Best Way to switch over tanks?

[josh11551]

Hey, I may be able to trade up shortly, from my 14 BC to a 55 gallon. He is including a reef octopus HOB skimmer, stand, and a t5HO light, along with his overstocked fish list and live rock. I know this is a good deal but I'm wondering how to do this best.

The other person is located ~45 min away from me and id be driving to pick it up. Before I leave I was planning on gathering as many 15 gallon plastic totes to bring the LR home and the livestock also. Would there be a lot of die off on the rock or should 45 min be ok considering the movement of the car would add o2 to the water. What should I do when I get everything home? Should I add the water to the tank and let it get to temp before ac limating any of the livestock or?


Sorry for any typos I am sending from a touchscreen phone.

[monkeyman14554]

ok so usually i dont answer to many of these threads but i will seeing as i have alot of experience in the moving salt water reef area.. 30 gallon totes are a must if you got a truck you can use garbage cans... move as much of the water as you can... it is best to keep any corals sumerged and also as much live rock as possible.. take live rock out start emptying tank catch fish bag seperatately move as much water and rock and gravel sumerged as possible.. get it home gravel in first start refilling tank then live rock and then fish... here comes the fun part get as much o2 in the water as possible and prepare to have a cycle with existing fish and bioload alive...well then plan to do water changes every couple days probubly 15 gallons every two days to control ammonia.. dont worry so much about the nitrites and nitrates... at this point.. if you keep the amonia down stuff will live... if anything dies get it out asap.. also when doing water changes do not disturb the sand bed or rock too much just change water.. change until amonia is 0 good luck.. it might take 2 or 3 weeks