How to move & setup new tank?

[twps]

I'm looking to purchase a currently running reef tank. It's a 46G bow front with 40lbs of live rock and 30lbs of live sand. He currently has an internal filter running (to provide water movement) and basic lighting on the tank, a pair of crabs and snails also live within.

I'm only purchasing the tank, stand, live rock & sand. It's about an hour long trip between our locations and I don't know the best way to move this equipment. I was thinking I would do something like this:

1. Take a large plastic container with a lid for the rock & sand, and some of his current salt water.
2. Setup the tank/stand at home, mix new water and let it sit for a couple of days.
3. Add the rock & sand and let it sit for a few weeks.
4. Add T5 lighting, power heads, skimmer, heater. Shortly after above step 3.
5. Add fish. (clowns first, then build over the next several months)

Will this work? Am I missing anything, or should I do something different? Do I need to keep water warm and flowing around the lice rock while it sits for a few days in another container? Can I add it to the tank sooner (like when I fist mix the water?) Could I add everything to the tank (sand/rock and some current salt water) when I get home then add my new water mixture after a few days? Again, should this have light, skimmer, power heads, heater on it right away?

Sorry for all the noob questions. But I don't want to kill off this live rock and sand while I wait on my water to setup. And honestly the deal I'm getting is too good to pass up.

 

[d2mini]

Get some rubbermaid tubs with lids. Transport the rock in those with some water. Don't need to cover the rock entirely with water, but you can lay wet newspaper on top to keep it moist. Put the sand in another container with some water.
Use a couple buckets to transport more water if you need to. I wouldn't use more than half of the current water. Mix up fresh ro/di saltwater for the rest.

Put the livestock in another tub or two, again with more current tank water. They will be good for a few hours at least. Put a power head in if you can when you get home. Once the tank is set up, sand and rock is in and filled with water and circulating, start acclimating live stock, if you don't have another holding tank.

Also, I probably wouldn't use more than half the old sand either. So much detritus gets trapped. Just use some to get the biological thing going, and use some fresh live sand purchased at your LFS.

That's what i would do. Using everything from a currently running tank should give you a shorter cycle. You will get some cycle though just from disturbing everything.

 

[daugherty]

+1 Dennis

hes got you covered

 

[ccCapt]

I would start mixing new saltwater now. You can get a Brute trash can for making and storing the water. You want to get the water up to about 78 and keep a powerhead in there for circulation.

Take a few containers with you to pick up the stuff. Have 1 for rock, 1 for sand and you can use some of his water, but it won't really matter if you do or don't since very little of the good batceria is actually free floating in the water.

Get the tank home and claen it if necessary and fill it about 3/4 with the new water you made. Take the sand you got and rinse it thoroughly in FRESH water to remove any accumulated crap. Don't worry about the fresh water killing off the good stuff in the sand. The little loss of good stuff outweighs the chance that releasing all kinds of crap from the sand will start a cycle. After the sand is in, add the rock and then top off the tank with more fresh saltwater.

You should be good to go now. Being the rock is cured, you should not have a cycle. You can add a fish or 2 anytime.

 

[twps]

Does temperature and the overall "freshness" of the water affect the live rock?

The real question I guess is should the water be a certain temperature before adding the rock? Or can I gradually bring the tank up to temp with the rock in it?

What exactly is ro/di salt water? My tap water goes through a softener and I assume it has to sit or have chemicals added to it and mixed with the salt. Can this be done in the tank with the LR, or should it sit for a few days?

 

[d2mini]

Softeners don't really take much out compared to a RO/DI unit.
You should think about getting one (one of the best things you will ever buy) and they are relatively inexpensive as far as tank equipment goes. Around $100 and up. Hooks up under your sink or to your washing machine.

If that's not feasible, you can buy RO water from your LFS and mix your own saltwater with bags of salt, or you can buy pre-mixed saltwater directly from your LFS. Tap water and chemicals is a big no-no in reef tanks.

If the tank water is room temp you should be fine.

 

[Bifferwine]

You can also buy RO water from Walmart or the grocery store. Starting with RO water instead of tap water will save you tons of trouble down the road.

Also, when moving, 5 gallon buckets from the hardware store will be your best friend!

 

[ccCapt]

The real question I guess is should the water be a certain temperature before adding the rock? Or can I gradually bring the tank up to temp with the rock in it?

You want to get the water warmed up before adding the rock. If you put the rock in coldwater, you have a good chance of more die off and the start of a cycle, where putting them in water already up to temp will not cause those potential problems.

 

[Bifferwine]

Try to get your water up to 76 to 82 degrees before adding stuff to it.

 

[sen5241b]

5G buckets from Home Depot with the lid on will keep water temp pretty constant when moving stuff.

 

[dcantucson]

I like using 5 gal buckets as well. Easier to carry than totes because of the handles.