Tank move and set up

[krystalstarr]

Hello, I have a few questions need help quickly.
I just had to take my tank apart so that I could move the tank in another room.
My fish or now in a bucket I took out 80% of the water and all of the rock. My rock is also submerged in water so that it doesn’t dry up.

My first question is how long can my fish stay in this bucket?

my second question is, can I put the same salt water that I removed back into the tank?

my third question is my sand is very dirty and I’d like to rinse it out with a hose, but will this mess up my cycle?

 

[krystalstarr]

Hello, I have a few questions need help quickly.
I just had to take my tank apart so that I could move the tank in another room.
My fish or now in a bucket I took out 80% of the water and all of the rock. My rock is also submerged in water so that it doesn’t dry up.

My first question is how long can my fish stay in this bucket?

my second question is, can I put the same salt water that I removed back into the tank?

my third question is my sand is very dirty and I’d like to rinse it out with a hose, but will this mess up my cycle?

Note. The 80% water I took out was to make it lighter so it can be picked up but I still have this water I want to put back in

 

[hunterallen40]

My first question is how long can my fish stay in this bucket?

Need more info here. Is there a heater / bubbler? If so, then they can last at least a day (usually more).

my second question is, can I put the same salt water that I removed back into the tank?

Yes, and in fact it should.

my third question is my sand is very dirty and I’d like to rinse it out with a hose, but will this mess up my cycle?

Do not reuse sand unless you clean it VERY well.

 

[krystalstarr]

Need more info here. Is there a heater / bubbler? If so, then they can last at least a day (usually more).



Yes, and in fact it should.



Do not reuse sand unless you clean it VERY well.

Thank you very much.

1 No heater or bubbler in bucket

2 okay I will put same water back in

3 rinsing sand won’t hurt good bacteria?

 

[hunterallen40]

No heater or bubbler in bucket

Then work quickly

rinsing sand won’t hurt good bacteria?

It will kill the bacteria, but that's better than the toxic blend of chemicals that has built up in your sandbed over time. You will cause a lot of damage reusing your sand (unless you don't disturb it in the move). Is it staying in the tank, or did you remove it?

 

[krystalstarr]

Then work quickly



It will kill the bacteria, but that's better than the toxic blend of chemicals that has built up in your sandbed over time. You will cause a lot of damage reusing your sand (unless you don't disturb it in the move). Is it staying in the tank, or did you remove it?

I did not remove the sand no

Then work quickly



It will kill the bacteria, but that's better than the toxic blend of chemicals that has built up in your sandbed over time. You will cause a lot of damage reusing your sand (unless you don't disturb it in the move). Is it staying in the tank, or did you remove it?

sand stayed in tank for the move. Thanks done with setting up tank and fish are fine now

next I need to set up the new tank that came in today. It was used and the purchase came with a lot of old live rock (used to be live now it is not) has been stored in a box for years dried out. Can I use the rock? Do I wash it with a hose? What’s the best way?

 

[hunterallen40]

Thanks done with setting up tank and fish are fine now

Glad to hear it! Tank moves are always scary.

It was used and the purchase came with a lot of old live rock (used to be live now it is not) has been stored in a box for years dried out. Can I use the rock?

Hm... You can definitely use the rock. I would just soak it in some RODI water, unless there's a lot to clean off of it. I wouldn't use tap water on it... You don't want tap water in your system.

 

[907_Reefer]

Good answers here already. I personally would hose the crap out of the rock with tap/hose water then RODI rinse it before use. Unless you have 50 gallons RODI on hand to rinse it all with..

Agree on rinse old sand thoroughly or use new, although some here have had success moving tanks with not disturbing the sand bed, which avoids all the old sand bed junk from stirring into your water.

Just moved my tank 300 miles, if you do have a spare heater and power head livestock can live in there for a while. Mine all lived in 30 gallon totes from Home Depot for 6 days during my re-setup, just keep them warm and aerated.