12g -> 24g upgrade - Cycle?

[dsmhero]

I haven't gotten a clear answer to this....

I have a 12g that has been setup for 9 months but I got a free 24g JBJ so I was planning on transferring everything over with a new sand bed but same liverock and all of the old tank water. If I make sure the new water has the exact same parameters, can I just transfer everything straight over? Also, do you think I will have to worry about a cycle? I am not sure what the best way to go about this project. Thank you for your help.

 

[user 26995]

Your biofiltration is in your rocks and possibly sand. If your water is the same parameters and you move all rock and most all water you should not have a cycle. It would be just like doing a 50% water change. As long as you are not adding more fish at the same time and increasing your bioload. Keep an eye on it though and maybe do small water changes twice as often if you notice an increase in ammonia, but In my opinion, you wont. I transfered a 55 gal tank into a 75. It wasnt quite as big a change, but I had no mini cycle

 

[dawgwe1]

I upgraded from a 29 to a 40 about six weeks ago with no problems. New substrate in tank and transferred the old water and the live rock when I swapped. All coral and fish did just fine.

 

[user 26995]

What I would do....is set up the 24 where you want it. Place your new sand in it. Remove half the water from your 12 gal and place it in the 24. Replace the water in your 12 gal with new water. Add the same amount of new water to the 24 that you added to the 12. Then again remove as much water as you can from the 12 and put it in the 24. You should have enough water in the 24 now to move the live rock and other livestock to the 24 and the water parameters will be so close to the same you should not need to acclimate anything. Then top it off with new water.

 

[user 26995]

It will be a pretty easy process. Dont be too worried about it. Oh, and make sure your water temp stays the same in both tanks too while you are doing it.

 

[dsmhero]

Thank you all for your inputs! I want the 24g where the 12 is now so I may just have to do it all at once. Wish me luck!

 

[user 26995]

Take half the water out of the 12 and put in buckets. You can put the rock in the buckets too. You should be able to move the 12 then to a counter or somewhere out of the way to set up the 24. It shouldnt be too heavy anymore.
You will do fine.

 

[user 26995]

OH! we need pictures! Before and after!

 

[dsmhero]

Great tips, thank you. Oh I will take a bunch of pictures...now I need to order an AI Sol for the 24g