Really need help

[JMF2324]

I need help relocating a fowlr tank and changing the sand. My friend is giving me his 30g fowlr tank with 2 clownfish, 1 royal gramma, 2 snails, 1 horseshoe and a 25lbs live rock. I want to put new sand, he didn't do much maintenance on the tank. How should I do this without killing the fish? and how much of the water should I change? I bought 20lbs of live sand and 15g of salt water from the lfs. This is my first sw tank.

 

[Tahoe61]

Get some plastic medium size cheap containers from walmart, rinse them.
Drain water almost all the way down, remove fish and place into one container.
Put live rock in the other.
Use gallon jugs for water or whatever containers that seem appropriate and clean.
Once the water, rocks.... are removed scoop out sand and dispose of.

Make up new saltwater with RO/DI, you can buy purified water at walmart or most grocery stores, you can use distilled as well if needed.
Or buy mixed SW from the local fish store or petco.

Add new sand and rock to rinsed aquarium (rinse new sand). Poor water into the aquarium by pouring the water into a bowl, this will assist in keeping the water from disturbing the sand as much, less cloudiness.

If the water needs to be warmed set water containers in sink or bath tub of hot water until desired temp is reached.

Turn on pumps let water circulate for about 1/2 hour, make sure salt is throughly mixed. Test temp and specific gravity.
Add Dr.Tims One and Only or another equivalent product.
Take water from the display and add it to container with fish to assist in acclimation.

Have fresh saltwater made up for water changes. A test kit for ammonia/nitrites/nitrates, API is cheap and easy.
Feed sparingly for a week or so, test water, preform water changes as needed/indicated by ammonia and nitrites levels.
You can get some Prime and use as per instructions if you really need to.

Provide fish with oxygenation and heat as needed during move.

Welcome to the hobby.

 

[JMF2324]

I have 20lbs of live sand and 15g of saltwater from the lfs. should I use some of the old water or should i put in all new water?

 

[Tahoe61]

Use as much old water as you can salvage. How big is the tank?

 

[JMF2324]

30 gallons

 

[Tahoe61]

That will be easy. Should take about 2 hours, just go slow. You're going to use more water than you think you will, so it's good you got 15 gallons.
Keep the rocks wet and any filtration like floss or foam wet and you will preserve the biological filter/good bacteria. The rocks do not have to be submerged during transfer, just keep them wet.

Make sure to rinse the new sand well, that will definitely help in the long run to decrease the severity and duration of cloudiness.

 

[Picturesque Aquatics]

You may want to save a cup full of sand and keep it in the old saltwater, and just mix it in when you add the new sand. It will help build back your good bacteria faster. I did an upgrade on my tank a year ago and I found it helpful.

 

[JMF2324]

Thanks, I'll do that.

Should I clean the tank before putting the sand and water back in the tank?

 

[Tahoe61]

The reason I listed drain water, remove fish and then remove rock was to allow you to remove clean water. When catching fish and removing rock you stir up all the detritus. Lower the water level also makes it much easier to catch the fish.

You can rinse it if you feel it's that dirty, I would not use any cleaning products, just fresh water. I would however try to preserve filter media to allow the media to seed the new substrate and continue to function as part of the biological filter.

 

[uncle dover]

Heck yeah!

 

[JMF2324]

Great, thanks for the help.