introduction and question about moving my tank

[stormgate]

Hello all! been a member for a few months now. there is TONS of information on this forum... really my starting point when getting into the hobby.

i was always into fishkeeping, but just the basics. i had a 60 gallon cichlid tank with your basic cichlids in it. a green terror, some other striped cichlid i couldn't name and a pleco. i decided to switch to saltwater a few months back because a wanted to build a reef for someone very special who is no longer with us. i initially set it up in my basement, built a custom sump, etc. all from information found on this forum! but now i don't really spend much time down there, so i only see the tank when i feed them or add water to the sump.

so i came to a crossroad where i would either break down the tank, or upgrade to a differently shaped tank and move it to my living room.

so i decided to take the plunge. picked up all the stuff i needed. tank, stand, new sump, light, pump and tubing. got a 60 gallon cube. looks nice where i placed it.

which brings me to why i'm writing this post. whats the best way to move the rock and stock from one tank to the next? i'm looking for some kind of list/order to moving everything with minimal issues.

whats in the tank you ask?

liverock
sand
about 15 snails (turbos, nirite, mexican turbo)
about 15 hermit crabs (blue and red leg... most are very small)
one clownfish (only about two months old)
one yellow watchman gobby (only about two months old)
small star polyp (about 2"x3")
small zooanthid (about 2"x2")

i know i should use some of the water that is currently in the tank.

so what order should i do this in? should i cycle new water? what about the sand? what's the best way to get the sand out/in? should i just buy new sand? i don't want it to be cloudy for long. also, i'm trying to do this in the minimal time possible.

thanks all! and sorry for the long post.

[Sisterlimonpot]

[welcome]

This sounds like an easy transfer,

First we need to know if you're planning on just transferring just the contents in the existing tank or are you planning to add more (rock, sand)?

Then how deep is your existing sand bed?

If you are just transferring what you have to the new tank, you'll want to do this rather quickly to prevent die off of your biological bacteria. all you have to do is remove as much water as you can from the existing tank and place it in the new tank, remove all the rock and get it into the new tank as quickly as possible, transfer over heaters, the rest of the water.

Now as for the sand, if you have a deep sand bed, I wouldn't reuse it, but if the sand bed is less than 3" deep then you can easily remove and put it in the new tank, depending on how dirty the sand is you may need to rinse it before adding it to the new tank. once everything settles enough you can add the livestock.

[mbd521]

I have no experience In moving salt water tanks, but to me it makes sense that of you move everything you will have at least a mini cycle.

if I were in your situation, I think I would buy new sand and put new water in the tank and let the cycle start... move over a lot of the LR, but leave a couple pieces in the old tank...leave the fish in the old tank and monitor the water in new tank for cycle... once that tank is cycled. I would move over the rest of LR, fish, and inverts. then I think I would monitor water, for a mini cycle, which if you may or may not get. then I would move over coral.

I would continue to maintain the basement tank until you know for sure that your parameters were stable.

I am not sure if I am correct, but I think that attempting to move over your sand bed would be bad and cause release of bad gasses into water.... which is why they say don't mess with a sand bed after it has become established. if your tank is relatively new you might be ok, but to me it wouldn't be worth the risk of hurting the livestock.

honestly not sure how sound.my advise is, but if Im wrong Im sure someone else on here will correct me.

good luck!


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[stormgate]

thanks all! i may just get new sand as that will make the transition alot easier.

i've got some sand that i got from the beach in jersey but i'm afraid to use it as if i don't wash it properly, i could get some crazy funky algae growing in my tank.

[poakley723]

Another alternative is to have someone coral sit while your new tank gets set up.

[stormgate]

here are some pics of the tank and where it will be placed... much better than my basement where i don't really hang out much. i may make my other tank a FOWLR tank as it is near a pool table and would look awesome there. other option is part it out and sell it to make more space for my guitars. :)

i'll make a progress post when i do the actual move.

[mbd521]

That will definately look better were it is!! keep us updated and let us know how everything went!

[stormgate]

quick update. move has been completed. i used some new sand, so it's a little cloudy. i did rinse the sand and its cleared up alot since i put it in. should be completely clear by the AM.

i only used about 20 lbs of sand or so. i've got another 20 of argonite and about 40 of what's titled as "live sand" from my old tank. i'm pretty happy with the sand though, it's a shallow sand bed, just enough for my sand sifting snails to burry themselves. so i may not add anymore.

i will say this: eshops hoses are GARBAGE! i had one burst on me near the bulkhead on the tank. i just cut the fitting and got myself a hose clamp. i'm going to replace it eventually, but it's in good shape now. i want to do a bit more to quiet down the pump. it's not loud... but i would like as little motor noise as possible. i don't mind the water sound. it's much quieter than my home made sump with overflow box was.

overall, i will say this. this is my first pre-drilled tank. i will NEVER go with a non-predrilled tank again. it just makes life that much easier.

i'll post more pics once it's cleared up.

thank you all for the advice. made my first saltwater tank move simple!!!!
-pedro

http://www.bexiga.net/files/DSC_0546.jpg
http://www.bexiga.net/files/DSC_0547.jpg

[poakley723]

Looks good!

I really like that tank.