Ok, so my RSM 250 has been running for 11 months now. I have had a small leak in the tank and Red Sea sent me a new tank to switch out the old one. I want to map this out and do it right. Can anyone with experience help me so I can avoid losing livestock. I have about 15 corals and 8 fish in the tank. I will have to move everything to a storage tank/container while I move the new tank in. I think I want to just replace the sand bed rather than reuse my live sand. Does anyone see any potential problems with a new tank and the bio filter. I will be resuing all of my live rock of course.
Changing Tanks
- Thread starter ViperDoug
- Start date
As long as you don't take too long, and you keep it all wet ( submerged if possible), you should have minimal die off, and minimal cycling.
You didn't mention it but, I would reuse the water also. New sand shouldn't be a problem, you could seed the new with a cup of the old.
You didn't mention it but, I would reuse the water also. New sand shouldn't be a problem, you could seed the new with a cup of the old.
BLADEYAMAHA
Well-Known Member
+1
foxsavage
Member
+1^
I've had to swap tanks a couple of times and that's exactly how I did it. I put all the livestock and water in tubs, set up the new tank as quickly as possible, and moved everything in except I left the sand out the second time because the first time it caused a nitrate spike when I stirred it up. I didn't have any losses either time.
I've had to swap tanks a couple of times and that's exactly how I did it. I put all the livestock and water in tubs, set up the new tank as quickly as possible, and moved everything in except I left the sand out the second time because the first time it caused a nitrate spike when I stirred it up. I didn't have any losses either time.
Rubbermaid totes from Walmart work great for this... Walmart.com: Rubbermaid Roughneck Latching Tote: Storage & Organization
A 35 gallon one like $13 - a couple of these will work great, I used them for my move from my 130 to my 250
A 35 gallon one like $13 - a couple of these will work great, I used them for my move from my 130 to my 250
BLADEYAMAHA
Well-Known Member
My system is so big I used 50 gallon drums from a Farmers Co-Operative, Plastic ones I cleaned well, never lost any stock moving.
Yes, I planned to reuse the water. My reason for changing the sand was to remove any nitrate buildup. I read an article this month in TFH about a guy who doesn't use sand in the bottom of his tank. Does anyone here practice this? If I put everything in a tub with the vortech pump and hang my lights over it, do you think I would be fine for a day like this? My reason is that I plan to take advantage of this opportunity to do some things differently this time that I have learned. For instance, I have read threads of people having catastrophic incidents of tank failure and water all over the house. Well, I have a waste line in the floor right beneath my tank. I thought it would be a good idea to tap into that waste line and install a surface drain in the floor, beneath my tank. That way if I ever had a major leak, at least there was somewhere for the water to go instead of through my ceiling.
