Just When Things Got Going....

[Mort]

Get something to drink, this could take a while...


I've had my 75g reef up for just over 6 months now and just when things got
going, I gotta tear it down. I've gone through all the algae cycles, I am
sustaining a couple of anemones, I have a Green Mandarin that seems happy,
and even a pair of GSM clowns that are "nesting".

TLALLS, I had a minor overflow in the bathroom during a water change and
when the landlord found out it was because of the fish tank I was told I had
to get rid of it. I cant complain because of the really low rent I pay but
I still gotta get the reef out.

OTOH, I have several FW tanks at work... I could bring it there even though
I wont enjoy it AS much, I could still have it.

So, my delema is this... Since I HAVE to move it anyway, should I UPGRADE
to a larger size??? I have a 180gal that I could evict the residence of and
convert it to sal****er.

Or,

Should I just move the reef as is and keep it as a 75gal?

If I MOVE the reef, what should I do about the sand??? I have moved plenty
of FW tanks before. Usually, I'll drain them down to 25 or 15 percent of
their capacity (depending on size) and move it with some water and substrate
still in the tank. I know, I know, not the best way to go but I have done
it plenty of times with out incedent.
I have about 200 to 250lbs of sand this one and I am VERY weary about moving
the tank with the sand in it. Even if I drained ALL the water, that is
still a lot of weight.
If I were to remove the sand, are there any good ways of doing it as to
not disrupt the DSB????

If I UPGRADE to a larger tank, will I be able to "seed" it with my existing
LR and DSB and NOT have to go through all the algae phases again?
I would not want to go through all that again especially at work. It will
be on display now and if my boss thinks it's ugly, we'll both be unhappy.

I'll save the rest of my questions once I get some advice on this and figure
uot which way I'm gonna go...

TIA

~Mort

[CapFusion]

Mort,

Just use alot of big bucket or cooler to hold all your thing. There no way
you can transport your DSB without disruption. Put all your Sand / Rock /
Water to the new lcation and check the parameter before putting in your
fish. When everything seem to be ok, put those fish in. Everything will get
settle-in in due time.

CapFusion,...


"Mort" > wrote in message
...
> Get something to drink, this could take a while...
>
>
> I've had my 75g reef up for just over 6 months now and just when things
got
> going, I gotta tear it down. I've gone through all the algae cycles, I
am
> sustaining a couple of anemones, I have a Green Mandarin that seems
happy,
> and even a pair of GSM clowns that are "nesting".
>
> TLALLS, I had a minor overflow in the bathroom during a water change and
> when the landlord found out it was because of the fish tank I was told I
had
> to get rid of it. I cant complain because of the really low rent I pay
but
> I still gotta get the reef out.
>
> OTOH, I have several FW tanks at work... I could bring it there even
though
> I wont enjoy it AS much, I could still have it.
>
> So, my delema is this... Since I HAVE to move it anyway, should I UPGRADE
> to a larger size??? I have a 180gal that I could evict the residence of
and
> convert it to sal****er.
>
> Or,
>
> Should I just move the reef as is and keep it as a 75gal?
>
> If I MOVE the reef, what should I do about the sand??? I have moved
plenty
> of FW tanks before. Usually, I'll drain them down to 25 or 15 percent of
> their capacity (depending on size) and move it with some water and
substrate
> still in the tank. I know, I know, not the best way to go but I have done
> it plenty of times with out incedent.
> I have about 200 to 250lbs of sand this one and I am VERY weary about
moving
> the tank with the sand in it. Even if I drained ALL the water, that is
> still a lot of weight.
> If I were to remove the sand, are there any good ways of doing it as to
> not disrupt the DSB????
>
> If I UPGRADE to a larger tank, will I be able to "seed" it with my
existing
> LR and DSB and NOT have to go through all the algae phases again?
> I would not want to go through all that again especially at work. It will
> be on display now and if my boss thinks it's ugly, we'll both be unhappy.
>
> I'll save the rest of my questions once I get some advice on this and
figure
> uot which way I'm gonna go...
>
> TIA
>
> ~Mort
>
>
>

[....]

long question - long answer, get a snack.

One way to avoid disturbing the DSB would to put the tank on a pallet. The
pallet could be put on a couple of wheeled dolleys. As long as you have a
door wide enough and a platform to get the tank into a truck, it should
work. Just make sure you get some buddies to help you out.
Another way to transfer the tank to would be to drain the water, and use a
thick piece of plywood and slide it under the tank. You could use 3/4"
plywood and cut it extend just beyond the width and length of the tank, just
make sure its not wider than your door. You could go as far as to cut out
hand holds in the plywood. Just be sure to weight test the plywood first.

** Disclamer: I have never tried this, but in theory it would work. BTW:
communism worked in theory too :) **


As far as upgrading, your current DSB would seed it. Ive read a few articles
that say that portions of an existing sand bed that are replaced with
"barren" sand are populated quickly by existing bacteria. I believe that the
article also stated that this is beneficial to a system to prevent
stagnation and encourages beneficial bacterial growth/propagation.
**Marine Fish and Reef 2004 Annual; "Benefits of Sand Beds" pg 63-71 **

When I have seeded rocks in my tank I usually encounter a small algae bloom
on the new base rock, but that is usually only shortly lived and corraline
algae takes its place fairly quickly.


Hope it helps, I've been at this for almost two years now, and I am still
trying to figure everything out.

Side note: When my landlord saw my tank I thought he was gonna go through
the ceiling...well he actually did, he showed me two 55 gal tanks in attic
that he said i could have used. Turns out he used to have a sal****er tank,
but way back in the day 15+ years ago.

"Mort" > wrote in message
...
> Get something to drink, this could take a while...
>
>
> I've had my 75g reef up for just over 6 months now and just when things
got
> going, I gotta tear it down. I've gone through all the algae cycles, I
am
> sustaining a couple of anemones, I have a Green Mandarin that seems
happy,
> and even a pair of GSM clowns that are "nesting".
>
> TLALLS, I had a minor overflow in the bathroom during a water change and
> when the landlord found out it was because of the fish tank I was told I
had
> to get rid of it. I cant complain because of the really low rent I pay
but
> I still gotta get the reef out.
>
> OTOH, I have several FW tanks at work... I could bring it there even
though
> I wont enjoy it AS much, I could still have it.
>
> So, my delema is this... Since I HAVE to move it anyway, should I UPGRADE
> to a larger size??? I have a 180gal that I could evict the residence of
and
> convert it to sal****er.
>
> Or,
>
> Should I just move the reef as is and keep it as a 75gal?
>
> If I MOVE the reef, what should I do about the sand??? I have moved
plenty
> of FW tanks before. Usually, I'll drain them down to 25 or 15 percent of
> their capacity (depending on size) and move it with some water and
substrate
> still in the tank. I know, I know, not the best way to go but I have done
> it plenty of times with out incedent.
> I have about 200 to 250lbs of sand this one and I am VERY weary about
moving
> the tank with the sand in it. Even if I drained ALL the water, that is
> still a lot of weight.
> If I were to remove the sand, are there any good ways of doing it as to
> not disrupt the DSB????
>
> If I UPGRADE to a larger tank, will I be able to "seed" it with my
existing
> LR and DSB and NOT have to go through all the algae phases again?
> I would not want to go through all that again especially at work. It will
> be on display now and if my boss thinks it's ugly, we'll both be unhappy.
>
> I'll save the rest of my questions once I get some advice on this and
figure
> uot which way I'm gonna go...
>
> TIA
>
> ~Mort
>
>
>

[Mort]

One of my questions reguarding the filtration was the skimmer(s)

I just got an EV-120 for my 75. I also have access to a used Urchin Pro.
Would BOTH of these combined be sufficient for a 180?

[JR]

Take your 180 and clean it out real good fill half way with water
mix salt to match your 75 the day before the move.
Beg borrow steal all the canister filters with mechanical cartridges you
can get your hands on.
Take apart the reef save all the water you can.
Scoop all the sand out in buckets and take sand directly to the 180
and pour in, now fire up all the filters. After the first few minutes
you may have to start rinsing out the cartridges but you will get ahead
of the game after a couple hours and the water will start to clear when
you can see good enough to stack your rock do so. Now you should be
at about the 4 or 5 hour mark, the water should be pretty good by now
replace all the live stock and fill with left over water from your 75.

I have moved my 180 three time this way and have never lost a single
critter.
I use swimming pool filters with 1 1/2" hoses and hot magnums to clean
the water. It only took about half hour to clear the water so I could
stack the rock, and after a couple more hours the tank was pretty good
looking and add the critters. Then I add a double dose Seachem Prime just
incase
there might be some ammonia. (Its supposed to help!)

As far as two skimmers running together once the majority of the junk
gets collected from the move the more efficient one will take over and the
lesser will not function you will probably want to get a larger skimmer
to handle the 180.

HTHs
and now time for the disclaimer YMMV

hope you have a good move. tell us how it went later.

[Mort]

Thanks for the advice everyone. I have decided to do the upgrade.
There are many things to do in preperation and it'll take a few weeks to get
there (plus I gotta get my tax return to fund this adventure) but I will
post some more questions soon.

~Mort