Tank Upgrade

[Lampshade]

I'm moving next month and currently have a 55gal set up and running for about a year now. I'm setting up a 135gal at my new place and have both houses for 2 weeks during the move. My plan is to set up the new tank, and then transfer everything over about a week after in 5gal buckets, and rubbermaid totes. What things should i look out for? Should i re-setup my 55gal and move things slowly 1 by 1 over to the new tank? The only thing i could see that's going to re-cycle my tank is added substrate, should i wait and add it bit by bit over time once the new tank is set up? I'm expecting losses, since sadly, that's what i've seen from most other moves :cry:. I'd like to avoid that as much as possible.

Plan so far is:
-Set up new tank and balance parameter's, i don't expect a nitrogen cycle since there's nothing living yet
-wait about a week and keep playing with calc reactor, etc. until tank is balanced
-add current rock, sand, livestock
-add sand weekly until i have a decent substrate(1"-2")

There's goin to be some sort of a cycle happening again, does anybody know how to minimize this? My current sandbed gets mixed up fairly well, so i don't think there's going to be ammonia pockets, but could there be? Should i donate out some coral and fish to friends to hold until after my tank's set up?

Any help would be great, thanks in advance.

[MrGoodbytes]

I haven't actually moved a reef before (yet) so I can't offer first hand experience. However, I have broken down my reef in a battle against dinos, which is almost the same aside from the actual moving :P. My rock was never out of the water for more than say 15 minutes and I occasionally basted the rock with tank water during this time. I even sucked up the sand and rinsed thoroughly in tankwater and reused about 1/2 - 2/3 of it with no noticeable ill effects. I'm assuming you have fish though, while I had none at the time.

If you have all your parameters in the 135 matched up with those of the 55, then I would say just transfer the rock and livestock over in one shot and keep an eye on parameters. You're dealing with a bioload for a 55 but have some extra breathing room in the 135.

If you're interested in a first hand account of moving, check out this thread on NR:

http://www.nano-reef.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=205722&st=0&p=2375967&#entry2375967

Best of luck!

[dsaundry]

Seeing as you have some time, why not pick up on of those food grade barrels and start by doing a few more frequent water changes and instead of throwing the old water out, put in in the barrel and keep a powerhead in for circulation. Add your regular water mix in your new set up and mix with the stuff in your barrel, leave 40g for the final move and then transfer it all together. this should minimize any major water shifts in perameters. If all your specs are good you shouldn't have too many issues.