Moving 40g tank

[Mjc092]

hello,
I’m moving at the end of the month and currently have a 40g tank up and running. I just got a 40g breeder from a member and a 30 gal breeder from a friend to use as the sump. I have already purchased 30 pounds of crushed coral aragonite. Should I pick up some life sand too or can I just use about 10 pounds of my sand to seed the tank? I’m also going to be running a fuge in the sump. Should I used the fine grade sand for a deep sand bed? Do I need to cycle the tank if I’m transferring all the rock from the old tank?

 

[diana a]

Being that your only using the sand to seed the new tank you don't really need that much. Removing a half a cup to a cup shouldn't be a problem at all. Just use some vinyl hosing and siphon off as much of the top layer as you need. You are going to have to keep it heated and water clean to keep it alive. I would also get some quality aquacultured live rock or wild live rock. The cryptic animals and bugs, especially the sponges are essential for reef ecosystems. Live sand in a bag is a waste of money. There isn't much life in it

 

[diana a]

Deep sand bed you would use fine sand. But remember that if you plan to have a high flow tank, the fine sand will blow around. If your rocks from you old tank are in an active tank, you will have a small cycle do to the new sand you are adding. If the old rocks are not in an active tank or are dry, they will need to be cleaned, and cycled...which will take a while. Remember that saltwater tanks are not the same as freshwater...it takes weeks to be ready not hours.

 

[Mark_C]

Agreed.
No major cycle needed unless you're using new rock.
If you're using your old rock with a piece or two of new rock you should be OK, though you will have a mini cycle.
Just dont dump too much new rock in there at once.

I use aragonite myself (or special grade reef).
I dump 5-10 pounds in a 5g bucket, fill with water, stir and pour out the dirty water.
Then repeat over and over till the water runs clear.
Dump the clean sand into the new tank.
Then I add 10 more pounds to the bucket, fill with water, , repeat, etc (I say 10 pound because if you put more it takes forever to clean and is a pain to stir up).
Once all the sand is clean and in the new tank, add 1/2 to 1 cup or so of your old sand and, viola, you're seeded.

Good luck with the move and welcome aboard!

 

[mnat]

I am a huge fan of always using a new sand bed when you move a tank, we have done it several times and have never had a problem doing it. When you disrupt and old sand bed you can be realeasing a lot of nasty stuff, and if you don't properly rinse it (like Mark states above) you can do more damage than good. Starting a tank off on the wrong foot and be really hard to correct. Find some bacteria in a bottle and add that when you move (Dr. Tims, etc.) and you should be in good shape. Unless you are stocking the tank with something that needs a deep sandbed, I would go on the lighter side, but again that is just personal preference and experience.