Buying Used System

[reefertank]

So I am buying a 165 fully loaded equipment wise and running. So here's my issue the rock is covered on algea and a few corals are in rough shape, but they are high end name corals. Also 5inch purple tang only fish in tank. So should I try to save or start fresh.

 

[BlennyTime]

I'd try and save them.

Looks like a nice setup.

 

[ChiFlyGuy]

Find someone to buy the coral off of you. Use the money for new rock/sand. Correcting someone else's problems isn't easy. That's what I would do at least. Maybe keep the tang in a smaller tank till you get a reboot setup?

 

[Pistol Peet]

Definitely save them the purple tang is pretty expensive it would be a shame to see him go to waste same with the corals

 

[Pistol Peet]

Make sure the purple tang doesn't have ich anything else as well so that way it's safe to continue on

 

[TheReaperOfMars]

If you are transporting it, I'd say replace the sand with new sand if that is your bottom of choice.

Then do a fairly large water change to try to bring any bad parameters into check.

Then run a little carbon to try to pull out any impurities in the water.

To get the algae in check dose Vibrant for 6-9 weeks.

That should give you somewhat of a reset. While you are doing that you need to keep Alk, Ca, Mg, NO3 and PO4 in check.

Nothing in a reef happens fast.

 

[reefertank]

I know the guy his tank is pest free, just stopped keeping up with it over the past 6 months. But no sand in the tank now if I add new "live sand" won't that cause a nitrate spike grrrrrrr my 4 year old 90 gallon is so stable. New systems suck lol

 

[Skynyrd Fish]

Long time reefer here. You can’t replace old live rock. Move the tank and all its inhabitants. Clean or rinse all the sand. Scrub the rocks in a bucket of tank water with a stiff brush to remove algae. Use as much old water as you can. I don’t think you will even go through a cycle. This can be done in one day. Get some help. Make sure you have a good ro/di unit and plenty of water ready to go. Good luck and awesome find on the setup.

 

[reefertank]

Sounds great. Should I add clean up crew immediately or livestock or wait to see if it cycles. Sounds mean but a few emerald crabs can be a meaningful sacrifice IMO. I am really excited it's like my dream tank Apex hydras and all. Was helping the guy sell for 2k then he said I could for half that if I wanted to keep it. Couldn't turn it down, nice to know there are nice people out there.

 

[Acros]

Looks like a nice setup. I am thinking I should have gotten a used setup seeing how cheap they go and how much money I spent on my puny 29g Petco setup with sump.

 

[xxkenny90xx]

I know the guy his tank is pest free, just stopped keeping up with it over the past 6 months. But no sand in the tank now if I add new "live sand" won't that cause a nitrate spike grrrrrrr my 4 year old 90 gallon is so stable. New systems suck lol

Live sand is never necessary imo. If you want sand just buy dry sand and give it a good rinse

 

[Skynyrd Fish]

Nice score. Move the tank and inhabitants and scrub those rocks. You don’t have to scrub them all at once. You can take a couple out scrub them and put them back. Also consider flow. I feel that flow is an issue and changing up the rock work to improve it will help. Cleanup crew yes. Tuxedo or long spine urchins will destroy algae and are cool additions to the reef tank. That’s a killer deal you got.

 

[Jon Fishman]

If you have a stable 90, then it’s simple...... Scrub algae off the bases of the coral, dip them all in H2O2 and place them in your 90, along with the tang, empty the new tank, thoroughly scrub rocks, spray with H2O2, do new sand, or ho bare-bottom, fill with all new water, run empty with just water rocks for a couple months..... dose vibrant if necessary, or heck, over-dose. Cover the tank for a full-blackout. Once you think the tank is running well, and tests good, and the algae doesn’t return to the rocks, start moving stuff over to it.

 

[xxkenny90xx]

Long time reefer here. You can’t replace old live rock. Move the tank and all its inhabitants. Clean or rinse all the sand. Scrub the rocks in a bucket of tank water with a stiff brush to remove algae. Use as much old water as you can. I don’t think you will even go through a cycle. This can be done in one day. Get some help. Make sure you have a good ro/di unit and plenty of water ready to go. Good luck and awesome find on the setup.

Totally agree. That rock has been maturing for who knows how long, why would you waste that? Everybody's so into the dry rock Dino infested method these days they don't understand how good old live rock is!

 

[HockeyRooster]

Lots of good advice here. Keep as much as you can. Have fun and good luck!

 

[vetteguy53081]

Corals are Not in bad shape. Use RO water and a good quality salt (even instant ocean or reef crystals). and monitor closely. Its a nice setup and you should be successful with it as long as you take it slow and spend time enjoying tank rather than getting stressed over any changes.
For rock. . . place in a tub with tank water and place lid to have it dark within and algae will die off. You can even add some peroxide to destroy the algae

 

[reefertank]

Nice score. Move the tank and inhabitants and scrub those rocks. You don’t have to scrub them all at once. You can take a couple out scrub them and put them back. Also consider flow. I feel that flow is an issue and changing up the rock work to improve it will help. Cleanup crew yes. Tuxedo or long spine urchins will destroy algae and are cool additions to the reef tank. That’s a killer deal you got.

So it come with 2 apex wave makers, but I have a set of xf250s with advance controller. I've never used an apex or its WaveMaker, is it better flow than a gyre. I have them I'm my 90 and love them.

 

[reefertank]

If you have a stable 90, then it’s simple...... Scrub algae off the bases of the coral, dip them all in H2O2 and place them in your 90, along with the tang, empty the new tank, thoroughly scrub rocks, spray with H2O2, do new sand, or ho bare-bottom, fill with all new water, run empty with just water rocks for a couple months..... dose vibrant if necessary, or heck, over-dose. Cover the tank for a full-blackout. Once you think the tank is running well, and tests good, and the algae doesn’t return to the rocks, start moving stuff over to it.

Might work. The ultimate plan is to move everything from 90 over.

 

[Skynyrd Fish]

Don’t disrupt the 90! Unless you are putting the new tank there.

 

[reefertank]

Don’t disrupt the 90! Unless you are putting the new tank there.

Ya Moving in 2 months, new tank is going in new house. So was hoping to bring the stuff from 90 over by then.