Keeping sand from 180g during fish tank move. Help?

[MarineGirl411]

I will be moving a 180 gallon tank. I want to keep the sand alive when I bring the tank home. I'd like to also use the sand from my old aquarium in the new aquarium. What is the best way to do this? I was thinking putting the sand in totes and running a filter or something. I cannot keep it in the tank because I will be drilling it and painting the back wall. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

 

[kybreos]

when i upgraded i put my sand in a 20gallon round tub (rubbermaid) and then added the salt water on top to keep it submerged. there was about 6-8 inches of water over the top of the sand. the water was real cloudy so i hooked up a water polisher filter to it, when the water cleared up i turned the filter off stir the sand up again and then ran the filter again. i did this repeatedly till the water was crystal clear even when i stirred the sand up.

 

[sedor]

The only problem with trying to keep the sand alive is by taking it out of the tank your going to be stirring it up. Just replacing it and setting the tank back up could cause big problems and even start another cycle. Your best bet is to remove the sand, keep 5 or 6 cups in a separate bucket with some tank water over it, and clean and rinse the rest of it with your garden hose. You will be killing off the life in the sand be cleaning it, but when you put it back in the tank the 6 cups you kept will reseed it and you won't ave to worry about a cycle. Not to mention, you will get fresh new sand

 

[kybreos]

if you keep it under water with a filter going its still going to be live, and actually refreshed. when you stir it and filter it youre getting rid of all the gunk thats been building up. believe me you wont kill all the worms and pods my sand is just as live as before with worms and pods.

 

[MarineGirl411]

Do you know how long I can keep it alive in a tote? Should I put a heater in it? It will take at most a week to get the tank up and running. I would need to store it then. I feel bad about killing all the life in the sand. If that's the best thing, I guess I could do it. If I can save it though, I would love to do that.