Taking over brother's tank

[Maniacyl]

My brother is moving and he is giving me his Fluval Flex 32.5 Saltwater tank. He currently has two golden nugget clown fish in it, snails, hermits, live rock. Knowing the way he cares for things I am expecting everything to be in pretty poor condition. I am afraid to use any of his existing stuff but would like to try to keep the clown fish alive. I already have fresh saltwater ready, fresh arag-alive ready, Dr Tim's one and only saltwater, new filters, carbon, and media ready. I'll be going to pick the tank up this Sunday. Any advice on keeping the clowns alive and whether I should even mess with his live rock or just go buy new would be appreciated. If buying new should I get cured rock from a store or dry rock and just let the bacteria grow. Thanks in advance.

 

[skyjacker07]

My brother is moving and he is giving me his Fluval Flex 32.5 Saltwater tank. He currently has two golden nugget clown fish in it, snails, hermits, live rock. Knowing the way he cares for things I am expecting everything to be in pretty poor condition. I am afraid to use any of his existing stuff but would like to try to keep the clown fish alive. I already have fresh saltwater ready, fresh arag-alive ready, Dr Tim's one and only saltwater, new filters, carbon, and media ready. I'll be going to pick the tank up this Sunday. Any advice on keeping the clowns alive and whether I should even mess with his live rock or just go buy new would be appreciated. If buying new should I get cured rock from a store or dry rock and just let the bacteria grow. Thanks in advance.

I wouldn’t do more than a 50% change in water max up front. I would check the condition of the water either before moving or after you get it home and do small changes. You don’t want to recycle the whole tank. Can be harmful for the fish.

 

[dstockwell]

Best of luck in your new adventure

Welcome to the Reef

 

[LucasRe]

Keep the liverock, you'll need the established bacterial colonies that are living within it (if the live rock is a bit gross give it a scrub before placing it back into the tank). If there's sand, ditch it. Put the fish in a bucket for transport, if you're going far you can dose a bit of prime and run a battery powered air pump.

Don't use any of the old water, fill the tank with new water and acclimate the fish back into the system when it's set back up at your place.

Establishing good QT practices right from the start is always best imo, but you do you.

GLHF

 

[Dbichler]

I wouldn’t do more than a 50% change in water max up front. I would check the condition of the water either before moving or after you get it home and do small changes. You don’t want to recycle the whole tank. Can be harmful for the fish.

I’d argue the exact opposite use all of the water already there to clean the live rock as good as possible keeping the live rock wet at all times then starting completely fresh with a 100% new saltwater. The beneficial bacteria is on the rock not in the water and parameters really on depend on his new water.

 

[Rmckoy]

I would strongly recommend keeping the live rocks and making sure they stay wet or submerged in saltwater

the sand can be trashed but before adding new if you want sand . Be sure to rinse it well