moving reef to bigger tank - should I move old sand as is or rinse somehow?

[Phil Tomaskovic]

I'm moving a 30 gal reef tank to a new 65 tall tank. I know I can take all
the old water from the 30 and then just add new water of the same
salinity/temp to top off the new tank.

I was wondering about moving the old sand (after emptying all the livestock
else to a temp container). This tank has been running many years and I know
that after getting most of the water out, it will be a dirty, smelly mess
after I lift out all the rock. I assume I don't want to take all the
substrate as is because I will get a huge ammonia hit from all the sediment.
So should I keep just some of it for seeding new sand or should I rinse in
clean salt water to get rid of the sediment and use it all? I don't want to
do anything to endanger the fish after moving them into the new tank (this
would be done all in one day).

Tanks for any advice.

--
Phil Tomaskovic
Please remove NOSPAM from email return address.

[Marc Levenson]

If you want to rinse the sand out, you can, but I suggest
you just start with new sand and 2 cups of the original sand
bed (from the upper surface) to seed your new DSB.

Marc


Phil Tomaskovic wrote:

> I'm moving a 30 gal reef tank to a new 65 tall tank. I know I can take all
> the old water from the 30 and then just add new water of the same
> salinity/temp to top off the new tank.
>
> I was wondering about moving the old sand (after emptying all the livestock
> else to a temp container). This tank has been running many years and I know
> that after getting most of the water out, it will be a dirty, smelly mess
> after I lift out all the rock. I assume I don't want to take all the
> substrate as is because I will get a huge ammonia hit from all the sediment.
> So should I keep just some of it for seeding new sand or should I rinse in
> clean salt water to get rid of the sediment and use it all? I don't want to
> do anything to endanger the fish after moving them into the new tank (this
> would be done all in one day).
>
> Tanks for any advice.
>

--
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[Phil Tomaskovic]

Thanks Marc,

The 30 gal reef sump currently uses bio-bale (CPR) as its wet-dry media. If
I want to go with just live rock in the sump, is it ok that it would be in
almost complete darkness? The sump would be under the stand which is open in
the back but has doors in the front. I know algae wouldn't be growing in the
sump as a result, but is the live rock viable without much light? Also would
all the rock have to be completely submerged? I'm not sure the sump can hold
much rock and I probably would only want about 6" of water. The sump also
will have an AquaC urchin protein skimmer.

Thanks again
Phil

"Marc Levenson" > wrote in message
om...
> If you want to rinse the sand out, you can, but I suggest
> you just start with new sand and 2 cups of the original sand
> bed (from the upper surface) to seed your new DSB.
>
> Marc
>

[CapFusion]

As Marc stated....

Try re-establish your new tank with those few scoup of original sand. After
your new tank settle in, you can try to recover your other original sand by
rinsing / cleaning out with just the fresh water. Use a tube or something to
direct pouring [slowly]. You can pour onto a mound and let it spread
naturally.

Or you can have a DSB in your sump instead.

CapFusion,...


"Phil Tomaskovic" > wrote in message
...
> Thanks Marc,
>
> The 30 gal reef sump currently uses bio-bale (CPR) as its wet-dry media.
> If
> I want to go with just live rock in the sump, is it ok that it would be in
> almost complete darkness? The sump would be under the stand which is open
> in
> the back but has doors in the front. I know algae wouldn't be growing in
> the
> sump as a result, but is the live rock viable without much light? Also
> would
> all the rock have to be completely submerged? I'm not sure the sump can
> hold
> much rock and I probably would only want about 6" of water. The sump also
> will have an AquaC urchin protein skimmer.
>
> Thanks again
> Phil
>
> "Marc Levenson" > wrote in message
> om...
>> If you want to rinse the sand out, you can, but I suggest
>> you just start with new sand and 2 cups of the original sand
>> bed (from the upper surface) to seed your new DSB.
>>
>> Marc
>>
>
>

[Phil Tomaskovic]

Thanks, currently it's not very deep in the old tank, maybe 1.5" towards the
rear. I'll probably sift it some how to make sure I get most of the small
micro hermits and bumblebee snails that have buried themselves in it.

Also has anyone used these new sands that are packed wet with bacteria
already in them? Are they worth it and ok to use in an existing setup with
fish or are they only for new setups that still have to cycle? I know some
"cycle bacteria" that you buy by the bottle say not for use in tanks with
existing lifestock.

"CapFusion" > wrote in message
...
> As Marc stated....
>
> Try re-establish your new tank with those few scoup of original sand.
After
> your new tank settle in, you can try to recover your other original sand
by
> rinsing / cleaning out with just the fresh water. Use a tube or something
to
> direct pouring [slowly]. You can pour onto a mound and let it spread
> naturally.
>
> Or you can have a DSB in your sump instead.
>
> CapFusion,...
>

[CapFusion]

You can buy those sand with bactera but I would say, "It up to you" kind of
thing. You already have bacteria colonized from your original sand so why
buy from a package since you already have some.

From your original tank should have only water and sand, you can scoop those
buried critter by using a net.

OR
Turn your original tank into a sump with DSB instead.

CapFusion,...


"Phil Tomaskovic" > wrote in message
...
> Thanks, currently it's not very deep in the old tank, maybe 1.5" towards
> the
> rear. I'll probably sift it some how to make sure I get most of the small
> micro hermits and bumblebee snails that have buried themselves in it.
>
> Also has anyone used these new sands that are packed wet with bacteria
> already in them? Are they worth it and ok to use in an existing setup with
> fish or are they only for new setups that still have to cycle? I know some
> "cycle bacteria" that you buy by the bottle say not for use in tanks with
> existing lifestock.
>
> "CapFusion" > wrote in message
> ...
>> As Marc stated....
>>
>> Try re-establish your new tank with those few scoup of original sand.
> After
>> your new tank settle in, you can try to recover your other original sand
> by
>> rinsing / cleaning out with just the fresh water. Use a tube or something
> to
>> direct pouring [slowly]. You can pour onto a mound and let it spread
>> naturally.
>>
>> Or you can have a DSB in your sump instead.
>>
>> CapFusion,...
>>
>
>

[Marc Levenson]

Typically, reef tanks don't need or use a wet/dry system.
So the Biobale thing would be out the window.

LR can be in light, or in darkness. That shouldn't matter.
However, it does need to remain submerged. I prefer to keep
my LR in the display tank and the little bits of rubble in
the sump. That way if I need to mount a coral, I can get a
small piece of rock from an assortment in the sump.

Marc


Phil Tomaskovic wrote:
> Thanks Marc,
>
> The 30 gal reef sump currently uses bio-bale (CPR) as its wet-dry media. If
> I want to go with just live rock in the sump, is it ok that it would be in
> almost complete darkness? The sump would be under the stand which is open in
> the back but has doors in the front. I know algae wouldn't be growing in the
> sump as a result, but is the live rock viable without much light? Also would
> all the rock have to be completely submerged? I'm not sure the sump can hold
> much rock and I probably would only want about 6" of water. The sump also
> will have an AquaC urchin protein skimmer.
>
> Thanks again
> Phil
>
> "Marc Levenson" > wrote in message
> om...
>
>>If you want to rinse the sand out, you can, but I suggest
>>you just start with new sand and 2 cups of the original sand
>>bed (from the upper surface) to seed your new DSB.
>>
>>Marc
>>
>
>
>

--
Personal Page:
http://www.sparklingfloorservice.com/oanda/index.html
Business Page: http://www.sparklingfloorservice.com
Marine Hobbyist: http://www.melevsreef.com