Moving tanks need advice

[Chinook]

Hello I'm new to R2R , I have a 75g +20g sump and currently have
1 yellow tang
1 regal tang
2 clowns
1 large milunarius wrasse
1 cleaner wrasse
1 royal gramma
1 pink spotted goby
1 mandarin goby
1 misc gobie ( sorry not was dying in friends tank so I took him)
1 star blenny
I am able to keep my nitrates at 1 ppm and have a bunch of corals mostly sps about 30, and 5 lps, i'm switching to a 120g+40 breeder sump wich is up and running now and not sure the best way to do this with minimal impact on corals and livestok. I do not want to use my q00lbs of establing rock because of around +300 mushrooms ...completely infested I lost the battle. So got new rock already starter cycling 2 weeks ago with a dead shrimp in a bag, i have 2L of matrix in my 75 for 3 weeks getting some bacteria culture and going to put in new tank tonight. Seems like I have a large Bioload for my 75 and wondering if it is better to move corals first, and slowly fish or other way around and is there anything chemical I can add that will help me make the move. Looking for some experienced advice as I do want anything to die.
Great site and happy I can be a part of it!

 

[Alfrareef]

Hi Chinook,

I've recently done a similar operation. Only diference I've used same live rock.
The methodology was quite simple...
. Invite a reefer strong friend for some beers.
. Shutdown return pump and all devices in the tank cabinet.
. Emptied the water sump to a large container borrowed by my LFS.
. Emptied the ATO container to a big bucket.
. Removed half the tank water to the container.
. While water was flowing, removed all the stuff (sump and devices from the tank cabinet and lights.
. Placed the flow pumps and heater inside the container.
. Placed all LR and corals inside the container.
. Pushed the cabinet and tank to a side.
. Placed the new cabinet and new tank on its place.
. Drink a beer.
. Installed the sump, tubes, lights and stuff (UV...) inside the new cabinet.
. Placed the LR and new sand inside the new tank.
. Started to fill the new tank with new salt water.
. Emptied the rest of the old tank water to the container.
. While emptying the old tank, collect all fishes and inverts to the container.
. Drink a beer.
. Picked the corals from the container and placed them in the new tank.
. Stopped filling the new tank about 3/4.
. Placed the flow pumps inside the new tank.
. Resume filling with old water from the container.
. When tank starts overflowing placed the fishes and inverts.
. Drink a beer.
. When sump was filled stopped and adjusted ATO sensor inside the sump.
. Drink a beer and went to bed, after 7-8 hours of hard work.

. Next day was for cleaning and connecting the doser, and ozone.
. Only had problems with one monti that didn't liked the move (it become partial grey) and some day I'll do the cable management inside the cabinet... :-)

Sure I've forgot some detail but if believe you could get that. Hope it helps!

 

[Chinook]

Yah I have moved my 75 g before in about 3 hours but was like your just taken things out moved put water/corals back in. Same water nothing changed. This time I'm scared because everything is new. I also dose biopellets and viniger so if I move my reactor when I move my fish it should keep things stable I would think. But just not sure how fast I should do this. My main problem is my mushrooms are touching my corals currently and need to get my corals out asap.

 

[Whipples]

I moved a freshwater tank and the only thing that is comparable here is to have a plan and remember to take your time to execute on the plan! If you can, have premixed water ready to go at your new location with enough water to start the refill process. I've heard mixed reviews of re-using sand and the gist of that seems to be if you want to re-use it, wash it excessively so you may want to save old tank water as there can be a ton of bacteria stored up in the sand bed that will create a mini-cycle if you aren't careful. You can always use new sand for the peace of mind.

Start planning now for the move and it will make your life much, much easier. Always bring a friend or two that know about handling livestock and be ready to reward with beer/pizza/the usual!

 

[Alfrareef]

I used more new water than old water.

If your problem isn't moving tank and are the mushrooms you should have mentioned it clearly would have save me a lot of time remembering and typing!!!!!!!!

 

[Wiz]

Moved my 40b which had more stock than your 75, 35 mins away to my new house . Lost one coral and no fish. Took some damage but all are recovering. :-)

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/moving-my-beautiful-reef.260480/

 

[Chinook]

I'm not moving anything from the 75 exept the corals and fish into my new system that is currently setup and cycling right now , what I'm concerned with is it will cycle again once I move stuff. How long should I wait to add my corals or should I add them first then my fish slowly after. Thinking might be better to do the corals then fish but no sure? And if there are any product on the market to esptablish a good biofilter . I can add the fish slowly just worried about sps in a brand new tank won't realy be stable.

 

[Chinook]

Once my tank finishes cycling maybe il move all my corals first then 1 or 2 fish every week after that.

 

[Chinook]

Would microbacter7 actually work and help me with all this?

 

[Wiz]

If you do not take any of your rock or sand or water I think you are going to run into problems. Even if you let the tank cycle you are not going to have nearly enough bacteria in order to handle the bioload that you have. I'm pretty sure the only reason my move went so well was because most of the water was from my old system some of the sand and most of the rock also. The bacterial colonies were already there. Cycling with just a dead shrimp is not going to be enough. In my opinion

I'm not moving anything from the 75 exept the corals and fish into my new system that is currently setup and cycling right now , what I'm concerned with is it will cycle again once I move stuff. How long should I wait to add my corals or should I add them first then my fish slowly after. Thinking might be better to do the corals then fish but no sure? And if there are any product on the market to esptablish a good biofilter . I can add the fish slowly just worried about sps in a brand new tank won't realy be stable.

 

[Wiz]

Without taking your colonies from the other tank it is pretty much starting over. I would not add more than a couple of anything at a time. Go as slow as you can.

 

[Chinook]

Ok do corals add a significant Bioload? This can take as long butt needed, the fish can take a long time to add but corals need out of there mushrooms are causing alot problems

 

[Chinook]

Only things to help Bioload would be my bio pellets wich are very established and wL matrix wich has only been in only tank for 3 weeks. I won't move anything for a bit. Tank is still cycling

 

[Chinook]

Only things to help Bioload would be my bio pellets wich are very established and wL matrix wich has only been in only tank for 3 weeks. I won't move anything for a bit. Tank is still cycling

2L matrix sorry auto correct

 

[Wiz]

That's a plus :-D I'm not sure the bio load of coral. But the eat and poop. So there's gotta be some. Do what you have to. Just as slow as possable. And you'll still have the other, so if things look bad pull em back.

 

[Chinook]

That's a plus :-D I'm not sure the bio load of coral. But the eat and poop. So there's gotta be some. Do what you have to. Just as slow as possable. And you'll still have the other, so if things look bad pull em back.

True can always move back

 

[mgoesma]

Has anyone just needed to temporary move there tank? I have a 90g with a 30g sump. I am getting new floors so I need to temporarily move it into another room. What do I do.

 

[Chinook]

I did this it my 75g I emptied all water, removed water into tubs and live rock and made a doley, moved my tank and put everything back in took around 3 hours. Nothing was effected at all

 

[Chinook]

This is my new setup no power heads till coraL's are in

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

. Seems like I have a large Bioload for my 75 and wondering if it is better to move corals first, and slowly fish or other way around and is there anything chemical I can add that will help me make the move. Looking for some experienced advice as I do want anything to die.
Great site and happy I can be a part of it!

I don't see any significant chemical or biological reason to prefer moving either corals or fish first. Do whatever works best logistically, IMO.

Fish are far higher bioload than photosynthetic organisms. So if you are worried about the nitrogen cycle, move fish over time.