Can I upgrade Tank Size without losing "Age" of tank???

[DragonStone]

I have a small starter salt tank. I love it.

I'd like to double or triple the size of it. From 10 gallons to 20 or even 30 gallons. My tank has been up for 6+ months and it's doing really well. Good balance, lots of copepods and growth on live rock, etc.

Can I just....move everything over (water included) and then continue from there? Is there a way to upgrade without "starting over"?? And how?? Thanks!

 

[Jekyl]

I have a small starter salt tank. I love it.

I'd like to double or triple the size of it. From 10 gallons to 20 or even 30 gallons. My tank has been up for 6+ months and it's doing really well. Good balance, lots of copepods and growth on live rock, etc.

Can I just....move everything over (water included) and then continue from there? Is there a way to upgrade without "starting over"?? And how?? Thanks!

For seamless you'll need to add rocks at or beyond age of current. Any dry rock added will have to go through the same maturation process. That said any live rock added will support the life of anything you already have.

 

[JayM]

As long as you don't increase your bio load right away, you shouldn't have any problems.

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

I would say everything stays the same except for the sand. When I upgrade, I always rinse my sand and add more new sand (rinsed as well), so the sandbed gets diatoms and then sometimes cyano, but from that point seems to be fine.

 

[Spare time]

If you keep the rocks and maybe add a scoop of the upper layer of sand to the new tank, there shouldn't be major problems. Getting a completely new sand bed does "de-age" the tank a bit but other than that it isn't a huge deal.

 

[DragonStone]

Thanks you all!!

So mix current sand with new sand to help age that. Keep rocks, add a few more live rocks but it will be 60%+ current rocks. Move over most of the water.

I guess how do I...mechanically do this? Especially if the new tank needs to go where the old one is hahaha

 

[Jekyl]

Thanks you all!!

So mix current sand with new sand to help age that. Keep rocks, add a few more live rocks but it will be 60%+ current rocks. Move over most of the water.

I guess how do I...mechanically do this? Especially if the new tank needs to go where the old one is hahaha

Make sure to rinse the sand thoroughly if reusing and no need to transfer water.

 

[Troylee]

Thanks you all!!

So mix current sand with new sand to help age that. Keep rocks, add a few more live rocks but it will be 60%+ current rocks. Move over most of the water.

I guess how do I...mechanically do this? Especially if the new tank needs to go where the old one is hahaha

I wouldn’t.. sand is cheap! Get your new tank add all new sand and then move your current rocks and water over.. fill the rest up with new salt water and your tank won’t skip a beat! It’s basically just a nice water change!

 

[DragonStone]

I was thinking my Copepods might be in the sand?

 

[Biokabe]

Thanks you all!!

So mix current sand with new sand to help age that. Keep rocks, add a few more live rocks but it will be 60%+ current rocks. Move over most of the water.

I guess how do I...mechanically do this? Especially if the new tank needs to go where the old one is hahaha

Your sandbed in the new tank should be mostly new sand, with just a bit of your old sand included for biodiversity seeding. Sand traps a lot of substances that, in large quantities, can be toxic to your livestock. You can rinse out your old sand enough to minimize the risk, but it takes quite a bit to clean your sand thoroughly, and so most people prefer to simply start off with new sand.

As for the mechanics - it depends on how big the new tank is, but the general process is:

• Get a storage container(s) to hold your livestock and rocks. The big plastic storage totes work well for this.
• Fill them with water, a heater, and a powerhead. Transfer your livestock and rocks to the storage totes.
• Drain your current tank completely.
• Move it out of the way, place the new tank in its place.
• Install any equipment that you couldn't pre-install.
• Place the rocks in the new tank.
• Place your sand in the new tank.
• Fill the new tank with water.
• Release your fish and other mobile critters into the new tank.

If you'll be adding any new rock to the tank (which you should), either rinse it thoroughly and allow debris and loose material to fall off (dry rock), or allow it to sit in circulating water for a few days to release and rinse off the die-off from transit (live rock). You should leak-test your new tank in advance of installation, and this is also a good time to let the new rocks get ready for their debut.

You'll also want to do as much ahead of time as possible, you want to minimize the amount of time that your livestock are in totes. Also, clear an entire day for the transfer. It shouldn't take that long, but it seems to always take longer than you expect it to.

 

[areefer01]

One thing to note is that substrate is a lot of surface area. Buffer, bacteria, etc.

 

[kenchilada]

It's such a small tank, order some nice live rock from TBS or KP and skip the headaches.

 

[Spare time]

I was thinking my Copepods might be in the sand?

I just take some random scoops of the very top.

 

[Troylee]

I was thinking my Copepods might be in the sand?

They’ll be in your rocks! Rocks are the heart beat of every system! Hence the many bare bottom tanks

 

[DragonStone]

THANK YOU SO MUCH

 

[DragonStone]

Your sandbed in the new tank should be mostly new sand, with just a bit of your old sand included for biodiversity seeding. Sand traps a lot of substances that, in large quantities, can be toxic to your livestock. You can rinse out your old sand enough to minimize the risk, but it takes quite a bit to clean your sand thoroughly, and so most people prefer to simply start off with new sand.

As for the mechanics - it depends on how big the new tank is, but the general process is:

• Get a storage container(s) to hold your livestock and rocks. The big plastic storage totes work well for this.
• Fill them with water, a heater, and a powerhead. Transfer your livestock and rocks to the storage totes.
• Drain your current tank completely.
• Move it out of the way, place the new tank in its place.
• Install any equipment that you couldn't pre-install.
• Place the rocks in the new tank.
• Place your sand in the new tank.
• Fill the new tank with water.
• Release your fish and other mobile critters into the new tank.

If you'll be adding any new rock to the tank (which you should), either rinse it thoroughly and allow debris and loose material to fall off (dry rock), or allow it to sit in circulating water for a few days to release and rinse off the die-off from transit (live rock). You should leak-test your new tank in advance of installation, and this is also a good time to let the new rocks get ready for their debut.

You'll also want to do as much ahead of time as possible, you want to minimize the amount of time that your livestock are in totes. Also, clear an entire day for the transfer. It shouldn't take that long, but it seems to always take longer than you expect it to.

This is perfect thank you!

 

[tritonpower]

Since you will likely need more rocks I usually get the rocks I will use for the new tank and put them in a bucket with heater and wavemaker. Be sure to top off with RO occasionally. Put in at least one of your old rock or media and some MB7 once a week. Preferably leave like this for weeks or months. When you setup the new tank you will have these rocks with some bacteria plus your old rocks. Works great.