Moving Tank Toxic tank & Upgrading

[Simplyanchored]

Hi!
I had posted this on another forum and have gotten a few responses but I like lots of advice.

I had an established 55g tank. I got married, moved, but left my tank. Since getting married 3 years ago, I had a baby and totally neglected my tank! My mother has been topping it off but is hasn't been cleaned in 3 years.

How my two clowns and chromis are still alive, I have no idea!

Anyways, I really want to get back into it because I loved my tank and I know my toddler would love it too. I have decided, instead of just moving my tank, I would tank this opportunity up upgrade to a 90g.

So here are my questions/issues:

My tank is disgusting: what do I move and what do I throw out in terms of sand/water, ect?

My LR is covered in Aiptasia - do I get rid of it before the move or after?

If I do move my rock and sand (and add sand) will it need to cycle again before I add my fish?

I plan on having a HOB skimmer - do I need a canister as well?

Thanks!

[kfisc]

Honestly, and opinions will vary, I'd start from scratch, transferring your fish to the new tank once it's established, and perhaps using your old tank (once emptied and cleaned) for a sump. You might try the various rock "cooking" techniques, but with that much aiptasia, it could be more cost effective and less frustrating to just start with new rock.

[gone fishin]

Starting from scratch is probably what I would do.

[fishpureluck]

I'd start from scratch, buy a 10 gallon to hold the fish while you dump the 55, then use the 55 as a sump with an in sump skimmer. I wouldn't do anything with that rock besides throw it in the yard. The amount of crap soaked into the neglected rocks along with the mass amounts of aiptasia would make that rock a nightmare. It'd be more cost effective to just get "new" rock. Between phosphate remover, aptasia killer, and massive amounts of water changes, it'd be cheaper and less of a headache to dump it and start new.

[Squatch XXL]

Originally Posted by fishpureluck

Between phosphate remover, aptasia killer, and massive amounts of water changes, it'd be cheaper and less of a headache to dump it and start new.

I had an issue one time where I had ordered overnight live rock of 100lbs....2 weeks later I get a call from the post office...it was held for 2 weeks before I was contacted that my box was leaking.

I made the post office HOLD the box in their office for an additional week while I worked out refunding me.....Which they did not want to do. Well after a week of smelling that wretched thing, they refunded me in full and shipping to get it out of their office. And boy did it stink.

I boiled every piece, and it took MONTHS for the 75g tank to stabilize. In retrospect, I would have simply took my money and gotten more rock. this was 15 years ago....

Its worth the time and aggravation to simply start over with some new fresh base rock.

[Simplyanchored]

Wow! Thanks for all the advice! What about the sand? Rinse it and use it?

[imjedi76]

Starting fresh gives you the peace of mind that you pieced everything out yourself and made sure you bought the best that you can afford. Plus, it'll be like Christmas every time you open something new and play with.

Trying to clean up an old tank feels more like a chore and after a while you'll get tired of trying to battle the algae and crap that's already in the system and give up.

I'm in a similar situation except I bought an established tank already and trying to fix the old setup. Even though I saved a bit of money I wished I had started from scratch now that I am learning more and more each day.

[fishpureluck]

Get rid of the sand too, it's cheap if you buy it in bulk. Buy one decent sized piece of live rock, some good live sand, and a bunch of dry base rock and start over. Are you just wanting to do fish, or do you want corals too? What state do you live in?

[Wesus]

Originally Posted by Simplyanchored

Wow! Thanks for all the advice! What about the sand? Rinse it and use it?

I would rather spend couple dollars for fresh sand. If something goes wrong in your new tank first thing what you are going to suspect is old sand and rocks

[gone fishin]

I would do new sand as well. I would also not bother with the canister filter either. Good luck

[Simplyanchored]

Okay maybe starting new is what I should do. I don't have a lot of $$ to work though

[Simplyanchored]

Originally Posted by fishpureluck

Get rid of the sand too, it's cheap if you buy it in bulk. Buy one decent sized piece of live rock, some good live sand, and a bunch of dry base rock and start over. Are you just wanting to do fish, or do you want corals too? What state do you live in?

I want to do corals once my new tank is established. I live in Maine so my resources are rather limited

[fishpureluck]

Originally Posted by Simplyanchored

I want to do corals once my new tank is established. I live in Maine so my resources are rather limited

That's too bad that you live up there, if you lived in FL, I have almost everything that you need including the tank in my shed that I'd give to you.

[fishpureluck]

Originally Posted by Simplyanchored

I want to do corals once my new tank is established. I live in Maine so my resources are rather limited

If you're planning on corals, start new. Like I said earlier, get one piece of live rock, a bunch of dried rock and some caribsea live sand and in a few months, you'll have a reef ready tank. That combined with a decent skimmer, a couple power heads and some decent lights, you'll be ready to go. Look on craigslist for the equipment, go with a system with a sump, the more water you have, the easier it is to keep stable. Plus you can hide your skimmer in there.

[Simplyanchored]

Originally Posted by fishpureluck

That's too bad that you live up there, if you lived in FL, I have almost everything that you need including the tank in my shed that I'd give to you.

Oh man that would be too nice! Maybe I'll convince my husband to drive down haha

I've checked craigslist but there isn't much in the at of anything usable up here. I might check Bostons CL

[Sk8r]

I'd suggest a program of water changes in the old tank to accustom these poor fish to good water: 30% one day, then 20% two days later, 20% two days after that. THEN a transfer to clean water. Their systems have gotten used to some difficult conditions, and I don't know what they've been breathing and drinking, but I'd say a transition rather than an abrupt change might be the thing. If it were my tank, I'd lay hands on about 5 pep shrimp, and wait, on your mom's good graces, topping off but not feeding the tank. Pep shrimp would be able to rid you of the aiptasia problem, and being hungry, they're more apt to go after them. If they can clean your rock up, just collect the shrimp into qt with the fish, then move the rock to a watered, circulated bucket, discard the sand, move the tank, install the rock, then new sand, and expect about a 5 day cycle. Install clowns and shrimp, and prepare to have a tank that runs nicely. Any surviving aiptasia will meet a crew of aiptasia-eating shrimp. I'm thinking if you set up a tank well enough to survive on topoff and fishfood this long, you can do a good job on this.

[scooter31707]

To answer your question of how the fish are still alive? they are about the 2 hardiest fish you will fine in this hobby. That's why they are labeled for the true saltwater beginner, that possible might make mistakes with the water quality. Now you can really say how hardy these fish are. Anyway just buy everything from fresh and restart.

[fishpureluck]

Most fish will "acclimate" to crappy water if it happens slowly. Just like a few freshwater fish can be kept alive in saltwater if done properly and slowly.

[Simplyanchored]

Great advice everyone! It's very overwhelming!