Tearing down 90 gallon- advice?

[Chikpeas]

Hey! I’m going to go pick this tank up with some help on Monday:

I have Never had a tank with a sump/overflow—- And this tank will be moving with the corals and fish…

I would really appreciate some help

My first concern is… the sump?
If it gets turned off will it flood???

I’m trying to figure out an order to do this all in.

 

[rawrsean]

1. How long is the trip? Battery powered bubblers, and large tote containers are going to be your best friend here. Place rocks with corals attached safely between other rocks, so that bumps don't cause them to shift/move. Place fish in their own container without rock. A few small pieces of rubble isn't harmful but unless you have a really long drive, you do not need any rock.
2. Do not save any of the sand. The picture appears to show an aged sandbed full of waste, which will get more toxic and die off when disturbed. It is also obscenely deep.
3. pull out all of the water you intend on saving, before touching anything in the tank, chasing fish, or moving rock. This will keep the water as clean as possible.
4. When the system is turned off, water will back-siphon through the return nozzle (the tube water is pumping out of) and lower the water in the display down to where it begins to catch air (in the picture it looks like its pointed down a couple of inches, so this would be a couple of inches of water of that 90 gallon tank if it was turned off, that would go into the sump, in addition to whats in there.) So if you adjust your return nozzle and check to be sure your sump can hold whatever amount of water back siphons, you won't have to worry about floods.

 

[TangerineSpeedo]

^ This and second on that sand bed is scary.

 

[Solo McReefer]

Take 2 muscle-y people

Take lots of buckets and totes
Lots of towels. And hoses. Take some powerheads. And some airpumps and airline tubing, bubble stones/woods

The corals and put them in buckets of saltwater. Keep the water moving with powerheads and airstones

Then the live rock, in saltwater, in different buckets, powerheads

Now catch the fish, new bucket of saltwater, airstones.

Leave the sand, it is death. Try not to disturb it until everything living is out

Grab as much water as your containers allow

Move the equipment

Move the stuff into the system when you have it all in place

Then change the water the next day

Pay your 2 helpers a LOT

 

[VintageReefer]

Cannot stress how important the above posters comments are about the sandbed. The bottom layers are trapping and encasing a toxic layer of waste and gas. Disturbing the top and middle layers will release this and can cause death for the entire tank.

Easiest way to break down

1) remove and bag corals with tank water
2) remove rock and transport in coolers, bins, whatever, with tank water
3) with rock and corals removed you can now easily catch fish. Bring a LARGE net. You will catch fish faster and easier with a large net they can’t avoid

Bag up the fish with tank water

4) drain remaining water. You won’t need it

5) After all rock and livestock and excess water are removed, scoop out sand and dispose of it. If you can carefully take a few cupfuls off clean sand from the top, you can take this and transport in a couple ziplock bags. This would be to seed the new sand in the new location

Transport everything to new location and setup equipment

Add things back in reverse order

New sand. Rinse it several times ahead of them before putting in the tank. This will reduce cloudiness. Add Few cups of saved sand to the top

Add water. About 50-75% full

Add rock and build rock scape.

Finish filling tank with water

Allow temp to get correct

Use new tank water to acclimate corals and fish and add them in

Acclimation will drain some water From the tank, replace with new water

There might be some little things missing but overall this is the process and the main steps to follow

Edit: this will take a long time start to finish. You are looking at an all day/evening process. Show up as early as you can and start as early as you can. Filling tanks, heating tanks, this all takes a while.

Make saltwater at home and have it heated and ready ahead of time, to save a lot of time. If you had at home two 50g brute garbage cans filled 75% with saltwater that’s already 1.026 And 78 degrees…if this was ready to go before you left to get the tank, it will literally save you hours and hours of time

 

[Solo McReefer]

If you had at home two 50g brute garbage cans filled 75% with saltwater that’s already 1.026 And 78 degrees…

Exactly

Have a lot of new salt water at home ready to go

I moved a 40 Breeder years ago. Lost only a firefish(jumped)

And a kilo of perspiration

You have over double that

 

[Chikpeas]

1. How long is the trip? Battery powered bubblers, and large tote containers are going to be your best friend here. Place rocks with corals attached safely between other rocks, so that bumps don't cause them to shift/move. Place fish in their own container without rock. A few small pieces of rubble isn't harmful but unless you have a really long drive, you do not need any rock.
2. Do not save any of the sand. The picture appears to show an aged sandbed full of waste, which will get more toxic and die off when disturbed. It is also obscenely deep.
3. pull out all of the water you intend on saving, before touching anything in the tank, chasing fish, or moving rock. This will keep the water as clean as possible.
4. When the system is turned off, water will back-siphon through the return nozzle (the tube water is pumping out of) and lower the water in the display down to where it begins to catch air (in the picture it looks like its pointed down a couple of inches, so this would be a couple of inches of water of that 90 gallon tank if it was turned off, that would go into the sump, in addition to whats in there.) So if you adjust your return nozzle and check to be sure your sump can hold whatever amount of water back siphons, you won't have to worry about floods.

Almost a half hour drive!
I think they’d be okay with that right?
Though loading and everything will probably take longer.

Should I just start to siphon out the water I’ll need THEN turn off the pumps when it gets low?

Oh yeah I’m 110% chucking that whole sandbed. No way I’m keeping that.

 

[Chikpeas]

Cannot stress how important the above posters comments are about the sandbed. The bottom layers are trapping and encasing a toxic layer of waste and gas. Disturbing the top and middle layers will release this and can cause death for the entire tank.

Easiest way to break down

1) remove and bag corals with tank water
2) remove rock and transport in coolers, bins, whatever, with tank water
3) with rock and corals removed you can now easily catch fish. Bring a LARGE net. You will catch fish faster and easier with a large net they can’t avoid

Bag up the fish with tank water

4) drain remaining water. You won’t need it

5) After all rock and livestock and excess water are removed, scoop out sand and dispose of it. If you can carefully take a few cupfuls off clean sand from the top, you can take this and transport in a couple ziplock bags. This would be to seed the new sand in the new location

Transport everything to new location and setup equipment

Add things back in reverse order

New sand. Rinse it several times ahead of them before putting in the tank. This will reduce cloudiness. Add Few cups of saved sand to the top

Add water. About 50-75% full

Add rock and build rock scape.

Finish filling tank with water

Allow temp to get correct

Use new tank water to acclimate corals and fish and add them in

Acclimation will drain some water From the tank, replace with new water

There might be some little things missing but overall this is the process and the main steps to follow

Edit: this will take a long time start to finish. You are looking at an all day/evening process. Show up as early as you can and start as early as you can. Filling tanks, heating tanks, this all takes a while.

Make saltwater at home and have it heated and ready ahead of time, to save a lot of time. If you had at home two 50g brute garbage cans filled 75% with saltwater that’s already 1.026 And 78 degrees…if this was ready to go before you left to get the tank, it will literally save you hours and hours of time

I got one brute 30 gal, going to get a second, and run to the pet stores today to snag Giant heaters, bags of sand, and extra powerheads to get it going.

Should I be removing the coral from the rock then?? It looks like mushrooms on the one- I’ve never fragged or messed with corals before

I’m going to get there way earlier than my help. They won’t be able to be there until around 6 pm. I’d like to be ready to go when they get there. This is going to be painful

 

[VintageReefer]

I got one brute 30 gal, going to get a second, and run to the pet stores today to snag Giant heaters, bags of sand, and extra powerheads to get it going.

Should I be removing the coral from the rock then?? It looks like mushrooms on the one- I’ve never fragged or messed with corals before

I’m going to get there way earlier than my help. They won’t be able to be there until around 6 pm. I’d like to be ready to go when they get there. This is going to be painful

If mushrooms are stuck to the rock then leave them and transport on the rock with it submerged in tank water

You can use a cooler or bin and this will be an bonus way to also transport water that you will end up needing.

 

[Chikpeas]

If mushrooms are stuck to the rock then leave them and transport on the rock with it submerged in tank water

You can use a cooler or bin and this will be an bonus way to also transport water that you will end up needing.

Yeah I’m nervous once I pluck that rock out, the sandbed will get disturbed and blasted the entire tank. I’ll have to be fast.

 

[VintageReefer]

Yeah I’m nervous once I pluck that rock out, the sandbed will get disturbed and blasted the entire tank. I’ll have to be fast.

No you do it slow with the pumps off

Work from top down. Remove any corals first that can be removed easily. Remove any rock that can be removed easily. Any rock with fixed coral like mushrooms or zoanthids should be transported submerged

The rock on the bottom layer is likely compressed into the sand. Lift this rock out slowly to minimize what is stirred up

 

[rawrsean]

No you do it slow with the pumps off

Work from top down. Remove any corals first that can be removed easily. Remove any rock that can be removed easily. Any rock with fixed coral like mushrooms or zoanthids should be transported submerged

The rock on the bottom layer is likely compressed into the sand. Lift this rock out slowly to minimize what is stirred up

There is no need for this.

Remove all of the water you plan on using/saving first, before touching anything. You can leave the pump running for a minute or two just to drain a little bit of extra water from the sump but this isn't necessary unless you need every drop of water possible.

After removing all of the water you need and placing it into the buckets or containers of your choice (Fewer is better, but you have to be smart about how you do it. See my above post where I recommend leaving corals attached to rocks, and placing those rocks in the middle of other rocks in a tote or similar container. Dont stack rocks, just use rocks next to eachother to prevent them from being able to rock and potentially damage the corals. Put fish into a tote without rock, but dont forget a bubbler. If you do it with buckets you will need more bubblers and I think that is not necessary.

A 30 minute trip is no problem. You have an easy 6 to 7 hours of saftey if they are properly stored in larger containers with a bubbler. Too small of a bucket or volume of water and now you have temperature to worry about. Have as much prepared at home ahead of time as possible, and be prepared to set up the tank the moment you get home. Definitely rinse the new sand so you aren't making the new tank that a bunch of fish have to go into as cloudy as it would be.

 

[VintageReefer]

There is no need for this.

Remove all of the water you plan on using/saving first, before touching anything. You can leave the pump running for a minute or two just to drain a little bit of extra water from the sump but this isn't necessary unless you need every drop of water possible.

After removing all of the water you need and placing it into the buckets or containers of your choice (Fewer is better, but you have to be smart about how you do it. See my above post where I recommend leaving corals attached to rocks, and placing those rocks in the middle of other rocks in a tote or similar container. Dont stack rocks, just use rocks next to eachother to prevent them from being able to rock and potentially damage the corals. Put fish into a tote without rock, but dont forget a bubbler. If you do it with buckets you will need more bubblers and I think that is not necessary.

A 30 minute trip is no problem. You have an easy 6 to 7 hours of saftey if they are properly stored in larger containers with a bubbler. Too small of a bucket or volume of water and now you have temperature to worry about. Have as much prepared at home ahead of time as possible, and be prepared to set up the tank the moment you get home. Definitely rinse the new sand so you aren't making the new tank that a bunch of fish have to go into as cloudy as it would be.

What part is not needed. I am only suggesting to remove loose corals / non attached coral

The base rock should be removed slowly to avoid stirring up sand excessively

I only meant to remove the bottom layer of rock slowly, and to do that last

 

[rawrsean]

What part is not needed. I am only suggesting to remove loose corals / non attached coral

The base rock should be removed slowly to avoid stirring up sand excessively

I only meant to remove the bottom layer of rock slowly, and to do that last

Everything you've just said -- there's no concern if he has already removed all of the water he intends on keeping. The sand is going in the garbage along with any water that is stirred up. It's better he removes those rocks vigorously, using the remaining water to help dislodge anything that might be in that bottom layer of rock. Less to clean that way.

 

[rawrsean]

Yeah I’m nervous once I pluck that rock out, the sandbed will get disturbed and blasted the entire tank. I’ll have to be fast.

Turn the tank off, drain all of the water you intend on keeping before touching ANYTHING ELSE, and then it will not matter what you stir up.

Remove the top layer of rocks, the safe ones, then catch the fish and inverts, grab the corals, and then have at it with the bottom layer of rocks, and use the remaining dirty water to ensure those rocks do not have any sand or other detritus stuck to them.

 

[VintageReefer]

Since there isn’t a lot of coral and possibly no fish your method would be fine. I wouldn’t generally suggest draining the water before removing coral

Easier to grab frags of coral. Put in a bag with tank water. Then put water and rocks in bins /bucket with tank water.

Then last step is remove the lower rocks and yes shake them off in the unneeded water and dispose of the sand and remaining water. I still would say to remove slowly or you’ll over pollute the lower level of water that is your rinse water. And then your just rinsing with escessive released toxins

 

[rawrsean]

Since there isn’t a lot of coral and possibly no fish your method would be fine. I wouldn’t generally suggest draining the water before removing coral

Easier to grab frags of coral. Put in a bag with tank water. Then put water and rocks in bins /bucket with tank water.

Then last step is remove the lower rocks and yes shake them off in the unneeded water and dispose of the sand and remaining water. I still would say to remove slowly or you’ll over pollute the lower level of water that is your rinse water. And then your just rinsing with escessive released toxins

Unless he had LPS with sharp skeletons and sensitive flesh, such as Euphylliidae, then yes I'd suggest removing a small portion of water, and grabbing those corals first. Otherwise, removing the top layer of rocks as the water level drains below them is not going to hurt anything. We are talking about minutes worth of air exposure, for GSP and leather corals. It's better than he takes the water in its cleanest form. Then use the remaining tank water to swish around the rocks as he removes them, to clean them of detritus. Then, before removing the bottom layer of rock, he will be able to catch all of the fish much more easily, and place them into ready to go and cleaner water containers. The final layer of rock, buried in the sand, should be dislodged and again, swished around to get the waste off. This should be the final step before checking the sand for snails/desirable creatures, and then disposing of the remaining sand and water. It does not matter if you are polluting the remaining 10-15% of water -- its garbage, and you've already removed the inhabitants into the cleaner water that you removed before stirring up garbage. Especially in a system that appears as neglected as this, I cannot stress the importance of grabbing all of the water you need while it is in its cleanest form -- before touching anything! Additionally, you are putting UNDUE stress on the fish by chasing them around in a full tank of water and rock -- and this is super bad considering they are about to go through a lot of stress that is not undue, but rather, part of the ordeal.

 

[VintageReefer]

I think we are both nitpicking. My general steps are basically the same as yours and I can’t see if there’s coral not in focus, retracted, or behind the rocks. If there isn’t any loose or sensitive coral then just skip to the next step which is where your plan begins.

I’ve moved tanks 9 times ranging from 20 miles to 1,500. When I move, it’s at least 4 reefs and 2 fw tanks that need to come. I’ve towed trailers with broken down reef tanks and equipment while my truck is filled with buckets, coolers, inverters, airstones, 50w heaters, and temp monitors/Alarms. I’m actually very experienced with how to safely move tanks, and I understand how to scale up/down based on livestock and distance.

For you to say that “everything” I said is unneeded, is laughable.

1) remove and bag corals with tank water

Not needed

2) remove rock and transport in coolers, bins, whatever, with tank water

Definitly don’t need to do this ^

3) with rock and corals removed you can now easily catch fish. Bring a LARGE net. You will catch fish faster and easier with a large net they can’t avoid

Bag up the fish with tank water

Not needed if there’s no fish. But if there are fish, we still don’t need to bag them up with tank water. Also don’t bring a net. Catch ‘em by hand

4) drain remaining water. You won’t need it

Don’t need to drain that water. Move the tank full?

5) After all rock and livestock and excess water are removed, scoop out sand and dispose of it. If you can carefully take a few cupfuls off clean sand from the top, you can take this and transport in a couple ziplock bags. This would be to seed the new sand in the new location

Don’t need to get rid of the old sand

Transport everything to new location and setup equipment

Nope we don’t need to do this either.

Every step I said was both unnecessary, and unneeded

 

[rawrsean]

I think we are both nitpicking. My general steps are basically the same as yours and I can’t see if there’s coral not in focus, retracted, or behind the rocks. If there isn’t any loose or sensitive coral then just skip to the next step which is where your plan begins.

I’ve moved tanks 9 times ranging from 20 miles to 1,500. When I move, it’s at least 4 reefs and 2 fw tanks that need to come. I’ve towed trailers with broken down reef tanks and equipment while my truck is filled with buckets, coolers, inverters, airstones, 50w heaters, and temp monitors/Alarms. I’m actually very experienced with how to safely move tanks, and I understand how to scale up/down based on livestock and distance.

For you to say that “everything” I said is unneeded, is laughable.


Not needed

Definitly don’t need to do this ^

Not needed if there’s no fish. But if there are fish, we still don’t need to bag them up with tank water. Also don’t bring a net. Catch ‘em by hand


Don’t need to drain that water. Move the tank full?

Don’t need to get rid of the old sand


Nope we don’t need to do this either.

Every step I said was both unnecessary, and unneeded

I said 'everything' in response to the reply I quoted, which you listed a few steps. Why would you apply that to a response you made several posts above, that I did not quote in response to? Anyhow, I stand by the eccentricity of your steps and the potential for undue stress, and wasted time, they have. OP has a huge endeavor ahead of him, and doesn't really have time to waste. Overdo it if you wish, for your moves, as you are experienced enough to know what to do and when to do it. But OP has a 30 minute drive .. and is not very experienced. Unnecessary steps will just add additional avenues for confusion, and mistakes. Additionally, OP does not have to make one singular trip, if they do not want to, so there is no need to alarm him into thinking he needs to -- and the way you are instructing him, it's as if he needs to be gearing up for a long drive to bring everything home in one trip. Although, I would recommend one trip, it shouldn't take several hours to break down and prepare for the drive. If you wish to discuss experience, well, I am sure I move at least 9 tanks a month in my busy season, and have been doing so for the better part of 15 years working in this industry -- the only industry I have ever worked in.

 

[VintageReefer]

I said 'everything' in response to the reply I quoted, which you listed a few steps. Why would you apply that to a response you made several posts above, that I did not quote in response to? Anyhow, I stand by the eccentricity of your steps and the potential for undue stress, and wasted time, they have. OP has a huge endeavor ahead of him, and doesn't really have time to waste. If you wish to discuss experience, well, I am sure I move at least 9 tanks a month in my busy season, and have been doing so for the better part of 15 years working in this industry -- the only industry I have ever worked in.

And that response was a response to an earlier post


Ok let’s do it your way and ignore the fact it’s part of a linked conversation

No you do it slow with the pumps off

Work fast removing the rock to stir up the sand bed as much as possible. Leave the pumps on so you have 600+ Gph of water shooting out the lockline adding to the detritus storm. You don’t need to see through the water

Work from top down.

Work from bottom up

Remove any corals first that can be removed easily. Remove any rock that can be removed easily. Any rock with fixed coral like mushrooms or zoanthids should be transported submerged

Toss any loose corals on the bottom for later. Tackle the hardest bottom rock first. Also those rocks with gsp and coral attached. Transport them dry

The rock on the bottom layer is likely compressed into the sand. Lift this rock out slowly to minimize what is stirred up

There is no need for this. Lift it fast and don’t worry about the water. We are in a huge rush for a half hour trip. We can’t be taking our time to be neat. Oh and you won’t need to be able to see through the water at this stage to make sure you aren’t scooping any snails (nassarius esp) or crabs into the trash with that old sand.

So you said none of this is necessary. See how that works?