When to transfer

[yngplo]

Hey guys,

I'm planning a significant upgrade from my 40 gallon AIO to a 250+ gallon system. Of course, my tank will be cycled before I move everything over, but how long should I spend in between transferring coral and fish? I only have two clownfish and an algae blenny in my tank currently, but I will be planning to have some livestock go through a quarantine process before they go into the new tank. It's my SPS corals I'm more worried about honestly.


Thanks!

 

[Coral reefer]

What exactly will you be doing to “cycle” the new tank? If you use existing rocks or sand you should be fine without “cycling”the new tank. Unless you’re adding a bunch of dead stuff like unclean rock etc?

 

[yngplo]

What exactly will you be doing to “cycle” the new tank? If you use existing rocks or sand you should be fine without “cycling”the new tank. Unless you’re adding a bunch of dead stuff like unclean rock etc?

I'm gonna be using some of my old rocks and a lot of new rocks. I'm probably gonna be buying new rocks so I don't introduce any pests.

 

[JVU]

If you are going to use some old rocks, and/or bacteria in a bottle like One and Only, then you can add your very light existing fish stock right away, like day 1.

As far as adding the coral, that all depends on what kind of ugly phase you go through. Me personally, I would just add everything after the light fish bioload has been in at least a week or so with no ammonia/nitrite spikes (test this). Since you are upgrading so much size-wise even adding everything you have will be adding relatively little. Presumably when you are adding your coral you’ll be adding your old live rock too?

 

[yngplo]

If you are going to use some old rocks, and/or bacteria in a bottle like One and Only, then you can add your very light existing fish stock right away, like day 1.

As far as adding the coral, that all depends on what kind of ugly phase you go through. Me personally, I would just add everything after the light fish bioload has been in at least a week or so with no ammonia/nitrite spikes (test this). Since you are upgrading so much size-wise even adding everything you have will be adding relatively little. Presumably when you are adding your coral you’ll be adding your old live rock too?

Yes, that's what I'm hoping to do. I don't want to have to break off the coral from the places that it's encrusted onto if I don't have to.