Temporary move happening tomorrow..opinions?

[koda_dad]

Hi all,

Well as a lot of you know I am ordering a new tank. The problem is the new tank needs to go where my existing tank is. So....

I decided to purchased a 68 gallon setup that was just too good of deal to pass up and sell off the stuff I don't want and keep the good stuff :)

My questions is purely logistics. The tank is an hour and a half away.

I was thinking of putting the fish in 1 rubbermaid container, the rock (70lbs) in 2 others, 4 pieces of rock with anemones on them in a separate bucket. (I'll deal with trying to get them off later)

The questions are.... keep or toss the existing sandbed of this tank... it has been setup for a long time 5 years plus.

I am leaning towards tossing it. Would you bother putting any new sand back in? (remember this is a temporary home for about 1-1.5 months) If yes, how much?

As far as the rock, I was thinking I might cook the rock... or just sell it. (not sure yet....Ill know better when I see the condition)

My concern is if I toss the sand, take all the rock out I will have nothing with the needed bacteria.

This setup has fish, most of which I am trading in to my LFS. I am keeping a yellow tang and a hippo tang, blood shrimp and all snails and crabs. The corals are probably going to be traded in as well... nothing I want

So... I get home...... setup this tank... put new sand in, (or not)... use 40% water from my existing 33 gallon tank, 30% water from the newly purchased tank, 30% new salt water.

I put all of his rock in a tote and start to renew the rock.

So now I have my 33 gallon still exactly as it is... and the new 68 gallon filled and ready for the transfer of my 33.

The problem is my 33 gallon is jammed packed. It has 70lbs of rock and TONS and TONS of corals... What is the best way to slowly move them over??

And should I leave the newly purchased tank setup for a while before I move anything over? Would you put the hippo and yellow in the 33 temporarily and then move them over to the 68 gallon in a few days? (tang police please relax as this is temporary until the real new 135 gallon tank comes)

Any advice welcomed....

 

[koda_dad]

PS - one of the fish I was planning on trading into my LFS was a flame angel.... I keep reading conflicting stories.... are these or are these not reef safe? (I have a good mix of sps, and lps, I do have a clam and shrimp (sexy and peppermint)

 

[yote]

Why cook the rock your getting with the tank? If its good rock,just set the tank up using the rock you get with it along with what you already have.The rock you dont use,store in a tote with a powerhead and heater to use when you get the 135.
I would toss the sand,but I would wash it out good.That way you dont get a bunch of crud stirred up and cause a massive cycle.

 

[Bifferwine]

Flame angels can be hit or miss. If you value your corals and don't have your heart set on that fish, don't risk it.

Like Yote said, I wouldn't cook the rock unless it's in horrible horrible shape. Just keep it as it, and that will be your bacterial bioload. Sand, either clean it very very well or pitch it.

 

[koda_dad]

The rock has green hair algae on it ..

At this point only have pics to go on.

What would you do with the tangs today?

 

[koda_dad]

If I toss the sand... Is sandless ok for now?

 

[yote]

Sandless would be alright,if you like the looks of a bare bottom tank.Personally,They just dont look like my idea of a reef.
If your gonna trade the tangs,dont put em back in the tank.WYou'll end up having to pull the rock again just to catch em.

 

[Bifferwine]

If you go sandless now, you can always add sand later. That's not a problem.

 

[koda_dad]

Well the deal was made today..: I purchased the 58 gallon.

I traded all the livestock except the rock in to my LFS.

A) Although I am not an official member of the tang police a 6" hippo in a 3' tank is just not a good idea.
The yellow tang although much smaller was just not worth having to rush setting this new tank up.

New tank is coming woo hoo!

I kept the fire shrimp and put him in my existing tank.

The rock has golfball sized aiptasia on some of it. So I have decided to sell it and get rock from my trusted supplier instead. It also has lots of detritus too...

So now I will clean everything thoroughly then slowly move my 33 over into it. Get the rodi setup figure out what I got that is good the new tank and sell the rest.

 

[koda_dad]

Can someone tell me what I need to do not "kill" the rock?

I plan to sell it as mentioned...

Right now it is in a tote and bucket.

What is needed to keep it.... Powerhead? Heater? Light?

Thanks
Chris

 

[Bifferwine]

You'll want some water movement on it, and the water kept at the correct temp. So powerhead and heater are a must. A light is not necessary unless you can see stuff like corals growing on it.

 

[VAreef]

Most definitly keep a powerhead on it. As for temp thats not important. I knew a guy who grew his live rock in a kiddie pool in his back yard in VA with nothing more than a pump.

 

[koda_dad]

thanks all. I have a powerhead and heater on it. Have someone coming in the next few days to get it. So it is only a temp solution.