Anything and Everything I need to knw about an Upgrade

[jawwad2004]

Hey,
I finally got a great deal on a tank/stand/canopy and vho lighting. I am upgrading from my 55 gallon to a 90 gallon with a 30 gallon sump. I was speaking to an LFS owner and he told me that I should let the 90 go through a mini cycle without any livestock in it? Is this true? What I was going to do is have pre mixed fresh saltwater in the side, take the 55 gallons plus the 15 in my sump and put it in my 90 and add about 45 gallons of fresh saltwater to compensate. Will this cause a cycle or would it be like a really big water change? Also, any other precautions I need to take, please inform me about. I want to get as much info before I actually do the move. Thanks a lot!
(Kris is helping me with the move, but we might need 2 more people, we are planning to do the move on Oct. 13, Thursday, so if anyone might be available let me know. Thanks!)

 

[Deanos]

You shouldn't experience much of a cycle using your technique. But, if you are adding more LR that hasn't been fully cured, then you will have cycle issues. Also, what about the substrate? Are you using new sand seeded with your own old live sand or are you going substrate-free? (saying BB here didn't sound right :shocked1

 

[joe]

you might not even need 45 gallons of fresh saltwater cause the live rock assuming you have a good amount, will definetley push up the water level a bit.
ya know what i meen

 

[jawwad2004]

Thats true joe, I might need a little less.

Deanos: I already have about 100lbs. of live rock in my 55, so I think thats enough. However I might be this 15lbs piece of rock, which looks really nice from fishtown, and they tell that their rocks are 85% cured, I dont think it will cause a spike in my tank. For the substrate, I have about 90 lbs. of live sand right now in my 55, I am only going to take 40 lbs out and add about 60 lbs of dead sand (marine sand from petland discounts).

 

[bad coffee]

Congrats on the upgrade!

I'd take only the top 1" or so of sand from your old tank, and seed some southdown/oldcastle. If you can get the sand now and put it in some tank water, the bacteria will coat the sand and make less of a storm when you first add it to the tank.

Is the rock at fishtown completley submerged in tank water? Is it a seperate system from their show tanks? I don't think a 15# rock would do too bad as long as it's been submerged. If it's sitting dry, it might be more of a problem.

B

 

[jawwad2004]

Thanks BC! Yes, for the sand, what you advised is what I am doing. I dont know where they sell southdown/oldcastle. The rocks at fishtown are in a designated curing tank, and the rocks are completely submerged.

 

[joe]

i think taht slamjama has a mice size rock in his fuge with a nice amount of coraline and some shrooms and zoos which you might want.
he said it s a large piece. if you can ever get to BK then maybe PM him

joe

 

[jawwad2004]

Yea, I seen slama's tank its nice, and I remember seeing the rock you are talking about. However the rock that I saw, is crazy! Nice openings, crevies, I just see so much potential with that rock, lol.

 

[joe]

nice
so go for it

btw man that kalk is still waiting for ya.

 

[Dmitry]

I'd say that if you can run your new tank for a couple of weeks without live-stick...do. I moved my fish in right away and all but one perished. (Considering so far nothing else has vanished I suspect a Mantis was not the culprit.) It's just safer that way.

 

[jawwad2004]

nice
so go for it

btw man that kalk is still waiting for ya.

That sand is waiting for you too, lol. PM me to let me know of your availability.

 

[jawwad2004]

So, are there any other things that I am not taking into account as of now?

 

[nanoreefer22]

Thursday the 13th.....I dont think i can make it....sorry man I'm helping this guy in Qnz move his tank that day .:joke:....I'm looking forward to the move...aquascaping galore

 

[jawwad2004]

damn, you just scared the S@#t outta me, lol. We gotta aquascape this thing nice!

 

[jhale]

how can they know the rock is 85% cured?

 

[cali_reef]

I like fish town for their price on fish but the tank with all the "live" rocks grosses me out every time. No flow -> no aggressive skimming -> brown water -> customer sticking their dirty hands in there -> definitely not good condition to "cure" rocks, let along having 85% cured rocks.

Moving rocks from one tank to another will stir up some of the detritus trapped, causing a cycling event, don't matter how cure the rocks are. Try not to move any fish in there for a few days and monitor your water conditions.

 

[jawwad2004]

how can they know the rock is 85% cured?

lol, I was thinking the same thing the first time they told me this, but Im still a newbie and quite gullible when it comes to stuff like this.

 

[jhale]

the first rule of going into a lfs (most of them - lfs owners on this board this is not directed at you, we know you give good info) is don't listen to what the employees tell you.
I will put the info you get on this board up against 99% of lfs workers any day.

 

[jawwad2004]

John, I def. agree wit you on that, when I was starting the hobby, one of the employees at a LFS was telling me that a skilter is more then enough for a 40 gallon.