How do i add sand and transfer tanks.

[ace1204]

So basically im transferring everything in my solana to another tank that is roughly 55 gallons. Id like to have sand in this one so im wondering what is the best way to do this? I was thinking
1. Settup the 55 gallon
2. Use all the water from the Solana Roughly 25 gallons with rock and the remainder will be all new water. More then 30 gallons will be used bc this system has a sump.
3. Do i transfer all live stock and rock and add the additional 20lbs of new cured dry marco rock and 40lbs of sand all at once?

OR

1. Settup 55 gallon with sand and new Rock only and all new water and let it run for a little while before transferring all livestock and current rock?
2. Then when i do transfer all livestock maybe use 20-25 gallons of the Solana's water?

 

[jeep9783]

I would set the 55up and let it run for a bit maybe a month then do a water change and that tank and replace the water with the water from the other tank...start with new rock with the new sand and water then add the rest of the rock when you do the water change

 

[mvm]

I would do what Jeep recommends, but instead put the "dead" rock and new sand in the tank, do a water change adding the waste water to the new setup, then fill the remainder with clean water. Wait a few weeks, do another water change, this time adding all of the water from the solana and then tranferring the rock and stock at that time. The only thing that would worry me about transferring everything immediately would the the fact that sometimes the marcorock can give off some ammonia as it get wet again causing a spike.

 

[ace1204]

MvM;319393 wrote: I would do what Jeep recommends, but instead put the "dead" rock and new sand in the tank, do a water change adding the waste water to the new setup, then fill the remainder with clean water. Wait a few weeks, do another water change, this time adding all of the water from the solana and then tranferring the rock and stock at that time. The only thing that would worry me about transferring everything immediately would the the fact that sometimes the marcorock can give off some ammonia as it get wet again causing a spike.

All the Marco is actually in tank water right now in a bucket and has been for a few weeks, once it has been in the new tank for a couple weeks it should be fine to add everything at once i hope. Ill def be testing the water first. But my Liverock in my Solana is very mature so im hoping it is enough to keep from causing a cycle in the new system when it comes that time. Let me know what you think?

 

[kirru]

I set-up my 40br from a 10g w/2.5g fuge and transferred everything in one day.

I had sand from another member that I washed completely and put it in there and had 3 medium sized rocks that were completely dried out and I used all 20lbs of rock from my 10g. Used roughly 5g from the 10g tank mixed with all new salt water. Moved everything and kept an eye on the tank for a week and did test as usual.

As you can see in my siggy its been over 2 months since I did this w/no ill effects. I say do it all at once as long as the new sand is washed and dried and the rock has no die off(since you said cured i assume you did it correctly) and just check ammonia and nitrite and -trate.

 

[mvm]

I think you're good to go. If you use any sponges, filter pads for the solana, I would rinse them in tank water and throw them in the sump to help culture bacteria.
When I moved livestock from my 90 to the solana, I transferred everything (not all of tehe rock, obviouslt) but the sand. Feed lightly for a few days and let the corals tell you if all is good.

 

[ace1204]

K thanks guys i just wanna be careful with my Grade A Clam and Tyree WM Chalice. Those alone would cause a depression if lost lol

 

[cr500_af]

I'm about to do the same (75 transferring to 90). I plan to use all the water, sand and rock from my 75 and put it in the 90 in one day with livestock... making sure the new tank is squeaky clean. My fish will live in the sump for a few hours while all this takes place.
There will be some new sand added (dry, not live, unless I can get a little to seed it from a more mature tank than my 75). I also have more rock, but it's going to completely cure away from the tank until it's absolutely ready to go in. It came from a tank and never dried, but I don't know how long it's been since that tank housed fish or was "fed". With no feeding and no fish waste, I'm concerned that there could have been some die-off and I'm not going to risk it.
The extra 15 gallons + whatever the sump holds will be new water.
Anybody see any potential problems in my plan?

 

[mvm]

cr500_af;319524 wrote: I'm about to do the same (75 transferring to 90). I plan to use all the water, sand and rock from my 75 and put it in the 90 in one day with livestock... making sure the new tank is squeaky clean. My fish will live in the sump for a few hours while all this takes place.
There will be some new sand added (dry, not live, unless I can get a little to seed it from a more mature tank than my 75). I also have more rock, but it's going to completely cure away from the tank until it's absolutely ready to go in. It came from a tank and never dried, but I don't know how long it's been since that tank housed fish or was "fed". With no feeding and no fish waste, I'm concerned that there could have been some die-off and I'm not going to risk it.
The extra 15 gallons + whatever the sump holds will be new water.
Anybody see any potential problems in my plan?

I would be hesitant to transfer sand, it can cause major problems. If it were me, I'd start with new sand seeded with about 20% of your old sand....

 

[cr500_af]

MvM;319527 wrote: I would be hesitant to transfer sand, it can cause major problems. If it were me, I'd start with new sand seeded with about 20% of your old sand....

Sounds smart. My tank is established, but not "mature". I don't know how much nastiness lives in my sand, but I'll use mostly new to be safe.
Thanks.

 

[rostato]

post number 28 shows about what I did. I havnt killed anyhting including SPS and clams.

One other thing I did that may or may not have helped was added about 4 vials of biodigest to help with bacteria.

 

[cr500_af]

My biggest hurdle is that the 90 has to go on the same spot as the 75. Gotta empty the whole 75 and move it, then place the 90 and fill it... and have it inhabitable quick. Oh boy, this will be fun. I cleaned my sump tonight and started on the tank, I'll have it spit-shined tomorrow night. I don't think the extra rock had any die-off; I've had it in a Brute with heat and pump going, and 24 hours later the water is clear with no foul smell...just the scent of saltwater. I'll test that water tomorrow night and see if it has any spikes.
I'm mulling over the idea of draining enough out of the 75 to move it 4 feet away, then filling it right back up. That way I'll have both right next to each other and can set up the new one and pump water straight from the old one once it's together.

 

[rostato]

Thats what I did. I moved my old tank out of the way filled it back up and it ran like that for 3-4 days while the new one filed with ro water.