Moving reef from 105 to 135.... advice please

AnnetteG

AnnetteG

getting back to basics
Sep 24, 2007
937
0
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Okay, so after a finance discussion tonight, we've decided to make this an upgrade instead of a 2nd reef tank. The 105 is beautiful, but being so tall makes it more limiting on what I can do so that's why I wanted the 6 foot 135 for another reef. However, setting up a 2nd reef would take up more money (that I could be spending on corals!) and lots more time before we could spend money on another good light or skimmer. I've been shopping used, but even used, the ones I want are pretty high.

So now the plan is to finish getting the water made and into the 135 up half or so, I guess and get the plumbing finished, which he's almost got done. Then I guess I will start moving my rocks in and figuring out the 'scape and then take most of the sand from the 105, leaving behind the small layer of play "quality" sand that was left at the bottom of it when we added the live sand. Before I start on the sand, I could move the fish into the refugium temporarily, or just aerated buckets? Then I'll move the refugium stuff into the new one - Bigger! yay!

I know my current skimmer isn't the top of the line but it does a good job and I'm sure it will be fine for the 135 at least till I can pick up a bigger one. My biggest concern is lighting. Right now I've got a 48" fixture with 2 150 MHs and 4 HO T5s suspended over the 105. I can't buy a new light yet, but we have a canopy on my husband's FW tank that we can use on the 135 and it's got 4 6 foot VHOs in it. Not sure on the wattage, but I'm sure it's pretty typical of whatever 6 foot VHOs are. Would the VHOs be enough to take care of my corals for a little while? Probably in a month I'll be able to pick up a better light, assuming I can find a good used one. This is definitely temporary as my hubby wants his lights back. LOL

The other option would be to put the 48" fixture over the 6' tank and center it and concentrate coral placement under the good lights until I can get a new fixture. I'd keep eggcrate stuff on the tank to keep the fish in.

What would you do? Any other advice on this changeover? I picked up an Iwaki 70 with the Japanese motor, I'm super excited to see how it does, since the guy I got it from said it was too much for his tank. I didn't think there was such a thing as too much flow in a reef? I've also got a Tunze 6090 for it! And I'll move my 2 Koralia 4s in.

OH and one more question. I've heard if you add 2 angels at the same time, they'll be okay living together. If I get a Flame Angel right at the time we're moving the fish, would it be okay with my Coral Beauty? One of the reasons I wanted a 2nd tank was to have a Flame. The 105 will become something else at some point. Hubby wants an octopus. I want a clown trigger. We'll discuss. ;-) Maybe a lunar wrasse. Hmmmm

Thanks in advance!
 
Holy crap.. Iwaki70 Jap and a tunze!! I am so jealous! I just have the iwaki40 jap.

Lighting.. anyway you can use 2 or 4 VHOs as well as your 4' fixture until you get the light you want? I think the 4' MH light is better than the VHOs, but like you said, would have to center the rocks/corals. With both lights you can put the low light softies/mushrooms at the ends.

Personally, after watching my neighbors lunare wrasse, I am not impressed with them. They eat up all the snails and hermits in the tank very fast. Hmmm, tough call on the angels. I wouldn't do it myself, both are known to get stressed out/ich easily and the stress of moving into a new tank that is still going through a mini cycle more than likely as well as 2 angels in the same tank sounds like trouble. If the tank were setup for a few months and you QT'd both angels for a month, then put them in together I think you would have much better luck. You can even tank out your CB and put it in QT when you get a flame, do a little reaquascaping in the tank, and put them both in and it will be like a new tank for both.
 
I have had zero issues with my lunare wrasse eating any snails or hermits. 2 peppermint shrimp on the other hand, they are missing. i never found any body parts so I'm inclined to think he didn't eat them.

He's also one of my favorite fish with how active he is and how colorful. I also seem to have a rare model citizen who is currently in a 30g QT with a maroon clown, humu trigger and princess parrot and there is no fighting. Odd too, since i expected there to be some so the aggressive fish went into one QT.
 
Ya, like you pointed out before Mandy, my neighbors appears to be the Red Sea variety, so maybe they are a little different, or could be this one wrasse has issues with inverts. Definately known to happen.
 
mine is also a red sea variety
 
haha now now, you know I'm just pointing out that there is hope that they aren't all little devils. They are known for being bullies, I just think me and one other person (I forget who it is) wound up with the rare nice gene-holding ones
 
Pygmy's? Why those? That is what I have.. Out of all the angels, I picked it for its size alone, but I have never really liked it. It is healthy, always has been, but just a blah fish to me. I am without a doubt getting a potters again for my 68g. I know its not the ideal size, but I am known to break a few rules now and then.
 
OMG moving from one tank to the other is alot a work..i transferred from the 40 to the 75 on monday heres what i did
first off the 75 was originally going planted FW..but that changed quickly lol did i mention that i can't keep fw planted tanks alive i dunno
i emptied it past halfway caught all the fish and moved them to my 125g FW..that was a crazy..took out the soil and plants and cleaned the tank
then i went and bought 60 gallons of natural sea water..2 trips
then i bought 80 lbs of carribsea live sand from petsmart (had a credit)
put sand in..added water halfway with the heater..waited overnight for the tank to clear
i then drained 20 gallons of water from the 40 and put them in containers
i then took my frags and corals one by one over to the 75 and put them on the sand
i then started on the live rock..i got a flat container and took the rocks out a few at a time over to the 75..rinsing them in water in bucket..luck 2 of my rock are at least 10-15 lbs each
after all rock was transferred over it was time to catch the 6 fish that was easy since there was nothing in the tank and it only had 1/4 of water
then looked for and snails, shrooms, hermits in the sand i left behind
i think sand would be a pain to transfer..all u need is a handfull of your old sand to start off your new sand so thats what i did..and it was really nasty looking after the move
wow what a long post lol but thats how i did the tank transfer
i went 3 days with just my 36" fixture and everything was fine
 
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