another tank transfer question???

[ajolie30]

ok so as i asked the other day about transferring the contents of my established 65 gallon tank into my new 180 which has been up and running with base rock, deco rock and 4 good sized cured live rock for about three and a half weeks... Tonight i took 4 pieces of live rock from the established tank and added it to the 180 not very large pieces and added a small piece to my sump.. I also added a hand full of the sand from the 65 so now should I wait a few days and add some more of the live rock from the 65 then wait another few days and add some more???? then add fish and corals last I just want to make sure my tank is ready for all the 65 gallons contents without any casualitys or is it too soon??? please help

[patsfan1130]

Check ammonia a day or 2 after adding additional rock to ensure it is handling the added load. if there is no spike you should be ok. continue to take it slow

[der_wille_zur_macht]

What are conditions in the 180 like? If things are good, it's go time.

Transferring slowly may seem like the safest approach, but keep in mind that every time you move stuff, you're disturbing an ecosystem (or two). Plus, every time you remove rock or sand from the 65, you are reducing its biological filtration ability. Moving a bunch of the rock out of the 65, but leaving all the livestock in it, could really stress things out. IMHO assuming good conditions in both tanks, better to just get it over with.

IMHO, assuming the following:

1) The 180 is stable and showing good nutrient levels (i.e. no ammonia spikes!) after a few weeks with "real" live rock in it, and
2) The 65 is more or less "clean" and stable, i.e. the rocks aren't loaded with pest algae or totally covered with detritus and waste

then I would do one mass transfer. The bio-load of a properly stocked 65 will be no problem for a 180 to absorb, assuming that 180 has been given some time to establish itself, and has proper equipment and maintenance techniques (i.e. a good skimmer, and do a few small water changes after the move.)

There are, as with many things in this hobby, many ways to approach this challenge. I've switched large amounts of livestock from smaller to larger tanks many times, and have more or less followed the above procedure with excellent results, even with sensitive livestock (really picky anemones, SPS, clams, etc.) If this makes you nervous, then by all means, take a gentler approach - but make sure you're not disturbing the 65 *too* much by removing its support mechanisms (live rock!)

[ajolie30]

Thanks everyone

[thegrun]

I would wait a week and assuming all parameters are okay at that time, then transfer everything else at once as Willie suggested. Keep an eye on your 65's parameters, if they start going south, I would transfer sooner, if things stay constant, wait the week for the bacteria from the transferred rock and sand to get established.

[WaterKeeper]

Folks,

We are only moving rock and sand from one tank to the other and they are probably in the same room. If the new tank has been up and running for close to four weeks there is not going to be a cycle by merely moving the rock that short distance. I'd just check ammonia and make the move into the new tank if it is zero.

[thegrun]

My concern (and thus my reply) is that a 4 week old tank may (probably) not have fully cycled. Transfering some live rock and sand will help complete that cycle. Why not wait a week to be sure?

[WaterKeeper]

I guess if you want to err on the side of caution that is fine but, as was pointed out, if the 65 was now devoid of rock itself it may be safer to have the livestock in the biofiltered tank 180. It doesn't take long for ammonia to appear in a biologically poor tank.

[stingythingy45]

Personally,I would have just made the move from the 65 right into the 180.I've moved from a 20L to a 55 then up to a 90 gallon with NO cycles.You are effectively moving the biological filter from the 65 when you move the LR,sand...ect.The only concern would be the base rock and if it has or could have die off.As ammonia from the die off could tax the bio-filtration......but highly unlikely.
So ajolie30,go for it.

[wismie]

Sorry to hijack this thread, but I'm soon going to be in the same boat. I have to move stuff from my actual 100liters (or so) to my new tank (see the little house) - 350lts.

Now everything is running fine, going to buy new live rocks tomorrow or Saturday at my LFS. I have to buy some new ones as what I have now won't be enough for the new tank.

What should I do next ? Cycle fully the new tank before adding what I have now, move the "old" rocks into the new tank (but then what remains in the actual tank ?), move everything ?

My LFS thinks it's better to move everything right now (provided water parameters are within tolerances of course), he is quite a specialist here in my country (he does only marine aquarium and for more than 30 years, not the kind to push you to buy), but I'm a bit afraid to do that.

On a side note, some of my live rocks are full of aptaisias and flatworms, I'd like to avoid putting them back on the new tank. I was planning to treat each of them with Aptaisia X and a bath of fresh water, is that a good/bad idea ?