transferring tanks assistance!

[michelle]

Well, this is in relation to the DIY project I have underway (the canopy) but I thought I would start its own thread.
Ok, I currently have my reef in a 55 gallon. I just bought a 72 gallon. The reef is going into the 72, and the 55 will become a freshwater puffer tank.
I need some advice first on the order in which to tackle the things I need to do, and then on HOW to do it. I am trying to be as efficient as possible, with as little mess as possible (things are chaotic enough at my house without too much mess) and most importantly, I wan't to stress my fish as little as possible. My last tank move, (33 to the 55) cost the lives of almost all my fish.

Here's what I was thinking. I need to paint the back of the tank and the stand. So, I will do that tomorrow. Then I was going to switch the tanks before I start the canopy so that I don't have 2 tanks pulled apart in my living room. I will be able to set my 55 up on the 3rd floor of my house then and put the 72 where the 55 gallon has been on my 2nd floor.
Then Sunday I will start the canopy (which will be as basic asI can manage).
So, does that make sense?

Next, What is the best way to transfer the fish. It was suggested that I transfer each type of thing in the tank into its own rubbermaid container, (rocks in one, fish another, corals etc.) then start to stock the 2nd tank with 1/2 the water, then the rock, then the substrate, then rest of water and fish.
It was also suggested that instead of the first way, I pull the old tank out(it slides out easily) put the new one in place, siphon 1/2 the water directly into the new tank, then move the rocks directly over, Move the fish (they won't have anywhere to hide with the rocks moved), the rest of the water, then scoop the aragonite over.
I used the first method for the move from the 33, and everything died, but it may have happened regardless of how I did it.
So what do you guys think? What causes less stress?
ANY OTHER TIPS OR ADVICE GREATLY APPRECIATED.
Thanks

[hoopsdaddy]

If you are able to transfer from one tank to the other without having a staging area I would do that. It would save the fish from having to be "caught" one more time.
If you put anything in a bucket/trashcan make sure you clean these very well. I have herd several stories of all the fish/corals from only one trashcan dying while everyone else did ok.

[daugherty]

what i would do is get a cooler and fill it with water from you 55. than but you fish in it and in a seperat cooler put you rock in it than drain all your water and move tanks and put your sand in the 72 rock than start filling with your old water and last put the fish in and the rest of the water doing it that way you should not have any trouble. when i transfered tanks i use my kids swimming pool for the rock and two coolers for the fish and coral i made the complete transfer in about 2 hours from putting the overflow bulkheads and plumming in to having running water.

[yote]

When I went from my 55 to the 75,I did like James.The only problem was the kids "TRYING" to help.

[daugherty]

Originally Posted by yote

When I went from my 55 to the 75,I did like James.The only problem was the kids "TRYING" to help.

i had the same problem the kids wanted to be involved in everything i would turn around to do something and they were all running off in different directions with rock

[michelle]

Another question. This may be a stupid question, but, when you paint the back of a tank (I decided to go black) do you, or how do you, paint up under the black plastic edging? I know that it would(in my case) be the same color as the paint, but you'd still notice the difference wouldn't you? Are you supposed to take the plastic off? and if so how? I checked, it seems to be silicone or glued on.
Thanks

[yote]

Just put some masking tape on the trim.Then once the paint drys,just pull the tape off and WA LA.

[Bifferwine]

Originally Posted by michelle

the 55 will become a freshwater puffer tank.

Wait, what, FRESHWATER?!?!

[Bifferwine]

I agree to the suggestion of minimized "transfers" if at all possible. The fish will be less stressed if you only have to move them once, from one tank to another, rather than from a tank, to a holding tub, to a tank.

This is the way I did my 55 to 240 move, and I did not lose one fish (I had 13 in there). I used all new sand, so I didn't have to move the sand over from one tank to another.

Filled the new tank halfway with new water. Moved the live rock and any corals that were attached to the live rock to the new tank. At this point, the old tank only had sand and frantic fish in it. Moved half of the old water over to the new tank, to create a mix in the new tank. Caught the fish, and moved them over to the new tank, one by one. At this point, the water in both tanks was cloudy from moving the rocks around, so it was difficult to see the fish that weren't brightly colored. Then I just filled the new tank up with water again.

[Rcpilot]

I recently transferred the 5g into a 10g.

#1 - drain about 3g from the 5g tank and put it into a clean bucket

#2 - remove rocks and put them into the bucket

#3 - lift HOB refugium off back of the 5g and set it on the back of the 10g tank

#4 - dump 10lbs of dry aragonite sand into the bottom of the 10g tank

#5 - siphon out more water from 5g tank and put it into the 10g tank. Only a gallon left, but you want as much as you can save

#6 - pick up the 5g tank and get it outta the way because the 10g tank is going back in the same spot

#7 - put the 10g tank on the stand (filing cabinet)

#8 - put rocks from bucket into 10g tank

#9 - put water from bucket into 10g tank

#10 - trap Striper (evil 6-line wrasse) in PVC pipe and lift him and the pipe out of the 5g tank and into the 10g tank

#11 - plug in all the BS (lights, pumps, heaters)

# 12 - get new saltwater from my mixing bucket and fill 10g

#13 - have several beers while I freak out over killing everything

Woke up the next morning to a crystal clear tank and happy corals. Didn't poke my 6-line with any Q-tips or shake any rocks. He's just fine after spending a night wedged up in a tiny hole in the rock.