Moving the tank

superchargedgp

superchargedgp

Well-known member
alright right now we have a fully stocked nano 28g that is in one place
the new 60 gallon cube will be set up in a different place ( different building)

how do i transfer it all. I dont want to go through the tank cycle again.
should i reuse the sand? or get new one?
what about the water? how much "fresh" salt water i can add to the new 60 gallon
basically i want this to go as smooth as possible
running both tanks at the same time is not an issue

thanks:top:
 
This is just my opinion as a n00b but I think you would probably want new sand and water in the 60. Taking the old sand out will mean you will kick up all those nasties into the current water and tank. I can't think of an easy way to have your livestock not in harms way. you would have to remove all the livestock, hold it somewhere and then transfer it all. Then you can put the old livestock back.

As someone that tried this before, I say just get new sand and water and do a cycle on the new tank. I know it sucks to wait but in the longrun, it will be healthier for your tank.

If you absolutely can not wait, then you can use conditioners and the premixed salt water or the jugged ocean water but I think you will need both tanks running in order to do a smooth and safe swap.

Just my opinion. Some of the others on here probably have better input.
 
I'm in a similar situation. I'm going from a 72 to a 110.

Sand is less then a year old but I will not be using it in the new tank.

I think the new tank is going in a different spot but if its not then i will have more issues.

I would def do new sand and cycle the new tank first. I'm going to do that with Dr Tims and either dose the ammonia or put fish in right away.

are you reusing your rock? I am but I got more rock when i got the new tank. The rock will be bleached or dipped in muriatic acid before going in the new tank.

Once the tank is cycled and I can move fish in, I will dip the old rock as well and see where/if I need to add more.

I would dip/qt everything you can before putting it in the new tank.
 
here is how id do it.

depending on how far the new building is.

1. remove all corals and rock with coral.
2. slowly take the rest of the rock with out disturbing the sand bed and put the corals back in.
3. set up the 60 gallon with all new saltwater and new sand, re using rock should be fine as long as you can transfer it wet.
4. give it a couple of day for the new tank to settle and all.
5. take all the corals in ziplocks or tupper ware and acclimate to the new tank (your normal way of acclimating corals in to the tank)

6. empty the old tank.
 
the new building is a 5 minute drive

so set up the 60, new sand live sand and new salt water
use the live rock the has no corals on it in the 60, and wait few days
then move all the corals and fish last

now i need to add more live rock ( will have to purchase it) can i just add it when i add the sand to the 60?
 
you would need more rock any way isnt it ? from 28 to 60 gallon ?


and yes thats how id do it .. that way corals dont take a shot

did you get willys rimless 60 setup ?? :D



superchargedgp said:
the new building is a 5 minute drive

so set up the 60, new sand live sand and new salt water
use the live rock the has no corals on it in the 60, and wait few days
then move all the corals and fish last

now i need to add more live rock ( will have to purchase it) can i just add it when i add the sand to the 60?
Click to expand...
 
Over the last 10 years or so I've upgraded from a 29 to a 45 to a 90 and to a 220. I've done it the same every time and I've reused the sand every time (I know most people on this site don't recommend it).

I transfer most of the water to the new tank. Then I move over all of the live rock and live stock. Then I gravel vac the sh*t out of the gravel. Then I transfer over all of the gravel and add new gravel as well. Then I throw away any remaining water in the old tank.

I've never had a cycle doing it this way. When I upgraded to my 220 (with 75 gal sump), a added about 150 gallons of new water and didn't cycle. I also threw in some Dr. Tims for good measure.
 
There is nothing wrong with using aged and conditioned water, the sand is always up for debate, I am in the same boat, wracking my brain trying to decide if I am going to slowly move it over or go BB or get new LS..... I think I am going to house the sand in a tub with a powerhead and just stir it daily and siphon what settles on the top and then after a week or so gradually move it back into my new tank. My sand bed is only 1" or so deep, so I think it should be ok, but if it fails I'll be the first to post and admit I was wrong!
 
I used same sand for last ten years just redid tank used a strainer and shifted allvthe shells out of sand stirred it for few days and had to clean sump after but seems fine. Even had a monti in there whole time and looks great still . Maybe just lucky but i think a good cleaning of it u be fine. I always use as much water from old tank as i can but i drain it out with out stirring anything up after i get water out i want to keep then i move rocks and stuff
 
Ok. My turn to jump in LOL. I also have just upgraded my tank. I agree that you can use old sand, however how do you get it out and moved to the new tank w/o disturbing the other one. You really can't. I would say to get the new sand and rock, set up the new tank with that and the rock from your current tank and you should be fine. Just add some Dr Tim's. The cycle comes from lack of bacteria to break down the waste. By using your old established rock it will definitely speed up the process. And grab a couple cups full of old sand to seed the new. And you can use the rinsed old sand for the fuge. This is my opinion on the situation, as its what I did and had success.

Sent from my SGH-T999 using Tapatalk 2
 
sand doesn't go bad. it's the poop rotting between the particles that is the problem. disturbing any established sandbed will kill the present anaerobic bacteria and release many trapped gasses from the decomposition of detritius. Simply scooping the sand from one tank to another would most likely spel disaster, but if you take the time to wash it there would not be a problem. You can end up with a huge bacteria die off spike and toxic hydrogen sulfide laying waste to everything. It depends completely on how much poop is in the pudding. When I moved I intended to reuse the sand, but simply could not when I saw the black oil slick that resulted from carrying the tank with just the sand and a small amount of water. I put the sand in a bucket and went barebottom with the intent of adding it later. (You can easily and safely put very clean sand in a running tank by using a piece of 3/4" pvc and a funnel. If you direct the sand to the exact spot you want it it really clouds very little.) I ended up keeping BB since I am moving it all again within a year and I am now thinking I've been converted. Regardless, my point is that sand doesn't go bad, but it can get so dirty that the cost of water/time to clean it would be better spent on new sand and moving it without cleaning the vast majority of it will probably creat major problems. I did clean and rinse the sand I had and but took days of constantly stirring it in a bucket of running water until it would run clean. And I did learn the hard way that bristle worm bristles in the sand require yo uto use gloves to stir it. Good luck bro.
 
now can i use dry rock on my new build with some live rock for the old tank. Its easier to aquascape the way i want with dry rock

ughh this is confusing
someone help
how about new sand dry rock and some live rock from my current tnak. then add dr tims (or whatever his name is) cycle juice, and let the new tank run for a week or so, then transfer the remaining live rock peaces to the new sump and add live stock
 
superchargedgp said:
now can i use dry rock on my new build with some live rock for the old tank. Its easier to aquascape the way i want with dry rock

ughh this is confusing
someone help
how about new sand dry rock and some live rock from my current tnak. then add dr tims (or whatever his name is) cycle juice, and let the new tank run for a week or so, then transfer the remaining live rock peaces to the new sump and add live stock
Click to expand...

Sounds absolutely fine .. Assuring factor being adding live rock from old tank to the sump

And be sure dry rock isn't full of phosphates
 
I've always reused sand, but I never let my sand get as dirty as what Herbie described. Every time I do a water change, I vacuum my entire sand bed and I also use a powerhead to blow detritus out from under my live rock. I also only have about one inch of sand and when I say sand, I mean crushed coral. If I had a sand bed that I never disturbed, I surely wouldn't transfer I to a new tank.

I'm actually considering removing my fine crunshed coral and going with the really chunky stuff. I think this will help keep my triggers from spitting gravel all over my corals. It will also vacuum out much easier. Not sure about aesthetics though.
 
Sand and crushed coral is VERY different. Hence why you're able to do what you do. Crushed coral needs vacuuming. Sand requires sifting and to be left alone. Like comparing apples and oranges.
 
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