Tank transfer question

[christwendt]

I have a 20 gallon tank. I bought a 25 gallon with a 10 gallon sump. I’m moving in 2 weeks. When I move if I don’t change bio load and transfer my sand /rocks/ bio balls to new tank with same lights ( both tanks are same debth) can I transfer all my corrals over too ?

 

[homer1475]

As long as the bio load doesn't change, you should be fine. It would be like doing a 99% WC. Just make sure when you add in the new water, it matches your old water parameters(ALK, CAL< MAG, Temp, etc).

The majority of the bacteria live within your rocks, and sandbed. Some live in the water column, but so little is it insignificant.

 

[Reefer5640]

Moving tanks can be tricky. I know a lot of people that have crashed their system including myself back in the day. I would highly recommend not re-using the sand or 90% of the original tank water. But as long as you get the parameters pretty close close to what they were you could just float to temp and toss them in

 

[homer1475]

Moving tanks can be tricky. I know a lot of people that have crashed their system including myself back in the day. I would highly recommend not re-using the sand or 90% of the original tank water.

Good point. It all depends on how old the sandbed is, and whether you vacuum it on a regular basis or not.

 

[brandon429]

some very neat data from the sand rinse thread: 100% of tank moves go successfully if you deep clean or replace the sandbed (and pre rinse the new sand just the same clarity as rinsed old, new sand is very silty)

the variation and loss comes from not cleaning the system, usually out of fear of destabilization. the irony is that cleaning is the stabilization, we can show in fifty straight pages.

 

[christwendt]

Good point. It all depends on how old the sandbed is, and whether you vacuum it on a regular basis or not.

My tank is only 6 months and I lm on top of vacuuming my sand bed every water change so I plan to reuse it. When I vacuum/ stir the sand hardy anything cloudy comes up. So I should be okay to reuse the sand from what I’ve read ?

 

[christwendt]

some very neat data from the sand rinse thread: 100% of tank moves go successfully if you deep clean or replace the sandbed (and pre rinse the new sand just the same clarity as rinsed old, new sand is very silty)

the variation and loss comes from not cleaning the system, usually out of fear of destabilization. the irony is that cleaning is the stabilization, we can show in fifty straight pages.

I followed you’re thread and deep cleaned my whole sand almost two months ago. Tanks been great since. I don’t think I need to reclean again so soon.

 

[christwendt]

Moving tanks can be tricky. I know a lot of people that have crashed their system including myself back in the day. I would highly recommend not re-using the sand or 90% of the original tank water. But as long as you get the parameters pretty close close to what they were you could just float to temp and toss them in

Sorry reuse most the water or don’t ?

 

[Lasse]

Let us put it this way - If you should not move it. If it should stand there fore 6 months more. Should you today threw away all your sand, rinse everything and change 99 % of the water just for the coming 6 months? If you should do that - yes - it is logical to do that also when you move the tank. If you should not do that for the coming 6 months - you should not either do it when you move your tank. If you have planned to do 90 % WC now - do it even when you move - if you do not plan that - it is OK to reuse all water if you want. Important is to give the sand a light cleaning and aerate the water when you put it into your moved tank. All of this is IMO and the way I have moved my tanks - without any disasters.

Sincerely Lasse