45-->58-gallon tank move...

[lanman]

I feel like a bride on her honeymoon - I've never done this before, and I need advice/concurrence/warnings - any suggestions you have.

 

I am almost ready to transfer everything from the 45-gallon tank to the 58-gallon tank.

 

I finally have enough water (I think)... almost 40 gallons in my new 40-gallon sump, 10 gallons mixed outside the sump, and of course whatever I siphon out of my 45-gallon tank. Plus another 5 gallons of fresh ready to go if I need it. For the moment, I will leave my frag tank using the original 20-gallon sump/refugium. I assume sand/rocks/coral will displace about 5-10 gallons.

 

The target tank:

 

Overflow and emergency overflow:

 

WavySea:

 

MJ-12 with mod kit:

 

Overflow plumbing:

 

The plan:

 

I have a mild infestation of flatworms in the 45. So I intend to dip every rock in EXIT for 15 minutes and shake off the flatworms. I'm sure eventually I will get some flatworms in the 58, but I'll try not to. Any suggestions??

 

First - I'm going to take the 'spare' live rock and move it into the new sump. I bought some live rock just for that purpose.

 

Second - move larger pieces of rock from the tank (especially with corals on them) into the sump, until there is no room left. Move the rest into a 10-gallon tank with heater/powerhead.

 

Third - put all three of my fish, and any snails, crabs, shrimp that weren't on the live rock into my frag tank (33-long)

 

Fourth - Siphon as much clean tank water as I can from the 45 into buckets, aquariums, etc...

 

Fifth - put sand in buckets of water - and treat with EXIT. I don't need it all, but need a good portion of it to give myself 3" of sand bed (58 has 1.5 times the floor space). Then put the sand (and enough tank water to keep it wet) into the 58 - on top of the additional new sand.

 

Sixth - once I have all of the sand transferred, start pumping the tank water into the 58, and then add the 'extra' water needed to nearly fill it (once I turn on the main pump, I only expect to have about 30 gallons in the sump).

 

At Last - Turn on the main pump - make sure everything works properly, and start putting everything into the 58!!!

 

What am I missing?

 

Will the outflow from the WavySeas with a Mag-Drive 7 (about 500gph at that head distance), plus the MJ with mod kit give me enough water movement?

 

Many Thanks for any advice/assistance/comments!

 

bob

[HowardofNOVA]

Between the MJ Mod and WavySea, your going to be surfing!

That WILL be alot of water movement for sure!!!!

I had a MJ1200 Kit in my 90g 3'x2'x2' tank and had to take it out because it blew the sand out of the front of the tank. WavySea alone should do you well at first and then see later on either JUST a MJ if the Mod puts too much movement!

 

FWIW, I would start doing a 10g water change from your old tank INTO the new tank. Add about about 10g of NEW Saltwater into new tank to get things going and a couple of cups of your "treated" sand. With that, your tank will be ALIVE and going forward. Use small powerhead to keep movement in NEW tank.

Wait 4-6 days and do another 5g water change with old water into new tank and another 5g NEW mix. Now have 30g in NEW Tank. 1/2 way there! Test parameters in both tanks to keep CLOSE to each other and possibly repeat another 4-6 days with following weekend, switch everything over.

 

Could be moving a few rocks over every few days.

[lanman]

Between the MJ Mod and WavySea, your going to be surfing!

That WILL be alot of water movement for sure!!!!

I had a MJ1200 Kit in my 90g 3'x2'x2' tank and had to take it out because it blew the sand out of the front of the tank. WavySea alone should do you well at first and then see later on either JUST a MJ if the Mod puts too much movement!

 

FWIW, I would start doing a 10g water change from your old tank INTO the new tank. Add about about 10g of NEW Saltwater into new tank to get things going and a couple of cups of your "treated" sand. With that, your tank will be ALIVE and going forward. Use small powerhead to keep movement in NEW tank.

Wait 4-6 days and do another 5g water change with old water into new tank and another 5g NEW mix. Now have 30g in NEW Tank. 1/2 way there! Test parameters in both tanks to keep CLOSE to each other and possibly repeat another 4-6 days with following weekend, switch everything over.

 

Could be moving a few rocks over every few days.

 

Now that sounds pretty cool... it would also allow the NEW sand to cloud up and settle before I start moving things into it. That dry stuff really makes a cloud. And the old tank could USE a water change. I'm a week behind because I thought I would be ready this past weekend. Both tanks would benefit.

 

By the way - I'm going to have a borrowed Remora skimmer hanging on the sump at first, then add the Remora from my 45 when I switch everything over - while I wait for my big skimmer to be available. So I can't run the frag tank too long on the old system unless I want to get yet another skimmer for that one. Your method will give me some time to figure out how to put the refugium in the new system as well.

 

Thanks for suggestions!

 

bob

[dbartco]

put a plastic bag over the sand, and a plate or something to disperse water while pouring in slowly to avoid the dust storm.

 

agree with howard. just get them both running, do a bunch of changes between to get the water stable and same in both, then move. Makes life easy. It's worth $10 in saltwater.

[lanman]

put a plastic bag over the sand, and a plate or something to disperse water while pouring in slowly to avoid the dust storm.

 

agree with howard. just get them both running, do a bunch of changes between to get the water stable and same in both, then move. Makes life easy. It's worth $10 in saltwater.

 

Ah... it's not the salt - it's the water. With my cold, low-pressure well water, I only manage about 5 gallons per evening, 10-15 if I'm home all day to keep replacing buckets. But I agree - that sounds like a good way to do it.

 

bob

[Grav]

Bob,

 

What is the EXIT for? If you have a FLAT WORM problem, the best thing to do is treat EVERYTHING and the best way to do it is one rock at a time all in the same bucket (followed by a rinse bucket) and the best time to do it is when you are planning to remove all the rock anyway.

 

If you are trying to kill bristle worms....

1: Why?

2: I don't think exit will work

3: I would leave em alone, you will never have a tank without bristle worms.

 

Phil

[lanman]

Bob,

 

What is the EXIT for? If you have a FLAT WORM problem, the best thing to do is treat EVERYTHING and the best way to do it is one rock at a time all in the same bucket (followed by a rinse bucket) and the best time to do it is when you are planning to remove all the rock anyway.

 

If you are trying to kill bristle worms....

1: Why?

2: I don't think exit will work

3: I would leave em alone, you will never have a tank without bristle worms.

 

Phil

 

Flatworms... and that is pretty much the plan. Everything makes a stop at the EXIT bucket and the rinse bucket on the way to the new tank. Then I can watch the new tank, and at the FIRST sign of flatworms, while there are still only a few, I can treat the entire tank. It's not the EXIT that harms anything - it's the dying flatworms that can cause trouble.

 

And my nano ran for several months before it ever had a bristle worm. There are still only one or two that are visible. I have nothing against bristle worms, they tend to clean up - and if I have too many, I am probably overfeeding. Starve them, and they will become crab-food and nassarius food.

 

bob

[lanman]

Well, yesterday I finally had enough water made to fill everything up. I have been doing 5-10 gallon water changes from my 45-gallon tank into the 58-gallon tank, plus adding about an equal amount of freshly-made saltwater to it. It finally overflowed yesterday, and I turned on the MAG-7 and the WavySea. Works nicely. I turned on the MJ-12 with mod kit briefly - it started to blow sand around; I will try repositioning it a few times before I give up. I really want good flow, but don't want to dig holes in the sand.

 

Couldn't help myself - I got a couple of nice large pieces of Marshall Island rock at BRK yesterday. When that purples up, it's going to be awesome looking.

 

Questions:

 

1. The MAG-7 sitting on the bottom of my 40-gallon breeder sump is noisy. Vibrates a lot. Is there something suggested for sitting it on, like a foam pad or something to get it off the glass and cut the noise?

 

2. Is there something with more flow than a standard MJ-12, and less velocity than the mod kit?

 

3. How far into the sump water should the 1" pipe from the overflow be? 1" deep? 8" deep?

 

Thanks for any help!

 

bob

[gioNVA]

1. Try a mouse pad under the Mag 7 or when I had my 58, I used a dab of silicone on the bottom corners of the mag7.

 

2. I would do a Seio 820, that's what I had and the flow was just right. Maybe a Tunze 6025.

 

3. I had it an inch or two under the sump water so I could easily use a filter sock.

 

Well, yesterday I finally had enough water made to fill everything up. I have been doing 5-10 gallon water changes from my 45-gallon tank into the 58-gallon tank, plus adding about an equal amount of freshly-made saltwater to it. It finally overflowed yesterday, and I turned on the MAG-7 and the WavySea. Works nicely. I turned on the MJ-12 with mod kit briefly - it started to blow sand around; I will try repositioning it a few times before I give up. I really want good flow, but don't want to dig holes in the sand.

 

Couldn't help myself - I got a couple of nice large pieces of Marshall Island rock at BRK yesterday. When that purples up, it's going to be awesome looking.

 

Questions:

 

1. The MAG-7 sitting on the bottom of my 40-gallon breeder sump is noisy. Vibrates a lot. Is there something suggested for sitting it on, like a foam pad or something to get it off the glass and cut the noise?

 

2. Is there something with more flow than a standard MJ-12, and less velocity than the mod kit?

 

3. How far into the sump water should the 1" pipe from the overflow be? 1" deep? 8" deep?

 

Thanks for any help!

 

bob

[YBeNormal]

2. Is there something with more flow than a standard MJ-12, and less velocity than the mod kit?

 

You can mod a MJ600 or MJ900 and get less flow than with a MJ1200. You can also use a smaller prop or reduce the prop size by sanding the outer edge as it is spinning. If you take too much off or decide you want more flow, just replace the prop.

[lanman]

1. Try a mouse pad under the Mag 7 or when I had my 58, I used a dab of silicone on the bottom corners of the mag7.

 

2. I would do a Seio 820, that's what I had and the flow was just right. Maybe a Tunze 6025.

 

3. I had it an inch or two under the sump water so I could easily use a filter sock.

 

Mouse pad sounds good I'll have to glue one to the pump; and maybe add a couple of wire-ties to hold it on if the glue lets loose.

 

I got a filter-sock holder, and it doesn't fit; should have gotten it before I glued in a baffle. I'll be making my own holder.

 

Thanks for the help!

 

bob

 

You can mod a MJ600 or MJ900 and get less flow than with a MJ1200. You can also use a smaller prop or reduce the prop size by sanding the outer edge as it is spinning. If you take too much off or decide you want more flow, just replace the prop.

 

Excellent - I'll try sanding down the prop if I can't get it to work. I think I will only need a LITTLE less velocity.

 

Thanks,

bob

[lanman]

Lights are all set up (except Johnny ordered the wrong plexiglas splash guard - got a 4-foot one, instead of a 3-foot one). So it's basically up and running alongside the 45-gallon tank.

 

 

bob

[Rascal]

Looks nice so far.

 

Bubble wrap with zip ties also works for dampening the vibrations of the pump. If possible, you could also try shortening up the tubing a little so the pump is suspended an inch or so off the bottom. This only makes sense if you can do so without it resting against any of the sides, though.

 

If sanding the prop down on your MJ1200 mod doesn't work, IME: MJ900 mod if you still want flow to reach all the way across the tank, Koralia 4 if you want a wider, "V" shaped flow.

[Jager]

bob after you sand the prop down, try placing the MJ on the side glass and put one of your rocks on the opposite side glass where its moving the most sand. it should keep things under control. the back to front glass is no space for a pump that easily covers 6ft tanks side to side.

 

ive got 2 in my 4ft 75 and the middle is a vortex going down at times. i havea huge rock arch wing shape there to break that vortex and the splash pattern is awesome.

 

doing a bit of aquascaping to counter the flow of the MJ may be a bit tedious at first, but the benefits of the flow are worth the work if you can balance it out.

 

if nothing else get the prop and a mj600 that should be enough flow without beign overpowering in that tank. i think its about 1200gph.

[lanman]

Looks nice so far.

 

Bubble wrap with zip ties also works for dampening the vibrations of the pump. If possible, you could also try shortening up the tubing a little so the pump is suspended an inch or so off the bottom. This only makes sense if you can do so without it resting against any of the sides, though.

 

If sanding the prop down on your MJ1200 mod doesn't work, IME: MJ900 mod if you still want flow to reach all the way across the tank, Koralia 4 if you want a wider, "V" shaped flow.

I suppose I could put some kind of a 'hanger' under the tank stand; but if I can do it with a pad, It will be easier.

 

Is the same mod kit going to fit on the MJ900?? Or do I have to get a new one. I was astonished by the amount of water that thing moves

 

bob

[YBeNormal]

The shroud will fit either a MJ900 or MJ1200 but the MJ900 will not be strong enough to push the full sized Dumas 3004 prop that comes with the MJ1200 high flow kit even if it is sanded down a bit. I'd try sanding down the prop on the one you have before switching to a MJ900.

[lanman]

The shroud will fit either a MJ900 or MJ1200 but the MJ900 will not be strong enough to push the full sized Dumas 3004 prop that comes with the MJ1200 high flow kit even if it is sanded down a bit. I'd try sanding down the prop on the one you have before switching to a MJ900.

 

I cranked it up last night pointing the length of the tank, and slightly hitting the overflow. It was only moving some of the lightest sand on the far side (and causing a very nice turbulent overflow - skim city).

 

And that was with only a few rocks in it - and none really in the path of the storm. I think with minor prop sanding, it will work fine. I think I'll end up with it on the same side of the tank as the WavySea - that way the area right under the wavysea should be a low-flow area good for mushrooms, etc. This promises to be fun.

 

bob

[Rascal]

I suppose I could put some kind of a 'hanger' under the tank stand; but if I can do it with a pad, It will be easier.

 

Is the same mod kit going to fit on the MJ900?? Or do I have to get a new one. I was astonished by the amount of water that thing moves

 

bob

 

The pad / bubble wrap method is definitely easier. Of the two, I prefered bubble wrap just because I was afraid the pad might leach die or something, but I don't know if there is any credence to that. Could just be my own paranoia.

 

YBe is right about the MJMods. The shroud will fit but the props and shaft lenght will be different. You would basically have to do the mod all over again except for the shroud, I think. I lucked out and got 2 kits for the MJ900 from oceanflo, right before they got backed up and then had a family emergency and stopped production. Mine were plug and play and I haven't had a problem with them yet. If you can get the 1200s to work for you though, all the better.

[jamesbuf]

So I see that you're using both holes in the overflow as returns, and sending the water back through the wavysea. Not a bad idea. I was concerned that the AGA 92gal corner would not allow for enough water turnover (their site states the corner overflows to be only rated at 400gph)

 

Have you tested how much max flow you would be able to fit through your setup??

[lanman]

So I see that you're using both holes in the overflow as returns, and sending the water back through the wavysea. Not a bad idea. I was concerned that the AGA 92gal corner would not allow for enough water turnover (their site states the corner overflows to be only rated at 400gph)

 

Have you tested how much max flow you would be able to fit through your setup??

 

No - the MAG-7 at 4' head should be pumping about 500-525 gph, though - and the water in the overflow only comes halfway up the horizontal durso pipe. The 3/4" pipe is just for emergencies, I hope.

 

Still watching the new tank - I put a couple of mushrooms in there to see how they would do, and they seem quite happy. It is going through a mini-cycle (small, but measurable quantities of ammonia, nitrite, nitrate), but not much of one. Freebie! On the Marshall Island rock I got from BRK there is the remnant of a coral (broken down to a stub), which looks like a montipora digitata or something similar - and it has polyps extended. Of COURSE it is going to turn out to be the most beautiful coral in the universe!

 

bob

[jamesbuf]

the standard overflows (non-corner) are usually rated up to 600pgh, so you should be fine. I was just curious to know how much extra flow someone could get out of using the other pipe as a second overflow drain, which is what I thought you were doing.

[lanman]

the standard overflows (non-corner) are usually rated up to 600pgh, so you should be fine. I was just curious to know how much extra flow someone could get out of using the other pipe as a second overflow drain, which is what I thought you were doing.

 

If I decide to switch to a MAG-9, I may find out the answer to that

 

bob

[Jager]

james i used a 9.5 on a mega overflow, and while the water level in tank rose about 1 inch overall, it kept up with the flow without issue. it was getting about 700 maybe 750 through the return.

[lanman]

Approaching the half-way mark...

 

Half-full...

 

 

Half-empty...

 

 

The corals I've put in the new tank already seem happier than in the old tank.

 

And no - that is not aquascaping - that's 'putting the rocks wherever they fit'.

 

I've been soaking everything in EXIT. Quite a few dead flatworms in the soaking bucket. Then I rinse in another bucket of freshly-made saltwater.

 

bob

[jamesbuf]

The regular "box" megaflows get an estimated 600gph, but the corner overflows are supposedly only rated for 400gph, even on a 92gal corner tank. Sounds stupid to me, which is why I was wondering how much extra flow I could expect from using the second hole as another drain. Any ideas? I'm sure it'll be trial and error. I'm a long ways away from actually setting up the 92gal anyways, but of course the plans are always running through my head . The latest plan is to use a SQWD and my wavysea, but if I'm only allowed so much flow I'd rather have a strong wavysea as compared to a both a weak powered wavysea and SQWD.

 

http://www.all-glass.com/products/aquariums/index.html

Then click on "megaflow" on the left side panel. It gives a rating for the tank sizes.

 

 

 

 

Sorry for the highjack, but I do think its relevant to your case. You could always just put the Mag 9.5 onto the wavysea and just have that as your flow and forgo the maxijet mod. I personally would get a pump that you can have on a timer so it turns off when the lights are off, to stimulate calmer seas. Just an idea..........

 

 

ah, spent too much time on here. Exam at 8am. Still a long night ahead. Curse you WAMAS