What is the best way to change tanks?

[Borderjumper]

We have a 33 gallon reef tank. Its stocked with quite a few corals and some firefish. We are thinking about switching everything over to a 50 gallon tank. Not really to go bigger, just a better made tank. Whats the best way to do this, that will be easier on the livestock?

I have never done this before, but what I was thinking of doing is

1. place the new tank, then add new sand( I think I read somewhere that using the old sand will cause alot of death in the live stuff in the sand, and shouldnt be done?).
2. Put all the corals in a holding tank.
3. move live rock from old tank to new tank
4.syphen existing water from the old tank into the new tank
5.top off new tank with "new" seasoned saltwater
6.put in existing powerheads, heater, and skimmer from old tank
7.add corals and fish

The thing about not using the old sand cause it will stir up too much and bury alot of "good live stuff" doesnt much make sense to me... when you start a new tank with the store bought bags of "live" sand.. doesnt some get buried too? The existing tank is only 4-5 months old.. so the sand is not like really grungy. I know it will take some hours to settle after switching tanks.

Any ideas? Thanks in advance, Shelley

[Edmonton Eskimo]

sounds like a perfect plan to me! You are correct about the sand. I used my old sand once and let's just say I'll never do that again. You can save the old sand though and keep it in a bucket for a while until everything dies and then thoroughly wash it. If you do the switchover quickly then there shouldn't be any problems. Make sure when you siphon the water from your old tank you don't get any crud in it.

[Beverly]

If I were you, I'd consider setting up the new tank without substrate and go bare bottom (BB). For more information on BB tanks, do a search. There are a number of threads on the topic.

I've had BB tanks for about two years, now. I wouldn't go back to using a sandbed for anything!

Also, make up LOTS of new saltwater before the switch. You might end up doing about a 50% water change during the switch over, so have lots of saltwater on hand.

[kwirky]

If I were you, I'd consider setting up the new tank without substrate and go bare bottom (BB).

agreed. when I upgraded to my 120 gallon, I REALLY wish i at least started it as BB for the first 6 months. I pulled out as much of the substrate as I could, and it still looks completely ugly. It's just easier to clean all the die-off from the rock when the tank's bare on the bottom. If you like the look of a substrate, you can add a thin one after the tank's about 6 months old or so.

But that's my opinion here in calgary, where we can't get real "live sand" anyways. we can only get "old" sand.

With whatever liverock you have now, that new tank will look empty, and if you go out and buy more liverock, you'll have die-off in the new tank all mixed into the sand.

a good idea is to have a bucket or two of saltwater mixed up to swish your liverock in before putting it into a new tank. gives you a chance to get rid of some that detritus that you can only get rid of by removing the rock and swishing it. It'll make for less cloud, too, in the new tank. Since you're removing the rock, you can maybe look it over for any pests, like bubble algae and aiptasia that you might not have noticed without the rocks out of the water too.

moving to a new tank more or less gives you a chance to do things you can only do by completely removing your rock :)

[Scavenger]

One thing I've had success doing is having BOTH tanks full of water. (I guess the amount of water for the new tank as the rock I add will displace it.) I'll then start to mix the two waters together. I take about 1/2 a gallon from one and add to the other and vice versa. Do this for most of the day and when it is within an hour or so of normal lights out time, start to move the livestock across. This way, they will be acclimated to your water already and have the night to get used to the tank in the dark to reduce stress. Hope this helps!

[Borderjumper]

Thanks guys.

I have some freshwater tanks that are bare bottom, and I agree easier to clean, but I dont like the look. One thing I WILL do different this time is to place the rock first, then the sand.

I wont need any additional rock, the tanks are the same length and height, one is wider tho so just more space in front. As I mentioned, Im not doing this because I want a bigger tank, I just want a better tank. The new one will be 3/8" sides and 1/2" bottom with the front starfire glass.

[draco]

We went from a 55 gal to a 90 gal.We put some of the water in the 90 gal then put the sand in, most of your live stuff should stay above the sand as it falls and let it settle out then do the rest of your change as you said