MOVING - Need Some Advice

ruppertb · Jul 20, 2012

So we have to move out of our house by Aug 1st. We have 6 tanks.

We will be putting all our stuff into a storage unit and moving to my GF parents for a month, until our house closes. I planned on upgrading my tank when we moved it, but now I have to move it 2 times in a 6 week period.

Here is my plan to move my largest tank a 75gal.

I plan on having a 55 set up at my works storage room. Has power and is heated/A/c'd. So I am going to get a 55 there and place water from the 75 system in there, rocks with corals and the fish. And plumb in a 55 temp sump behind it on the floor.

And then move my lights to keep it all alive for a month or so.

Do you think it will cycle if I use 100% water from the 75 and rocks from it?

I have alot of rocks in my system and want to keep them alive. How do I do this. I was thinking like a garbage can with powerheads, heater and then just keep it all under water.
Trying to keep all my base rock alive.

Also how do I keep all my sand alive? Once the 75 is empty I want to keep my sand alive. Will it stay alive in the same setup as the rocks?

Also Can I set up my fuge offlive from my main system for a month with a heater and powerhead. Would I have to feed it?

Thanks for all the help!!!!!!!!

ruppertb · Jul 22, 2012

any help? doing this tomorrow. How should I keep my sand and extra rock alive for a month? Trash cans?

Steelerfan747 · Jul 23, 2012

I would recommend putting as much rock and coral, fish in the 55g as possible. If you use the water and rock from the 75g you will not have a cycle. I would unfortunately throw away all the live sand as you will have a lot of detritus that will be released into whatever tank it's placed into. Not sure what you meant by your fuge being offlive?

ruppertb · Jul 23, 2012

offline. I have a 20fuge off my sump. Any idea. Could I just drain it, move it, fill it and set up a heater and powerhead and carbon filter and have it be a seperate unit and not plumbed in for a month. I think i will need to feed it though

lpslover · Jul 23, 2012

+1 on ditching the old sand. Pull out any nassarius snails and such, but unless you have obligate burrowers like pistol shrimp I'd run it without sand for the sake of simplicity. Then you can start your new system fresh. If you must keep it, let the tank settle for a couple hours after you pull the rock (no pumps running) and then vacume the sand really well before draining the rest of the water and taking the sand out. But then you'll need space to store the sand.

Live rock will be fine in plastic bags for a day. Beyond that, if it doesn't fit in the tank, sump, or refugium I'd set up a couple big plastic bins as you planned.

The refugium should be fine. I don't know that I'd feed it per se. Mostly I'd do a small daily water change on it. ie: scoop out a gallon of refugium water and discard, refill with a gallon from the primary system, add new water to the primary system.

Overall I doubt it will cause a noticeable cycle. You might dose bacteria for a couple days to help smooth out any wrinkles, but should be fine.

Good luck.