bigger tank = another cycle?

llewella

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Ok so I want to upgrade to a bigger tank. Probably a 120 from a 55. The thing is I dont have room to have them both up and running at the same time. So I was wondering if I transferred everything to the new tank (water, LS, LR, corals) would it go through another cycle. I would of course have to add more water and some more LR. Would I be putting my corals in danger doing this? I currently do not have any fish but am contemplating a Gobi.
Thanks!
 
Mine went through a mini cycle when I tore it down, and changed stands. That being said, the ammonia spike barely happened. I did NOT clean my sand bed when I did this, and did get a healthy Nitrate spike that took about 3 30 Gallon changes to cure, and my algae bloom is finally starting to subside.

CJ
 
like Cjsparky said you will have a mini cycle most likely. I would also buy new sand you don't want to stir up a old sand bed.
 
+1 with the sand. but if you want to re-use the old sand just take it out and rinse it then just seed with a bag of new sand to get it going again.
 
Done it many times with no cycle or loss.

1. Use as much "old" water as possible.
2. Us some of the old sand. (After removing corals, rock, fis, etc.) drain as much old water in to containers. Then with the little water left in the old tank I used a fish net and strained out some of the old sand and added it with the new sand.
3. Add the sand to the new tank and put a plastic (non-toxic) trash bag weighted down by dish plates in each corner and add the new and old water. The plastic bag will keep your water from getting murky. When the water is 75% in gently light the trash bag out.
4. Add rock which has been in containers with old water (to keep it from dieing).
5. Add corals, fish, etc. when the temp is the same as their holding tank.

Just plan it out on paper and expect it to take 8-12 hours depending on how much rock and how many corals you have.
 
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