Hello, I'm Sawdonkey Jackson and I'm upgrading to a 220!

Sawdonkey

Sawdonkey

Premium member
Hello, thought I'd introduce myself. I've had FOWLR tanks for about 13 years. I went from a 30 gal for a few years, to a 46 gal for about 7-8 years, to a 90 gal for the last few years. I've had the same Picasso Trigger for almost 10 years (amongst others).

I've started a major project and I'm looking forward to sharing my progress and putting your advice to good use. I recently bought a used 220 gal tank with a 75 gal sump that some of you might recognize once I start posting some pics. It too will be FOWLR. I've got it plumbed (mostly), and I'll be switching everything over from my 90 gal in a week or two. I'm going to have a woodworker create removable walnut panels to cover the lumber base stand. They will also build a matching canopy. I'll be stealing the CF lights from my 90 as well as the skimmer. I'll upgrade to a bigger skimmer in the somewhat near future.

Here is where I can use your help.......When I do the big switch over, I'm hoping to not start any kind of cycle. I'll be transferring all of the live rock (probably 80-100 lb), all of the crushed coral, and all of the water to the new tank. I'll be transfering over two triggers, a powder blue, a naso, and a lemon peel angel. I'm thinking or doing it one of these ways:

-(option 1)Transfer all of water, live rock, and crushed coral into the display tank an then add about 90 or so gallons of new saltwater. this amount of water wont reach the overflows. I'll then just run some powerheads in the display tank and add about 10 gal per day until it reaches the overflows and fills the sump.

-(option 2) Do the same thing as above, but just fill it all the way and add some of Dr. Tim's One and Only to give it a bacteria boost.

-(option 3) Anything you tell me that might work better than the options above.

I look forward to your suggestions. Here is a pic of my current tank and my work in progress: View attachment 8982View attachment 8983
 
Be careful transferring the crushed coral. Rinse em first or u might have a mini cycle going because lots of detritus gets trapped between them. Make sure u run carbon during the setup to be safe. Get a bigger skimmer asap
 
here what did when i upgraded from 120 to 240 ,made 100 gal fresh sea water in the new tank used the power head to circular the water waited for a week then use 50% water from 120gal tank & wait for few day b-4 transfer everything into new tank. Hope this will help you out.
 
I will just start with new sand and use some of the crushed coral to seed it.

Now for the transfer...

You might still get a small cycle. But carbon and GFO might be your best bud for a few weeks..

Since its a big tank. I say fill her up 3/4 of the way and start using your tank water for water changes. Once things look clear, use everything in the transfer all rock and water.

But still keep some new water going for another water change.

Hope this makes sense.. I havent had coffee yet :D

Also have a back up plan incase things dont look right :(
 
I agree with the new CC. My recommendation is load up the tank with the new CC. Maybe like 66% of what you would normally use. Add a couple of cups of your original CC to seed it. Ammonia dose cycle it until its cycled. Then transfer the fish and rock over. The ammonia dosing during the cycle will be prepared for a heavy bio load just using the CC. The rock will be the icing on the cake when you do the transfer. You'll still have the 90 running just in case too. Then just remove the CC from the 90. Wash and rinse it then add it to the 220 to top off.

Sent from my Samsung Galaxy Note 2
 
Thanks everyone. Even though I've had tanks for a long time, I'm new to this kind of stuff because my tank has been stable for so long and I rarely buy livestock.

I'm a little confused about removing the cc. I know there is some detritus that comes along with it, but isn't it also carrying plenty of beneficial bacteria as well? Wouldn't a good gravel vac-ing get most of teh detritus out before the transfer?

Also, forgive me, but what is GFO? My 220 is going where the 90 is currently, so I was hoping to do this in one shot. Maybe I need to rethink that?
 
If you gravel vac the CC you'll release all the toxins that have stored up into the water column, and a lot of toxins will still remain. It is a loss of bacteria, but its a helluva a lot safer than stirring up that much detritus and toxins as well.

GFO is granular ferric oxide, which is used to absorb phosphates, like phosban and others. GFO is just the technical term for a lot of products out there.
 
Does anyone here have experience with Dr Tim's One and Only nitrifying bacteria in an application such as the one I'm faced with? Would it be beneficial, harmful, neither?
 
I just used Dr Tim's 1 and only, about 1 week ago. My fish and few corals are good so far - i went bare bottom and new rock - same fish and i'm moving over my Corals today and tomorrow---- should be in good shape.
 
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