I just purchased a 135 gallon oceanic tank and i am going to be transfering my stock from my 90 over to this new tank. I will be using the sand from the 135 and sand from my 90(after rinsing of course) and also will be using rock from both tanks. My question is he has let this tank go and has a HA problem. Can i just let it sit out for a week or so to kill off the HA and the place in the tank? I will be transfering my coral and fish as well and do not want to kill anything. I have not done a tank transfer before and i am looking for some advice. Also if i use my water from the 90 and add 45 gallons of new water will i see a cycle and if so would it affect any of my coral that i have(softies to SPS).
Going from 90g to 135g and have ?'s
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If you let it sit out, it will die and you will add rock with decomposing matter that will cause a cycle.
Either nuke the rock 100% or don't use it at all... otherwise you will have GHA problems.
I have rock in my daughter's nano that was dry for over a year. GHA showed up in it.
There are no corals, so it didn't come in on a plug, and the tank was done with 100% dry rock and new sand. I have no idea how long it can keep alive enough to come back, but it is a while.
I have rock in my daughter's nano that was dry for over a year. GHA showed up in it.
There are no corals, so it didn't come in on a plug, and the tank was done with 100% dry rock and new sand. I have no idea how long it can keep alive enough to come back, but it is a while.
Ok so what is the difference in buying new sand and rinsing it or using existing sand and rinsing it? Woulden't you wind up at the same place with rinsed sand? And as far as "nuking" the rock how would i go about that? I have never done it before adn i may or may not use it but it has some really nice pieces in it.
It is alot of work. I opted to re-use mine as well, just finished last night. Its was a 3 day process - I rinsed it for several hours in a large rectangular rubbermaid. Then I added about 1/2 cup of bleach and continued to rinse again. Then I transferred the sand into a bucket about a third full of sand and added a capful of prime and rinsed again it in really small batches. Finally, I poured it all on a tarp and spread it in a thin layer and left in the driveway to dry for 2 days. I raked it occasionaly and constantly picked out shells and other unwanted bits. get as many snail/hermit shells out before you even start rinsing.
I havent added it back to the tank yet but plan to this weekend.
You rinse new sand so that it doesn't make a dust storm in your tank.
You rinse used sand so that you aren't putting a pound of fish crap and rotten food in your tank.
The difference is that if you don't clean old sand thoroughly, then you can cause water quality problems (for example, a huge nitrate spike)... and if you clean it thoroughly, it isn't much different than new sand (because you will kill some to all of your bacteria colony).
Bleach the rock, rinse in RO several times, soak in RO w/ Prime, and then let it dry in the sun until it is 100% dry.
Sounds good. I think that is probably going to be the best idea for the rock. I have some time to get the 135 up and running because of needing to build a stand and canopy for. Nasty i think i am going to do the same thing with my sand but the bleach would not have any effect on water params?
