskidmore

Active Member

Originally posted by balistik1
What is south down?
AKA Tropical Play Sand
AKA Old Castle
AKA Yard Rite
AKA really cheap oolithic aragonite sand
Available at Home Depots in the Northeastern USA. Just make sure it's the "tropical" sand, as the same company also sells regular play sand.
 
balistikb

balistikb

Member
also from what I am reading, does precuring = rinsing out the new sand before putting it in or is there something that I am not understanding?
 
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