3 gallon to a 5 gallon

[duoc9119]

With my first year of college coming to an end, I left my 3 gallon pico at home for my parents to care for.

Unfortunately, the tank is going down hill. The acan in there isn't doing pretty well. It hasn't been inflating, nor has tentacles of any kind been visible. A small peppermint shrimp has died. Snails are dying (not sure if they are being eaten by something). But the tank is taking a big downhill spiral.

Anyways, with this downhill spiral, I would like to make an AIO 5 gallon and transfer anything left in the 3 gallon over. I would like to go AIO because an HOB filter makes tank transporting even more difficult during long holidays and the campus shuts off power.

All that's in the tank is:

1) Torch
2) dying(?) acan
3) red people eater zoa's
4) snails and one hermit crab
5) live rock
6) live sand

How should I transfer everything over to the new tank? I haven't started on the tank yet because I need to grab a few things to put together.

 

[0o.Kelsey.o0]

So where is this tank going to be? school or at home? How far will it be transported?


Also what kind of lighting do you have on the tank? This is a question for me haha i just got a 5 gallon fluval chi and need to start looking into lighting for it.

 

[duoc9119]

The tank is going to be at school and it's only a 30 minute drive. I couldn't find a 5.5 gallon tank so I got a 10 gallon instead.

Amazon.com: CL26SL: Finnex Aquarium Nano Refugium Cliplight including 3U Blue White Bulb & Moonlight LED - SILVER GREY: Pet Supplies

It's nothing fancy but get's the job done for the most part. I will be upgrading the lights to a 24 inch Nova Extreme SLR when I get everything into the 10 gallon

 

[0o.Kelsey.o0]

I would just empty the 3 gallon partway, make sure everything is still submerged, and get someone to hold it while driving there. Thirty minutes isn't that far so i don't think it would be much of an issue. Have the new tank ready and waiting (with new sand in it and some water) then get some bags or buckets to float/acclimate the corals and inverts. Ditch all of the old sand though, just use new stuff and remember to rinse it so the water doesn't get too cloudy.

and thanks i'll look into that light, still deciding which corals i will be keeping so that will decide which lighting i need i guess haha.

 

[duoc9119]

That's what the plan looks like so far. I got new sand, just need to rinse it out. It is like really fine sand from Petco. As of now I have the tank running with tap water to check for leaks and see how the Rio 1100 Plus works. Is that too much flow for a 10 gallon?

 

[jenatron]

Be careful with "really fine sand from Petco." Mine got in the impeller of my Aquaclear and broke it. I'm switching sands because it was too fine and was impossible to avoid a sandstorm.

 

[duoc9119]

Yeah hopefully I can avoid a sand storm. Looking at getting some sps in the tank so I am currently at a 38x turn rate with the Rio 1100+. Might need to get some crushed coral to mix in with the sand.