Upgrading to bigger tank!

mikenaw

mikenaw

New member
So I'm moving from a 20 to a 40 gallon. What's the best way to do this without having to cycle and do all the boring crap? I plan on getting caribsea reef gravel and some additional live rock. Also the water I'm getting is from a lfs premixed with all the additives. What's the timeframe I should wait to start moving over any of the other stuff?
 
I've read about people upgrading all in one day but I've always done it the slow way. But this is what I would do: save a little of the old sand to seed the new tank and rinse the rest of it thoroughly. Use as much of the old water as you can; your livestock won't have to adjust as much to everything in the new water. I would get a bottle of nitrifying bacteria for insurance. Keep the livestock and the old water as close to the same temp as possible.
 
Wheres a good place to get nitrifying bacteria? Also yeah I plan on placing the new tank on the same stand but I can lift the 20 gallon easily off of the Stan as it sits without disturbing anything except unplugging a few things for a few minutes.
 
I just moved from a 55 to a 75. I drained the 55 down and moved it out of the way and left livestock in it with ph and heat running. I then set up the 75 and added sand and rock and let it sit until sand storm cleared(overnite). Then moved livestock over to the 75. Worked great didnt have any problems.
 
You'll be able to do that move all within a day...it's not a huge upgrade differential. As long as you replace the sand with new sand, and use most of the water.
 
So put livestock I buckets with old water, I've got new sand, place most of water from old to new tank, put a little of old sand in new tank, add new saltwater add chemicals. Let sit for a few hours and check parameters and if everything is ok just start adding things into new tank?
 
mikenaw said:
So put livestock I buckets with old water, I've got new sand, place most of water from old to new tank, put a little of old sand in new tank, add new saltwater add chemicals. Let sit for a few hours and check parameters and if everything is ok just start adding things into new tank?
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Yup. Maybe only get 1/2 new sand. Seed it with a cup of old sand. Then rinse your old sand back to new at your convenience. I doubt you will need chemicals but keep a bottle of Prime handy just in case of emergency. I would check ammonia and nitrite frequently.

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some LFS carry Dr Tims bacteria; AP had some the last time I was there. I have also used the Foster and With brand of it.
 
I went from 90 to 220 in one day with no problems. I also used all of the old crushed coral even though most people here advised against it. Before I took the gravel out of the old tank I used the gravel vac on it really well. I wouldn't try this with sand though. I transferred almost all of the old water and the live rock over. I used dr Tim's just to be safe. I circulated the water with power heads for a few days and then filled up the sump and fired up the whole system. No cycle at all and livestock was fine. I had no coral at the time though.
 
Ok another question, what pump do you guys suggest I should use in my sump? I'm using a 20g sump on the 40 tank and my biggest concern is NOISE! The tank is set up in my room and I need it to be quiet.
 
Stand is finally stained, plumbing is prepped, going to fill with water and sand tomorrow. More pics to come.
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Finally moved into the 40b. All that's left is the sump and a few plumbing bits. Everything went smooth and nothing freaked out even though I almost dumped the bag with the sponges, while trying to keep them in water. Better pictures to come once the water settles all the way again.
 
Looking good! Equipment list? Pics of sump and plumbing? Need inspiration for my 40b.

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