Need Advice Please

[dplaskett]

So I am still moving rock and coral from my old 60 gal to my new 120 gal. Since the amount of rock in the 60 is reducing and I don't have a working protien skimmer or filter running on it, I think I should move over some fish to the 120 gal as well. The question is which should I move first (which fish are the most hardy). I have the following:



two false perc clown fish.

two yellow watchman gobies

a yellow tang.

pj cardinal

bangai cardinal

mandarine

royal gramma



I would like to move a few tonight if I can catch them.

Thanks,

Dave

[Milad]

the tank is cycled right?

i would move them in this order
clowns
gobies
cards
gramma
tang
mandraine

mind you i dont know much about mandarine's so i put him last.

but ya make sure tank is cycled!

[kien]

If you have both tanks set up and both tanks are cycled then why don't you just move them all over to the 120g ? Put the protein skimmer from your 60g to the 120g. If you don't have a protein skimmer at all, then just put an air stone in the tank to oxygenate the water. The fish will be OK without a protein skimmer so long as the water is oxygenated by other methods. There are people who run fish tanks successfully without protein skimmers believe it or not. You can also point a powerhead at the water surface to agitate it which will also help oxygen exchange.

One negative aspect with doing it in stages as you are suggesting is that you will likely stress out all the fish each time you do a move. If you are moving rock from the 60g to the 120g each time then I presume you are also aquascaping. This will stress everyone out as well.

At any rate, it certainly can be done in stages as you are attempting and if so, all your fish on that list are fairly hardy. The mandarin is probably the weakest link but only if he/she has trouble feeding.

[Milad]

this thread is a milestone in my canreef career. first time ive given advice i think (fish wise). I think i gave iphone advice once.

[dplaskett]

The 120 gal has been up and running for 2 weeks I used the prodbio startup bacteria I had the water tested 1 week in and 2 weeks in and all tests were good. I also hsome mollies in the tank to help the cycle. All the rocwith zoos have been doing good so far and a few types of cloves, and some monti frags, I am currently acclimating a chalice a favia and my candy cane coral. The 60 galtank has not had a protien skimmer or filter for 3-4 months. just using the prodibio bacteria and a few water changes. I spent lots of money on the 120 gal set up so I did not replace the protien skimmer and canister filter for the 60 gal tank.

The reason for moving everything in pieces is
a) not enough time in the evening to do it all at once. ( I have an 8 month old, our first baby)
b) If for some reason the 120 goes crazy and cycles I don't want to lose everything.
I also heard that I should not add my live rock all at once to avoid a cycle.

I'm now wondering about the mandarine's food source. He is fat. but will his pods be reduced too much by reducing the live rock in his 60 gal right now?
Thanks,
Dave

Dave

[Wayne]

I also heard that I should not add my live rock all at once to avoid a cycle.


Your rock shouldn't cycle much if its going from water to water. You only get "die off" if you leave it out of water too long or you bang the peices up. So moving it all at once is fine as long as you take those precautions.