Nano leaking. ?'s about a transfer...

[schnell76]

I have a 12gal nanocube that is currently leaking. A very slow leak from the bottom, I think. Its almost 3 years old and I have never had a problem with it. So I am stuck buying a new tank and transferring....definitely not one of my favorite activities. My plan is to buy a 14gal Biocube as a replacement. But if I pull my pair of clowns, all rock and corals and put them in a bin with a powerhead for temporary quarters. Can I then carefully scoop my sand bed and put it in the new BC, let it settle overnight and then put my rock/corals and clowns back in the following day? Will it cycle do you think or has anyone experienced a cycle by doing this?? I don't have anything too delicate....zoas, shrooms, candycane and frogspawn.

[BradsOcean]

Ok, if you do the transfer, it will have a little 2-3 day cycle. Well, mine did when i did that. Corals looked horrible but none died thankfully. If i were you I'd buy the biocube, then take all the water/sand/LR/fish/corals out of the tank and put them in a plastic bin, and then use aquarium silicone sealant and try to fix the leak. If you can't fix it, then put them in the biocube. If you can fix it, you can spend that biocube money on Halides! :D

[Da Reefer 25]

I transfered a 55gal packed reef tank to a 65 reef ready tank (old overflow flooding everyday), pretty much nothin died (few chromis, and a few small corals).
Like Brad said it willtake a few days to cycle but then every thing should be back to normal.

[Agu]

I prefer not to reuse most of the old sand. After three years there's a lot of crud sequestered in the sand. I would use new sand and pick through the old sand to rescue any sand dwelling creatures and to seed the old sand.

[Ricunger]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14102501#post14102501 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Agu
I prefer not to reuse most of the old sand. After three years there's a lot of crud sequestered in the sand. I would use new sand and pick through the old sand to rescue any sand dwelling creatures and to seed the old sand.

+1

[MikePowell]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14103369#post14103369 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Ricunger
+1

+ 1

Use fresh new sand. While your at it rinse off the rocks really well in salt water to remove alot of the stuff that has built up over the years.

That being said what I would do is move all the tank inhabitants in to a bucket with the current water. Put the rocks in another bucket with salt water and rinse them off really really well. Once the new tank is in its place put the rocks only and let the tank run for a few days to allow for die off. After a few days siphon the debris on the bottom of the tank and then place the sand. Wait another few days before adding the tank inhabitants. I know it may seem pointless but taking these measures will allow for optimum tank health, and will help prevent serious issues that occur with stiring up old rocks and sand.