Help on upgrading, thanks

[t5Nitro]

I thought I was going to go with a 180-210 but I decided to lower that to a 90 for cost reasons. Currently using a 46. For the first question, what size sump/refuge should there be on a 90? I don't think I could use the 46 because its bowed and the 90 wouldn't be. No room for the bowed. Then when the 90 would be set up, can you transfer everything over in the same day or does it have to cycle and all. If you can transfer it all over in 1 day, what do you have to switch over and in what order? Rock, the water (then fill with 40 more gallons of RO/DI) and what about sand. Probably not because it may not do well in the transfer? It would only be 5 feet away from the 46 gallon to transfer but then the water may be really cloudy. Do you just take 1 cup full for seeding the other sand?

[Tbduval]

This is coming from personal experience. Get the largest sump you can get. I switched all my livestock from a 65 to a 210 in one day. I didn't notice any mini cycle but there is always the chance of one. I used as much of the old water I could. I reaclimated the fish and coral to the new tank. I took about 3 or 4 cup full of sand and put into the new tank. Everything turned out great. I hope everything will work out great.

[t5Nitro]

Ok thanks. I will use all the water I can get out of the 46 and a few cups of sand. Is there something a sump actually does besides hide equipment, where refuge you can store the chaeto?

[Tbduval]

A sump gives you many great options. First and the best, it allows your system to hold more total water volume. The more water you have, the more stable you tank stays. It also keeps the evaration in the sump not in the display tank. You can house heaters, skimmers, water top off devices, etc..... let me give you a link where you can read more.

http://www.melevsreef.com/what_sump.html This is one of the best sites I have came across for us reefers!! Have fun!

[ACBlinky]

Sumps are the greatest invention since the wheel. Okay, I'm exaggerating, but they really are a great thing to have - I can't believe I went nearly two years without one before setting up my current tank. To me the main advantages are:
1. More total water volume in your system, which keeps things more stable
2. You can hide most/all of your equipment and make the display more aesthetically pleasing
3. You can section off areas to grow macro, cultivate pods, raise coral frags, house skimmers or reactors... some people make theirs primarily/wholly into a refugium and treat it as a planted display, sometimes even housing things like seahorses or pipefish (though that sort of does away with the advantage of growing pods, unless you have areas the fish can't get to)
4. Topoffs and water changes are much more convenient with a sump.

I've got a 30g (36"L x 12"W x 17"H) All-Glass tank under my 90g, divided into a sump/fuge. It was the largest tank I could get that would fit inside the stand alongside my 5g ATO resevoir. Depending on the type of stand, you may be able to use a longer or wider sump. I wouldn't go smaller than 30g unless you absolutely have to; IMO it's best if a sump is at least 1/3 of the display volume.

Once you're all set up, you should be able to move everything in one day, but start early - it's probably going to take at least twice as long as you think it will. I would...

- Fill the new tank 2/3 to 3/4 full (leave room for rock and sand), ensuring parameters match the 46g, turn on at least one pump and circulate the water for a day or two

Then on moving day:

- Siphon out at least half the water into two or more Rubbermaid bins or buckets
- Remove the rock to one bin
- Catch the fish, place them in the other bin with a powerhead and heater, maybe a few rocks to hide in
- Take off any equipment that you're transferring to the 90g and set it up (especially things like powerheads, you're going to need to aquascape around them)
- Start placing the rock. Once you're happy with it, put in the sand (unless you're using new sand, in which case I'd add it when you fill the 90g a few days prior. If the sand goes in before the rock, just make sure the rocks are pushed down so they're resting on the bottom of the tank)
- Make sure all the equipment is up and running, temperature and parameters are correct, then start transferring the fish.
- Once the fish are in, leave the lights off for the evening so they can settle in. Resist the temptation to reach in and adjust the rockwork, it'll just stress them further.
- Clean up the 46g, toss out the old water from the tank and bins (it'll be full of detritus and poop), mop up the mess you've made all over your floor (if you're anything like me you'll make a horrid mess - best to do all this stuff when no neat freaks are home ;)), then sit back and ENJOY.

[HBtank]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8549282#post8549282 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by ACBlinky
Sumps are the greatest invention since the wheel. Okay, I'm exaggerating, but they really are a great thing to have - I can't believe I went nearly two years without one before setting up my current tank. To me the main advantages are:
1. More total water volume in your system, which keeps things more stable
2. You can hide most/all of your equipment and make the display more aesthetically pleasing
3. You can section off areas to grow macro, cultivate pods, raise coral frags, house skimmers or reactors... some people make theirs primarily/wholly into a refugium and treat it as a planted display, sometimes even housing things like seahorses or pipefish (though that sort of does away with the advantage of growing pods, unless you have areas the fish can't get to)
4. Topoffs and water changes are much more convenient with a sump.

I've got a 30g (36"L x 12"W x 17"H) All-Glass tank under my 90g, divided into a sump/fuge. It was the largest tank I could get that would fit inside the stand alongside my 5g ATO resevoir. Depending on the type of stand, you may be able to use a longer or wider sump. I wouldn't go smaller than 30g unless you absolutely have to; IMO it's best if a sump is at least 1/3 of the display volume.

Once you're all set up, you should be able to move everything in one day, but start early - it's probably going to take at least twice as long as you think it will. I would...

- Fill the new tank 2/3 to 3/4 full (leave room for rock and sand), ensuring parameters match the 46g, turn on at least one pump and circulate the water for a day or two

Then on moving day:

- Siphon out at least half the water into two or more Rubbermaid bins or buckets
- Remove the rock to one bin
- Catch the fish, place them in the other bin with a powerhead and heater, maybe a few rocks to hide in
- Take off any equipment that you're transferring to the 90g and set it up (especially things like powerheads, you're going to need to aquascape around them)
- Start placing the rock. Once you're happy with it, put in the sand (unless you're using new sand, in which case I'd add it when you fill the 90g a few days prior. If the sand goes in before the rock, just make sure the rocks are pushed down so they're resting on the bottom of the tank)
- Make sure all the equipment is up and running, temperature and parameters are correct, then start transferring the fish.
- Once the fish are in, leave the lights off for the evening so they can settle in. Resist the temptation to reach in and adjust the rockwork, it'll just stress them further.
- Clean up the 46g, toss out the old water from the tank and bins (it'll be full of detritus and poop), mop up the mess you've made all over your floor (if you're anything like me you'll make a horrid mess - best to do all this stuff when no neat freaks are home ;)), then sit back and ENJOY.

Exactly what I did to transfer my livestock. No losses.

Planning the sump (compartments and overflows) and going as big as possible are HUGE in retrospect. DO not just settle for a "tank of water".