Tank upgrading HELP

[Warsteiner]

Dear brudders, I'm currntly upgrading from my 2ft tank to a 4ft new setup. In my existing 2ft, there are LR, 1x surgeon tang, 1x anemone, and a prawn.

My question is

1) what is the exact procedure to cycle my new 4ft tank (heard transfer my old water, LR & DSB will shorten the cycle)??

2) How to manage my LS if things from my old tank is transfer to new tank and water not cycle yet??

3) Anything I should look out 4 during this process?

***pls give in FULL details....

Thanks

[Warsteiner]

NO one wanna help....

[riot]

Hi warsteiner

If I am you this is what I will do. I will first set up everything in my 4 ft tank- ph, skimmer, the works. Run a test first to make sure no leaks.

Pour in new sand . Put in extra LR that you have bought (I assume your old LR from 2ft is not sufficient.)

Put in new salt water about halfway.

Remove LR from 2 ft and transfer. Arrange till happy.

Remove old water from 2 ft and transfer to new tank.

Catch fish and transfer.

Then all should be empty in 2 ft except live sand. Now this is the tricky part. You can either take ALL the live sand and transfer, or you can scoop out some to start the new sandbed and dump the rest. The logic is the moment you disturb the sandbed, you might result in a massiv ewipeout of the bacteria (depends on how deep your DSB has been). If it is shallow, you might get by if you transfer all. Otherwise, I'll take maybe 30-50%. You willknow when to stop (smell the stink). N

Now you might be asking- what about cycling? You see, the bacteria in the old water and LR should sustain your one fish quite comfortbaly, until bacteria spreads and colonizes the new LR. Do not introduce any new fish and feed sparingly until you feel confident enough the bacteria is ok.

Hmmm think thats all.

[Achilles Tang]

1. There is info on the nitrogen cycle that you should read up and understand in the pinned up links before attempting this transfer.

2. You can't transfer LS until your new tank is cycled.

3. All the parameters are at safe levels before transfer of LS.

[bubble_gum]

no wander u sell ur old tank. get 4 ft huh? hahaha

[Warsteiner]

Yeh bro... hope your tank serve u well.... CHEERS

[Warsteiner]

Anymore tips???

[xiggie]

cycle your 4 feet tank as per a new tank with new water and lots more liverocks (in sure rocks from your 2 feet tank is not enuff)....

read up on cycling new tank if u havn't

when cycling is over then transfer your old livestock and rocks into your new 4 feet tank.

[Tanggy]

Your can speed cycle up a bit by putting some of your live rocks from old tank in new one. do a 50% water change of the old one and use the unwanted water for your new tank. put in new rock in new tank and add bact culture. If you have old filter media from old tank, just drop it in your new tank to seed it. Then check water parameters. You will go through a peak in NH3, then NO2 which both will reside and your NO3 will rise. Only when both NH3 and NO2 has peaked and undetectable should you put LS in.

DO NOT TRANSFER LS UNTIL YOU DETECT CYCLE COMPLETE!!!