Upgrading to bigger tank

[trainfever]

I asked this question a few weeks ago but really didnt get many responses that answered my question, so I guess I'll try again here. I have a 45 thats drilled and has a 20 gal sump. Anyway I bought a 75 gal with a black stand and canopy 2 summers ago but never had the time to upgrade into it. Now recently I was going to move everything into it but my wife tells me now that she doesnt want a black tank. So tonight I made a deal with a guy to trade my 75 for a 90 with an oak stand and canopy. I am also giving the guy my 45 al set up. Now After we make the initial trade, the guy is going to allow me some time to move everything into the 90 from my 45. Now the reason I never moved into the 75 was because Ive been busy working and planning my daughters wedding, The wedding is passed and now I have some free tima again. lol Anyway, I was neglecting my tank and its got a lot of apstasia in it. I also know that the nitrates have to be high. Ive tried everything to kill them but i had to many and they just kept coming back. I now have them down somewhat. I was going to scrub all the rock but now that I am making the trade, I wont have as much time. So I was just going move all the rock into the 90 and hope that the better water will help to kill off the apstasia. Now I was thinking that I will use the existing 45 gal of water and add another 45 for a total of 90 gals. This would be the same as doing a 50% water change. Then I plan on doing water changes every week to get the nitrates down and hopefully get rid of the apstasia. Now the only fish I have are a yellow tailed damsel that will be going into sump not the tank, an occelaris and 2 engineer gobies. Now my lights will also be upgraded from 190 watts of vho to 2x175 watt MH and 2x110 watts of vho. Im not sure which VHOs. Im thinking 2 blue actinics. Right now my lgihts are the least of my worries, first I want to move into the new tank. I have about 70 pounds of live rock and 30 pounds of live sand. Also, will moving the sand cause any problems for me? Do my plans seem OK or do you have any advice on how to make the move? thanks in advance.

 

[jubbin2001]

Ok, first off better water will do nothing for the aiptasia. You have a few choices.
1. You can get some peppermint shrimp or copperbanded butterfly fish. I lean toward the shrimp. They eat the stuff like candy...so they can trim it down and get rid of it for you. Copperbandeds can to...but they aren't always the most reef safe (if you have a reef tank)
2. You can take all your rock and dump it in boiling water. That will destroy your live rock though...not a very financially sound decision, but an option.
3. Joe's Juice or Aiptasia-X squirted with a syringe into the mouth opening will kill them off...time consuming though because you have to get each head.
Scrubbing the rock will cause them to release spores that will make everything even worse. There are many ways to rid yourself of these menaces, but I prefer the shrimp method.
Moving your sand can cause a "Recycle" in the new tank. Once disturbed you disturb all the nitrifying and denitrifying bactera. I would be ready with some water for changing, and monitor your parameters daily. IME it's not quite as bad as setting up a new aquarium, but still puts you into a "high caution" zone...especially with the addition of a 50% water change.

 

[trainfever]

Ive tried everything, peppermints, joes juice, apstasia X. I had a copperband but the tank was too small for it. The Apstasia are too big for the shrimps. hopefully they will kill the smaler ones and I will kill the bigger ones with joes juice and apstasia x. I was told that they like dirty water, thats why I thought maybe cleaner water would deter them from growing. I plan on getting another copperband as it is my favorite fish, hence my avataar. I am curious as to whether another cycle will start from moving my sand because the sand is constanly being moved around by my two engineer goobies which are 12 and 14 inches, they move a lot of sand. I was thinking about doing a water change before the move and use that water to rinse the rock and then mix up more water to add to tank during the move. Anyone else have any input?

 

[flower]

I have a 90g with the pine color stand and canopy too! I love the look. Same lights too 2X175.
Joes juice for the big aiptasia, peppermint shrimp for any of the little buggers that come later.
Moving the sand won't do any harm, you will need more live rock and sand. If you are going for a reef make some caves and overhangs. Not all coral wants or needs bright lights and it allow you variety in corals.
Don't forget the pictures!

 

[trainfever]

Hey Flower, do you have a pic of your tank?
Before I set the tank up, I want to give the outside of the stand and canopy a coat of finish. Im thinking about also painting the inside white with Kilz primer.

 

[hunt]

This is about aiptasia. You could get a few beghia nudibranches. Its a little expensive, but they will get the job done.