Tank upgrade advice

[Jeremy Brito]

So i plan on Upgrading to a 72 gallon Bow front tank but i have some questions and concerns, first the equipment i currently have running on my 40 breeder is big/powerful enough to handle a 72 gallon so the change in water volume wont be an issue my questions will pretain to the transfer in general.
i dont have the space to set up the 72 gallon and run it and cycle it until its ready to transfer the contents of my 40 to it and this is mainly because the location of the 40 is going to be were i the 72 is going so what i would like to do is break down the 40 store all its water and bag the fish then move the tank off the stand and place the 72 in it place. Move the sand and the rock from the 40 to the 72 and addition sand and rock, then put the water from the 40 into the 72 with the additional water needed and finally the fish. Is this possible? is there certain precautions i should take? any ideas on how to make this go smoother?

 

[njtiger24 aquariums]

Adding new rock and sand can cause a mini cycle. You can try to do that but I would suggest you test daily for ammonia and nitrites. If you see those starting to climb then do a water change (so yes have water ready on stand-by)

 

[Trio91]

Can you Get a brute tub/garbage can and store your fish n what not in? Just to hold your water and fish....you can add the liverock right away to your new display tank along with your sand.

 

[Versys47]

I recently upgraded to a reefer 450 from a 250. I used new sand and all new rock. I floated a couple of poly pads in sump for 2 weeks prior to help the new tank establish. I also used a bottle of bacterial starter. I would put the current tank water and contents in a Brute can or large tote. Move current tank. Set up new tank and partially fill with new water. I wouldn't bother with old sand unless cost is a factor. ACC sea floor is cheap. Add rock, powerhead. If new water is not pre mixed and ready for use then wait at least a couple of hours before adding inhabitants. In the meantime, you can start adding your old tanks water, at least 20 gallons or more. Bring to temp. Add inhabitants. Add bacterial starter. Keep a close eye on ammonia. I used Prime to keep tame. 20 coral, 7 fish, shrimp. All fine.

I have transferred from 75 to 30L to Reefer 250 to reefer 450 in a similar fashion. I had diatoms within week and a half, that are just about cleared up. The tank is now 6 weeks old and all inhabitants are doing fine.
Ammonia 0 Red Sea
Nitrites 0
Nitrates 2
Phos 0.03 hanna

Good luck! Enjoy.

 

[Empire]

Over the next month, do a couple of water changes on the 40. Store the water in a brute. Maybe 20-30 gallons. Make sure you have water flow and a heater in the stored water. Once you have enough, break the 40 down and use the water from the 40, add the water that’s been in storage, and fill up the remaining volume with new water. I wouldn’t transfer the sand. Use a cup or two to seed the new tank. You can use your old rock and add new rock (if you need more) to the 72g.

 

[Jeremy Brito]

Thanks guys for the input it's answered a lot of question I especially like empires idea of stock piling the water after the water changes to make up for the difference in gallon age that should help make the possibility of a mini cycle go a bit smoother. As I can have the two tanks up at the same time the ability to tare one down and out the new one up the same day is an important factor to the whole process

 

[MadReefer]

I agree about not re-using sand. I did it once and learned a valuable lesson.

 

[Raffle King]

Over the next month, do a couple of water changes on the 40. Store the water in a brute. Maybe 20-30 gallons. Make sure you have water flow and a heater in the stored water. Once you have enough, break the 40 down and use the water from the 40, add the water that’s been in storage, and fill up the remaining volume with new water. I wouldn’t transfer the sand. Use a cup or two to seed the new tank. You can use your old rock and add new rock (if you need more) to the 72g.

Why would you keep old water that is a no no, make up new water and take the water from the 40 so that would be a 30 gallon new water change minus more rock and sand I did it alot and dont lose a thing

 

[Empire]

Why? What’s wrong with storing water with a heater and a power head in a food storage grade/bpa free container for a couple of weeks? If you need a culture alive, can’t you just keep some live rock in the tank as well?

 

[Raffle King]

You would keep nitrates ,he would have enought with the forty gallon and he is adding more rock and sand so it would be like a big water change. I change tanks alot and dont lose a thing and I never herd of keeping old water. That is my advice

 

[Versys47]

I thought using the old water would result in less shock to inhabitants due to changing parameters? New water is like re acclimation.

 

[Raffle King]

Yes the water thats in the forty when you take it down then add the rock and sand and fill with new water and u will be fine.

 

[Empire]

Well, I assumed OP had good water parameters. I did this before when I upgraded from a 30g to my 80g and had no issues.