upgrading tank, how to keep existing livestock alive?

[Evolutionz]

As above, im upgrading my 34L tank to a 48"x24"x14" shallow reef. i have some Softies and LPS, 3 small fishes and i hope to keep all of them.

new tank will be using carib sea special grade live sand with 5lb of real live sand (carib sea oolite) at the bottom layer to seed the special grade, live rocks will be in and will dose bacterial daily. hoping to get the cycling done within 2 - 3 weeks.

Meanwhile i hope to transfer my corals, liverocks and fishes inside the current tank to a smaller 1ft cube tank (bare bottom) and use back all the same equipments (filters lights etc etc) and keep it running for the next 2 - 3 weeks. Im worried because there will no longer be any sand since im using the 5lb in the small tank to seed the large one.

do you guys think this is gonna work?

Thanks!

[[V]tEc]

If i were u, since the current tank is small, keep it running without changes. Set up the new tank and cycle as per normal.

Another method which i personally tried, and since your bioload is so small, decom your small tank and transfer all ls to a container. Fill up new tank with sand, matured lr and use nsw. Dose bacteria and put in your current ls. Dose bacteria daily. The key point is live rocks must be matured and cured.

[Evolutionz]

what if i use your method but salt mix instead? not going to use NSW.

Thanks

[[V]tEc]

what if i use your method but salt mix instead? not going to use NSW.

Thanks

from exp, saltmix will take longer to stable the tank down as compared to nsw