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Unread 01/20/2018, 06:30 PM   #1
keh9qd
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Going from a 60 gallon to a 150 gallon system. Adding enough saltwater?

Hello,

I need some advice of upgrading my system. I have had a 30 gallon frag tank with a 30 gallon sump for about 5 years. I recently moved a d remodeled my house to have a larger tank and a basement sump setup. My new system is complete and is set up as follows:

1. 80 gallon deep blue display
2. 40 gallon sump
3. 20 gallon refugium (separate tank)
4. 20 gallon frag tank (separate tank)

My system is running off of 1 large external pump and I have valves to each tank so I can block off any portion of the system. What ive done ao far is took my existing livestock and water and put it all in the display of my new tank 1 week ago. Every couple of days ive added 10 gallons of saltwater because im afraid to screw the system up by adding to much new water at once (i used new sand as well). Currently im at about 80 gallons of water and my dosplay is full but in the last week ive introduced 20-30 gallons of new water already. I can block off my refugium and frag tank and run the tank off of the sump alone but it will require another 20-30 gallons of fresh saltwater.

My question is how much new saltwater can a system handle or what is the best way to get my water volume up to start the new system?


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Unread 01/20/2018, 06:33 PM   #2
keh9qd
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It would help to say that ive got a nice collection of zoanthids, sps, lps. I also have a small magnificent foxface, a small yellow tang, and pair of picasso clowns.


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Unread 01/20/2018, 07:06 PM   #3
bertoni
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I suspect that if you are careful in moving the live rock, the tank will be fine with new saltwater. It's best to match the SG fairly closely, and keep the temperature in a reasonable range, but I'm not sure that's as critical as many people think. Exposing live rock to air always has some risk because die-off can and will occur. I'd watch the new system for traces of ammonia, and keep water for changes on hand, as well as Prime or Amquel. I've moved tanks in the past, and had minimal issues. I was careful to keep the live rock in water as much as possible.


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Unread 01/20/2018, 07:45 PM   #4
keh9qd
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Quote:
Originally Posted by bertoni View Post
I suspect that if you are careful in moving the live rock, the tank will be fine with new saltwater. It's best to match the SG fairly closely, and keep the temperature in a reasonable range, but I'm not sure that's as critical as many people think. Exposing live rock to air always has some risk because die-off can and will occur. I'd watch the new system for traces of ammonia, and keep water for changes on hand, as well as Prime or Amquel. I've moved tanks in the past, and had minimal issues. I was careful to keep the live rock in water as much as possible.
Is it beneficial to introduce new saltwater slowly over the span of a couple of weeks or do you think it would be better to just go all in and get the system going?

I did exactly as you mentioned above already.


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Unread 01/20/2018, 08:11 PM   #5
bertoni
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I'd just add the saltwater in one shot, but I am the lazy sort. Going slowly might be a bit safer, though.


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Unread 01/22/2018, 07:38 AM   #6
josephxsxn
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In my mind your already going slow having only done 20g||30g a week. But it's likely that a finite value isn't the right way to represent this problem and its better to work it into a relative % of water. we would want to define some process such as; a) never change more then 20% of water at once b) never exceed 25% in a 24 hour interval. i totally made up these numbers! 24h is how long it takes me to condition new water, and I have read many stories of people using unconditioned water and losing lots of things. 20% just seems like a number i have heard for water maintenance alot.

If your problem was traditional tank water changes we could easily calculate this out a tankVol*0.2=allowed24hWaterVol in your case the tankVol would change each time as you continue to mutate the volume with additions. So if your tank was 80 gallons currently, you can poop off 16 gallons right now, and wait a bit to add in 4 gallons more in a few hours, now wait 24 hours and recalculate.

I am with bertoni on this, if its the same s.g. as the water currently in the tank just pour it on in. Frankly, if you just need to add 30 gallons and your gonna be good, I think you can just dump it all in and get it over with at once still, its less than 50% total volume of the tank. I personally have done 50% (old) + 50% (new) conversions before when I have to move between tanks as the old one sprung a leak. It required air exposure, etc. Just condition the water.


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