tank swap question exp reefers help!!!

[breutus]

I am going to finally move everything from my 55 into my 75 gallon tomorrow and was wondering about the sand bed and what the easiest way to move it over would be. My thought was to just take a vacuum hose and siphon it out into the other tank or a bucket then pour it in but I didn't know if theres a better way and if I should leave the fish and corals in the first tank while it's being done or if they should all be in buckets and stuff and then how quickly i would be able to put the fish into the new tank so any advice would help thanks

 

[inwall75]

I don't know how long your old sandbed was setup. If it's been a couple of years, you could possibly have a sulphide zone. If so, you want all LR, fish, corals, etc out before starting to siphon.

Based on your RC join date, I'm assuming it's only been set up for several months. If so, this is not necessary. Periodically lift the siphon tube out of the sand and put straight tank water into the new tank. Don't expose the sand to air for long if at all possible.

Also, before you start, already have some saltwater heated to the same temperature, pH, and specific gravity to add to the old tank as the water level goes down.

CONGRATS ON THE NEW TANK!!!

 

[DrBDC]

I personally would start with fresh oolitic sized sand and a good seeding from the old sand bed. Maybe 25% of your current at most.

 

[breutus]

its definitly been set up a while since about feb of last year...

and I don't really have the money for a whole new sand bed though i did buy 2 twenty pound bags of live sand to make up for the difference in the tank sizes

 

[Reefer Wannabe]

What I did when I moved my 55 to a 90 (and it worked quite well)...

I used a Frisbee to scoop huge sections of the sandbed, digging to the bottom when I did it. I was able to move it with very little disturbance. Good luck!

 

[jaypainter24]

be very careful when you move the sand into the other tank....this is a good time for you to skim the sand and get rid of some of the waste in it. put it in a bucket add water let the dirty water come to the top and and drain...do this a couple times. add the sand, rock and water back into the new tank and run your skimmer for a little while before adding the fish.....we have done this several times and had very good success not loosing anything to a high nitrate jump....good luck
Michelle

 

[tetra9999]

id be really careful about using the live sand as a "ready to use" type sand. I did that when I went to a refugium and killed several corals.