Daisy82 Posted July 18, 2009 Share Posted July 18, 2009 (edited) Evening all! I'm looking to start up my tank, and found someone needing to break theirs down. I'm thinking about taking all the water, rock, fish, and sand and putting it in my tank (which is dry right now). What do you guys think? Will everyone survive? Should I put some water in my tank and start cycling it, or just start things up when I get the new livestock? Are there any tips or tricks for moving this stuff? A little info about my tank - I have compact florescents, a protein skimmer and eheim filter, and a sump. I attached a picture of what I'm looking at..... what do you guys think? Would I be better off starting from scratch with some bare live rock? This stuff is prettier .......... Edited July 18, 2009 by Daisy82 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Razor Posted July 18, 2009 Share Posted July 18, 2009 I am by far no expert with this, but it seems to me that when the rock and sandbed are disturbed this will cause problems in the biological filtration= nitrogen cycle. I hope it can be done, but I wouldn't personally chance it with the fish in there myself. Good luck, it looks like a great deal! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zarathustra2 Posted July 18, 2009 Share Posted July 18, 2009 Yea expect a mini cycle after moving. Fish will probably live with water changes every day but inverts might be in trouble. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daisy82 Posted July 18, 2009 Author Share Posted July 18, 2009 Would it be better to leave the sand behind? How much of a water change every day would be advisable? Does the fact that I'm taking the water from that tank help much? Thanks so much for all the tips! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ysanford Posted July 18, 2009 Share Posted July 18, 2009 I would definitely not use all the same sand. Maybe take and use about 5lbs or so, but just make sure to mix it in with the new sand. I would wait on adding the fish (maybe trade them in for credit at RCA) and use new water. The live rock would be fine as long as it doesn't have an excess of algae or aptasia/mahano anemones. When adding the corals, just be sure to have the temp of the water at around the same temp as the tank they are in now and be sure to drip aclimate them slowly over the course of at least an hour. I am not an expert, but during my moves from tank to tank, this has always seemed to work for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mhart032 Posted July 18, 2009 Share Posted July 18, 2009 You could also use whats called smart start, its an instant cycle it is basicly all the bacteria you need to start up a tank. you can use it and run the tank for a couple hrs wile you drip acclimate. i have seen this stuff used before. a friend bought a 10g reef and moved it into a 40g basicly what you are doing, although he didnt have alot of inverts when i did it. but i didnt lose a single thing when he did this.. the people he bought the 10g from had already broken the tank down and tossed most of the water so he didnt really have a choice. but it worked..i couldnt find a link for it.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daisy82 Posted July 18, 2009 Author Share Posted July 18, 2009 Is this it? http://www.petguys.com/-048054313110.html It's really cheap, like 2.00. That's kind of weirding me out.... I thought saltwater stuff is supposed to be expensive!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mhart032 Posted July 18, 2009 Share Posted July 18, 2009 I called the store where he got it. its in cedar park called pet connection the guy is pretty good with saltwater. its called SmartStart and its by TLC Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+mcallahan Posted July 18, 2009 Share Posted July 18, 2009 SeaChem (a well known name in reefkeeping) has a product called "Stability" that I highly recommend. It cycled my tank in 3 days from scratch. Aquatek carries it and it is $8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Daniel Posted July 18, 2009 Share Posted July 18, 2009 Seachem's product and THIS SAND FROM PETCO are wonderful. The sand in that link ships in a bag with water and comes with tons of useful critters from the get-go. I have a hard time recommending tanks start up without this sand since it's difficult to reproduce what it does for your sand bed in such a short time (instant cycling + beneficial critters). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daisy82 Posted July 18, 2009 Author Share Posted July 18, 2009 Thanks for all the info guys! I'm going to see if I can find some of those products at the RCA store today. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
muddybluewater Posted July 18, 2009 Share Posted July 18, 2009 (edited) RCA has sand on sale today until 8:00 buy 1 get 1 free, I just bought 160lbs. If you can keep the live rock completly covered in water during the move and power heads on it as much as possible the bacteria should survive and limit your cycle. I would keep the livestock in a separate container. Use rubber maid tubs or a clean plastic trash can. You can use the water out of the old tank during transit. I would go ahead and put the new sand and at least partially fill the new tank with new water, 2/3 full to allow for the rock. Mix up a little extra, you can use it later if you dont need it. Buy new "live" sand, it will help with your change over also. If it is possible have the new tank ready before you go to pick everything up to limit the time everything is in the tubs. good luck Edited July 18, 2009 by muddybluewater Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mhart032 Posted July 18, 2009 Share Posted July 18, 2009 I would go with a seachem brand over the other stuff.. i would trust them more... good to know about the seachem stuff.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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