EEek! Leak!!

justjes45 · May 1, 2017

So I have a 30 gal Nuvo tank from Innovative Marine. They have been great with customer service and warranty...
They have actually discontinued the style I have- for this leaky

reason...
Bad/ nervous news- new tank won't be here for 5 days... leak is getting worse..
Good news, they don't make a 30 gallon now, so I get a 40!! YAY!!!

So I am trying to get things ready. I have never needed to do this before- transfer/ expand a tank! I have bought extra sand, and have mixed up buckets of salt with bubblers and heaters to try to reduce the stress on my ocean family.
I wanted to buy more live rock to change up my design, but the guy at out LFS advised against adding rock...

ANY advice is welcome,
And if you are near Vermont, I have some corals that will be downsized in the move-
I will attach pictures!

Wish me luck!!

shiftline · May 1, 2017

Your current rock is already established so you should be fine to add some more

justjes45 · May 1, 2017

That is what I was hoping, but he seem to think in my transporting the rock from the pet store to my house that would be sufficient die off and that would spike my tank?

brett_schn · May 1, 2017

Tear down tank and add to some plastic containers until the new tank is good. Leaks will turn into cracks and cracks will turn into the whole tank breaking.

Mikedawg · May 1, 2017

justjes45 said:
That is what I was hoping, but he seem to think in my transporting the rock from the pet store to my house that would be sufficient die off and that would spike my tank?

I wouldn't think you'd get significant die off if you keep it wet, e.g., as soon as you pick it out place it in your container full of water, take it out for weighing which should only take a few minutes at most, and then put it back in after it's been weighed. I've done this many times with live rock and never had a problem.

Some really cautious reefers immediately wrap the rock in a wet towel or newspaper in the tank as soon as they pick it out , have it weighed while wrapped ( $ 1 more if you buy in a cheap LFS) , and then submerge it in their container for the trip home.

justjes45 · May 1, 2017

Sweet- I will continue my search for good live rocks. ( that is when I am not doing my "please don't explode, fish tank" dance...

wkscott · May 2, 2017

If the live rock from your LFS is fresh and not cured yet, you could have problems with die off.

klp · May 2, 2017

Use packing tape as a wraparound until you can get a container to empty it in. Never tried it but it may keep things together long enough until you can transfer into a temporary container. I would not wait for the new tank as new products do not always arrive intact or working.

Reef man 89 · May 2, 2017

We're in VT are you? I'm in NH of its not to far of a drive might want to pick up some corals

jimbau · May 2, 2017

justjes45 said:
That is what I was hoping, but he seem to think in my transporting the rock from the pet store to my house that would be sufficient die off and that would spike my tank?

Buy dry rock. Don't have to worry about die off and it will become live rock real quick since you already have established rock in the tank.