Tank transfer

[kidsoccer78]

Hello- I am interested in starting a semi new tank and have some concerns and questions. Background: 8 months ago my classmate and I bought a pair of clowns, 30 lbs of live rock, and 20 lbs of caribi sea live sand for our tank from LFS. Now: The school year is over and I am taking the fish for the summer and college. He and I have different beliefs (in caring for fish/tank set up) so now I want to do things my way. Questions: 1. Will I be able to wash and reuse the sand? Or will this cause me to lose the beneficial bacteria (it should regrow, right)? 2. I need this tank to be rolling and ready for the fish by June 12th. Do you think it will be possible assuming I use a product like Biospira? 3. The sand currently gets very dirty in the 30 gallon tank, and I'm moving to a 10 gallon. Do you recommend blue leg hermits to clean the sand? How many will I need? 4. I need this tank to be as low maintenance as possible. I was thinking of a HOB cascade 150 filter, HOB custom refugium, and in tank protein skimmer. Does this sound good? 5. Can I take the sand and rock out of the old tank for a week while the new tank cycles with new dry rock (I'm trading in the old liverock for new dry rock) 6. Anybody have experience with acid curing dry rock?
Thanks

 

[Sniperhank]

Pretty easy. Just transfer everything in 5 gallon buckets so it stays wet and you won't have to re-cycle as the bacteria will stay alive.
1. You can rinse the sand and re-use it. I don't typically recommend this if the tank has been going for a long time, but it can be done.
2. A product like Biospira could be of benefit just in case the parameters rise after the move. Just make sure it hasn't expired.
3. Define 'dirty'. Depending on what it is would define what needs to be done.
4. Those would be just fine for the tank. I don't personally like skimmers on small tanks as water changes can be done much larger if necessary.
5. Why are you trading in the rock when what you have is ready to go now?

 

[kidsoccer78]

One of the things I want to avoid is transferring any water (or contamination). we have been using tap water and I want to switch to distilled. I also don't like the rock we currently have (bad aquascaping) and I prefer dry rock.

 

[Toffee]

you could just reuse the sands and rocks.

You can reaquascaping the rocks to the shapes u like. No need to get new rocks.

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[kidsoccer78]

I plan on doing an arch setup, the current rock won't accommodate this. Will I be ok if I take the LR and sand out of my tank for about a week while the new tank cycles?

 

[Sniperhank]

The issue would be the beneficial bacteria will go out with the sand and rock. You might be ok with used filter media, but keep in mind that two clowns will need bigger than a 10 long term so the bacteria in the filter might not be able to keep up.


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[kidsoccer78]

Ok. Thanks for all your help!
I took the sand out of the old tank but left the LR and old filter running on it. Could I wash the sand and add it to my new tank, add the distilled saltwater, add biospira, wait a week, move the fish. Let the tank calm down and add the rock at a later date?

 

[okapizebra]

The rock is probably housing the majority of your beneficial bacteria so not transferring it over would result in disaster. I don't really trust products like biospira.

If you want to get new rock, I think you should at least keep some of the old rock to keep some BB. Otherwise sticking two messy clowns into a small tank with not enough BB sounds disastrous.

All clean up crews do is add to waste, so hermits would only contribute to the messy sand.

 

[kidsoccer78]

I Have one piece of LR that I could reuse. If I transfer that would I need the biospira still? It's about 10 pounds. I'm worried about bringing any contamination into my new tank, what could I do to prevent this? (It's been almost 6 months since we tested the old tank, so I don't trust the water)

 

[okapizebra]

What exactly are you worried about transferring over?

 

[kidsoccer78]

Well we've been using poor quality water and the rock is covered with green algae, no coralline ever started to cover it. Should I be worried about bringing contaminats in?

 

[okapizebra]

Hmm, I'm honestly not sure. Obviously putting the rock with algae on it will bring the algae with it. But perhaps if your parameters are cleaner than the last tank you could get rid of it? Maybe try scrubbing it off gently before transferring?

Is there any way you could trade your live rock for other live rock? I think that would be your best plan. You wouldn't have to worry about transferring anything and you should avoid an all out cycle. Because IMO letting the tank run for one week with biospira won't be enough to call it cycled.

 

[kidsoccer78]

I could take the large piece (8lbs) and put it in the new tank and trade in the other (12lbs) for some new rock? How long would I have to wait to add fish?

Also I will try using a kitchen scrubbing thing to remove as much algae as possible and use limited light at first?

Another problem with the current tank is it sits in direct sunlight...

 

[okapizebra]

That could work. Try adding a raw shrimp to the tank, and once the BB is able to convert ammonia to nitrite and then nitrate you should be good. Kind of like doing a quick cycle, but since you'll already have BB, it should be rather quick.

 

[kidsoccer78]

What do I add? A shrimp from LFS or like a real for eating shrimp

 

[Sniperhank]

One you would eat.

 

[kidsoccer78]

Ok. Thanks for your help. Today I will add 20 lbs of sand, 8 lbs of live rock, and 9ish gallons of instant ocean saltwater and let the tank run for a few days. When do I add the shrimp?

 

[okapizebra]

As soon as everything is set up.

 

[54seaweed]

Well we've been using poor quality water and the rock is covered with green algae, no coralline ever started to cover it. Should I be worried about bringing contaminats in?

that green algae will die off fast since your adding it to a new tank that has no phosphates in it , that die off along with the shrimp may take a week or 2 longer to cycle but it will be all good when its done

 

[kidsoccer78]

I haven't had a chance to add the shrimp yet but the tank is running (bacteria growing).

The tank is in a dark location and the light is off the prevent any algae growth