Transferring livestock/coral from old tank to new??

[OhioStreetz]

So I'm upgrading tanks and I want to bring all my Sps , live rock and some fish. I'm moving to a new house and found a spot for a cube tank. So hopefully I can pick the tank up on Sunday. I want to do the transfer when we are set up and moved into the new house. With the tank at the old place.

Questions
1.) Can you put new sand in the new tank without starting a new cycle. ( I'm using water and rock from old tank )

More questions to follow I'm sure just wanted to start this thread.

[jasonp87]

New sand will be much better than using the old sand due to all the junk that will get stirred up and released during the move. I don't think you should notice any major cycle as long as you keep your rock fresh. Maybe just do more frequent water changes after the move just to be careful.

[OhioStreetz]

OK yea I'm going to go with a crush coral or reef grade. I want something a little bigger because I'm going SP's dominated. Thanks for the advice it much appreciated.

[davocean]

I wouldn't use crushed, that tends to be a nitrate sink.
I also would say new dry sand, and a scoop of your old will seed it very quickly.
I use caribsea special seafloor grade, my flow is pretty strong, no dustorm issues.
As long as you have a fair amount of established LR there should be no real cycle, or very minimal.

[OhioStreetz]

Thanks Dave yea I'm using around 40-50 pounds of my rock. I'll look into the sand I was tempted to go bare bottom. I'm still up in the air with it though.

[OhioStreetz]

So I'm sitting at the house looking at my tank and I'm nervous. I've been fight aptasia and bubble algae for some time now. When transferring all my sps over is there any way I can better my chances of not bringing either one into the new tank? Other than just inspecting and hoping for the best..

[davocean]

How soon are you doing swap?
There are ways of "cooking" or cleaning up rock, but most are going to deplete some life, some ways more than others.
I'd probably just scrub rocks of the bubble and add something that eats aptasia.
Matted file fish are cheap and easy to care for and do well eating apt.

[OhioStreetz]

Well I was going to do a quick swap then I talked the wife into letting me spend more money lol. So now I'm going to start fresh. Just ordered a new led light, BRS dry rock, New sand I went with the special grade from caribsea like you said Dave. I just want to do things right this time around take my time and do a really nice sps tank. So I want to transfer just coral no rocks.

[davocean]

Nice, good way to go!
Sell your rock as is or I do have links on cooking rock or acid wash if you need info, or check RC for info.

[DaveMorris]

I am going to be using the Caribsea sand that I had in my 300g in my new 130g setup. I have kept most of it "alive" since I took down the 300. Currently it is sitting in my RK2 bin along with most of my rock. I will be adding some oolite sugar sand into it as well. For the happiest sandbed critters you need a mixture of different grain sizes. The safest way to go is new sand like you are doing. I'm glad you aren't going bare bottom. Those tanks look so unnatural to me.

[OhioStreetz]

Nice, good way to go!
Sell your rock as is or I do have links on cooking rock or acid wash if you need info, or check RC for info.

Yea I was going to acid dip the new rock to, read online that they can leach phosphates so figured it couldnt hurt. Thanks for the info.

[OhioStreetz]

I am going to be using the Caribsea sand that I had in my 300g in my new 130g setup. I have kept most of it "alive" since I took down the 300. Currently it is sitting in my RK2 bin along with most of my rock. I will be adding some oolite sugar sand into it as well. For the happiest sandbed critters you need a mixture of different grain sizes. The safest way to go is new sand like you are doing. I'm glad you aren't going bare bottom. Those tanks look so unnatural to me.

I might go and pick up some fine grain sand to mix in. I thought about the bare bottom for a second then said NOPE.. lol I love the real reef look.