Seeking Advice on Moving/Removing Sand bed

[chrisjj625]

Alright, so I am going to be moving soon and I think removing my sand bed will assist in the future move. My tank is a innovative marine 30L, around 30 gallon capacity, but probably closer to 20-25 with rock and the space below the rim. I want to take out rocks and corals and place them in a Rubbermaid trash can with a heater and power head, cover with tank water, remove the sand bed. Throw everything back in the tank with some new water to make up the difference. Are there any concerns with this? Tank has been up for almost a year. I have been vacuuming my sand bed almost weekly with water changes. @brandon429 would like any thoughts you have as I know you are an advocate for such things. At your advice, I would run the lights on acclimation mode from 60% back up to 100% of my normal schedule over a two week span.

Thank you in advance for any input!!!

 

[dvgyfresh]

Alright, so I am going to be moving soon and I think removing my sand bed will assist in the future move. My tank is a innovative marine 30L, around 30 gallon capacity, but probably closer to 20-25 with rock and the space below the rim. I want to take out rocks and corals and place them in a Rubbermaid trash can with a heater and power head, cover with tank water, remove the sand bed. Throw everything back in the tank with some new water to make up the difference. Are there any concerns with this? Tank has been up for almost a year. I have been vacuuming my sand bed almost weekly with water changes. @brandon429 would like any thoughts you have as I know you are an advocate for such things. At your advice, I would run the lights on acclimation mode from 60% back up to 100% of my normal schedule over a two week span.

Thank you in advance for any input!!!

I just moved last week, I would say it’s easier to get new sand than risk the old sand (who knows how much muck is in it) don’t use a power head in the storage bin , I did and it killed all my fish ( one got caught in power head = cascading fish death ) use air stone and heater , everything else is solid tho

 

[Ghost25]

You want to remove the sand days before you move? I'm but sure what that's going to accomplish. When I moved my 30 gallon I put the rock, coral and fish in buckets with the tank water, threw away the old sand. Got a new bag of live sand for $30 and put everything in the tank at the new location. Ended up needing to make some fresh saltwater but not that much more than my regular water change.

 

[Zach B]

@brandon429 is the expert on this I believe like you said

 

[rusty hannon]

I agree ,if you stir up something evil you'll lose everything before it starts. On another note I bought a 40$ wet dry vac from home depot and it removes sand and crushed coral like all get out. Good luck n I've moved as few times, once from Okla. to Arizona w no probs other than my own stress.

 

[chrisjj625]

The point is to remove sand now, so when I move in a month it’s one less thing I have to deal with.

 

[NeonRabbit221B]

Rinse sand with tap until clear and final rinse in RO. I agree, no powerheads unless it’s for your rock. Moving isn’t bad on livestock but go slow so you don’t make mistakes

 

[NeonRabbit221B]

Don’t remove sand until the day of. It’s going to be a challenge to not stir up detritus...

You could do a quick rip clean and reset without a sand bed for a few months but it’s not been tested in our protocols before. Kinda similar to what I did now that I think of it.

 

[brandon429]

All good advice. thanks tons for posting Chris the more the merrier

Moving - Transferring 6 year old tank - Help!

So I'm going to be moving about an hour and a half away in around 3 weeks. I currently have a 90G reef that's been running for around 6 years now. I have 6 fish. I don't even want to bother with trying to take down the tank and then move the tank and the inhabitants to the new home, so I'm going...

www.reef2reef.com

that is a recent job that really matches yours. It had extended corals and rock storage before the move, a strong match

 

[rusty hannon]

The point is to remove sand now, so when I move in a month it’s one less thing I have to deal with.

I can appreciate that if you go the shopvac way it took me about 30 min to vac completely and wipe down the tank.you'll do fine so try not to stress.

 

[chrisjj625]

All good advice. thanks tons for posting Chris the more the merrier

Moving - Transferring 6 year old tank - Help!

So I'm going to be moving about an hour and a half away in around 3 weeks. I currently have a 90G reef that's been running for around 6 years now. I have 6 fish. I don't even want to bother with trying to take down the tank and then move the tank and the inhabitants to the new home, so I'm going...

www.reef2reef.com

that is a recent job that really matches yours. It had extended corals and rock storage before the move, a strong match

Is that really the same? I just want to empty tank, remove sand, put everything back in. Thus, I won’t have to worry about sand when I move the tank later.

 

[brandon429]

Can the steps shown there be applied to your upcoming job? Nobody minds if you don't actuality move the tank, the disassembly and reassembly is the needed portion

I thought it was being moved right then, that doesn't change any of the physical disassembly process or skip cycle re assembly

 

[chrisjj625]

It’s possible. I’ll probably just roll with my original plan minus the power head. How long can my tank inhabitants sit in a trash can before I need to worry about an air stone? I don’t currently have one and I’m my head this whole process should only take 1 hour, 2 tops.

 

[brandon429]

I’d agree they can go that long, shipping to the pet store was worse stress than that plan

 

[rusty hannon]

Is that really the same? I just want to empty tank, remove sand, put everything back in. Thus, I won’t have to worry about sand when I move the tank later.

It’s possible. I’ll probably just roll with my original plan minus the power head. How long can my tank inhabitants sit in a trash can before I need to worry about an air stone? I don’t currently have one and I’m my head this whole process should only take 1 hour, 2 tops.

good morning, i know youve been collecting advice for the move so please , please take this tidbit. shipping fish n critters are done w overoxygenated air and that does make it. you don't have any battery powered air pumps, so before you put them in the moving can buy a couple and give them air and it also creates movement and surface aggatation. first if you do you'll have some for power outages, second, life happens when all is going well so b prepared. and third, you're water isn't overoxygenated so let them breath. i also haven't heard it mentioned about the move of the tank, get a piece of plywood that you're tank will fit on and set tank on it. this will save you're seams during the move. only the best of wishes for you and you're critters. good luck .

 

[NeonRabbit221B]

dang Rusty were you been during all these move threads? Shop vac? Plywood? Wish I had gotten some of that advice as I use a clean dust pan to pull sand out of my 75 FW tank.

 

[ZoWhat]

Sandbed removal?
Rent one of these at Home Depot
Hillbilly f u n for all

 

[rusty hannon]

dang Rusty were you been during all these move threads? Shop vac? Plywood? Wish I had gotten some of that advice as I use a clean dust pan to pull sand out of my 75 FW tank.

Im sorry, old burnout I guess lol, but seriously I built tanks back in the 90' s w thicker glass and no braces and moved a few , safely and successfully. I just don't remember things till something strikes one up. Usually a safety thing or something that will help livestock. Old school burnout. Painted a lot of cars and couldn't wear a mask r it put out my smoke hahaha. Anything that helps I'll think of something or ask someone that knows. Thank you though. Happy reefing

 

[chrisjj625]

Well I pulled all the sand. Everything went pretty smoothly expect my pump broke and my rock work broke in one spot.

 

[kutcha]

make sure to watch parameters for the next week or so for any spikes