Moving rocks between tanks

[Aparker2005]

Hey everyone. Trying to make this as quick and easy as possible. We are switching our 125 planted fresh tank to salt. Our 75g is moving to a fresh tank. We also have a 40b salt well be combining with the 75.

We have a lot of Rock in our 75 and 40 we'd like to use in the 125. Also have hob filters on both tanks with bio media in them.

If we take these rocks out, they're obviously going to dry out and die before my wife decides on a final scape. She wants to take her time on this scape and get it the way she wants.

I'm assuming if the rock drys out and we then put it in the 125, we're going to have an issue.

If there's a way we can do this, can we leave the fish and corals in their old tanks while we get the 125 ready, then just transfer as much water from the old tank as we can?

We would really like to avoid having to buy a whole new rock work for the 125 if possibe. We're also on somewhat of a time crunch on moving things as bad as that is with salt lol.

I'll be adding some Fritz turbo to get the cycle going quickly, but wasn't aware of what the die off from the rocks would do if we don't have fish in it yet, but possibly a few corals that have attached themselves to the rocks.

Thanks!

 

[Jekyl]

If you currently have live rock that supports the fish, and are transferring it to the new tank without drying. There will be no need for the added chemicals. Don't move anything from a FW tank directly to SW.

 

[Aparker2005]

If you currently have live rock that supports the fish, and are transferring it to the new tank without drying. There will be no need for the added chemicals.

That's our issue.... I don't think she will be settled on a scape in time for it not to dry out. I figure it'll be quite a few hours with designing and gluing some.

Would a spray bottle be a good idea to keep it wet with old tank water or no?

 

[ScottB]

If there's a way we can do this, can we leave the fish and corals in their old tanks while we get the 125 ready, then just transfer as much water from the old tank as we can?

Do this exactly. Keep the SW rock and sand alive; just keep running the SW system as is.

 

[Aparker2005]

We ordered new sand for the new setup today. If the spray bottle will work I think we may be okay... Just wasn't aware if that was sufficient enough to keep them alive during the rebuild and scape process

 

[Jekyl]

That's our issue.... I don't think she will be settled on a scape in time for it not to dry out. I figure it'll be quite a few hours with designing and gluing some.

Would a spray bottle be a good idea to keep it wet with old tank water or no?

Rock is shipped all the time, sometimes taking days using minimal water and wrapped in wet paper. There will likely be some loss. Keeping it wet is priority. Keep some separate with intention being used for islands or stacking.

 

[Jekyl]

Other than that just pay attention for the first few days. Keep water premixed and ready to do changes if necessary.

 

[AltitudeAquarium]

Hey everyone. Trying to make this as quick and easy as possible. We are switching our 125 planted fresh tank to salt. Our 75g is moving to a fresh tank. We also have a 40b salt well be combining with the 75.

We have a lot of Rock in our 75 and 40 we'd like to use in the 125. Also have hob filters on both tanks with bio media in them.

If we take these rocks out, they're obviously going to dry out and die before my wife decides on a final scape. She wants to take her time on this scape and get it the way she wants.

I'm assuming if the rock drys out and we then put it in the 125, we're going to have an issue.

If there's a way we can do this, can we leave the fish and corals in their old tanks while we get the 125 ready, then just transfer as much water from the old tank as we can?

We would really like to avoid having to buy a whole new rock work for the 125 if possibe. We're also on somewhat of a time crunch on moving things as bad as that is with salt lol.

I'll be adding some Fritz turbo to get the cycle going quickly, but wasn't aware of what the die off from the rocks would do if we don't have fish in it yet, but possibly a few corals that have attached themselves to the rocks.

Thanks!

Can you put the saltwater live rock in buckets of old tank water with a powerhead and heater until ready to go into new tank? What I did was, glue the wet rock together and put it in the buckets until I was ready to put in the aquarium. I used paper towels soaked in tank water while gluing the rock together to keep the nonglued section moist.

 

[Aparker2005]

Sounds like this may be a little easier than I was thinking.

Once we have the new rocks setup, I'll move one of the hobs from the 75 to help cycle for a few days until it's ready for us to move the fish and rest of the coral over.

Thanks everyone!

 

[Aparker2005]

Can you put the saltwater live rock in buckets of old tank water with a powerhead and heater until ready to go into new tank? What I did was, glue the wet rock together and put it in the buckets until I was ready to put in the aquarium. I used paper towels soaked in tank water while gluing the rock together to keep the nonglued section moist.

Yeah we can. I've got an extra trash can, pump, and heater

 

[Jekyl]

Sounds like this may be a little easier than I was thinking.

Once we have the new rocks setup, I'll move one of the hobs from the 75 to help cycle for a few days until it's ready for us to move the fish and rest of the coral over.

Thanks everyone!

The other thing to consider is when getting the new tank wet. Adding your scape, then sand, then water will make it less than ideal for the fish. May want to save a few matured rocks for the tank housing your fish for a day.

 

[Aparker2005]

The other thing to consider is when getting the new tank wet. Adding your scape, then sand, then water will make it less than ideal for the fish. May want to save a few matured rocks for the tank housing your fish for a day.

Yeah I was planning on leaving a hob and a few rocks we won't be gluing in the old tanks until we're ready to transfer.

I'll watch levels. Trying to cause the least amount of spikes in parameters

 

[ApoIsland]

Can you put the saltwater live rock in buckets of old tank water with a powerhead and heater until ready to go into new tank? What I did was, glue the wet rock together and put it in the buckets until I was ready to put in the aquarium. I used paper towels soaked in tank water while gluing the rock together to keep the nonglued section moist.

Do this exactly. Not sure why anything has to dry out and experience any significant die off.

I always drain as much of the old tank water as I can before moving anything touching the sand bed. I use that water as holding tank water when moving tanks. Also use maybe 25% of it when setting the tank back up as well. Best not to use any old water after you have disturbed the old sand bed as that water can go lethal quickly.

 

[Aparker2005]

Around how many lbs of rock would be good for a mixed reef 125? We'll obviously want some room for the foxface and whatever other larger fish we may add eventually, as well as many places for the smaller fish to hide and swim through.

We have some Acropora doing really well at the top of our 75 now. Do they do okay in mid level, or should we keep a higher section for them? Determining how high we should put them this time.

 

[Aparker2005]

Alright everyone, we are getting close to the big move. We will have 3 brute trash cans for holding water. Hopefully that's enough.

I'm probably making this harder than it has to be, but I'm trying to cause the least amount of loss possible. Moving salt tanks is so much more complicated than the ease of fresh lol.

The 125 will be emptied and cleaned this weekend. We have new sand, but are gonna try to use all our rock from the 75 and 40 instead of buying new.

Gonna try to move the fish to a holding trash can, or to the 40g breeder or 20 qt until we have the rock moved over. Wife is planning on keeping it sprayed down with a water bottle with water from the 75 gallon. Her scape shouldn't take long to make.

Once that's done, put the rocks in, while still keeping them sprayed down wet. Add in the loose rocks from the 40 gallon which won't have to worry about drying out. Add the sand, and fill the tank with pre-made salt water and water from the 75 gallon. Once that's all done, the mostly hard part seems like it will be done except for monitoring levels.

Quickly move our hob filters to keep the bacteria and cycle going.

My question now is for the fish if all of that is successful. With adding fritz in just for extra security, can we go on and add the fish if levels are right? I'm afraid of messing something up with losing most all the live rock in the tank.

We plan on keeping some rocks in the 40 during the transfer, as well as the hob filter for that tank until completed, then move it to the 125 also.

I hope that all makes sense, and we basically end up doing a huge water change with the rocks and filters both transferring to the new tank with not much (hopeful) loss.

Sorry for the extra details lol

 

[Aparker2005]

Also with the corals. Do they need to go straight to their normal lighting cycle, or is it okay to leave them off for a day until the tank clears up?

These may all be dumb questions, but I'm so nervous. I've moved fresh tanks a lot, but never salt.

 

[Aparker2005]

Do this exactly. Not sure why anything has to dry out and experience any significant die off.

I always drain as much of the old tank water as I can before moving anything touching the sand bed. I use that water as holding tank water when moving tanks. Also use maybe 25% of it when setting the tank back up as well. Best not to use any old water after you have disturbed the old sand bed as that water can go lethal quickly.

I think you answered some of the questions I had below. So I can just use the current non disturbed water as a holding tank in a trash can, or just move the fish to the 40 gallon.

Definitely not gonna want to use that disturbed water to use to fill the new tank with, but maybe as much undisturbed as we can.

I think I'm afraid of not having enough salt water made for this big of a tank and then end up losing fish & coral. I don't have enough heaters and wavemakers, or space to hold that much water at once.

If I can get the fish moved to the 40, then drain the 75 to a trash can or 2, THEN remove the rocks, that could work I suppose.

 

[Aparker2005]

Of course now we may just end up getting some new live rock, and help it get cycled with the fritz and some of our old live rock. That may ease the stress of the move.