Im picking up a 40 gallon SW tank with fish this week. Ive never dealt with saltwater and was wondering if anyone could tell me the safest way to move the tank and fish without having to recycle the tank or killing any fish.
Noob Moving a SW tank...need info
- Thread starter pacu_keeper
- Start date
only about an hour.....my main concern is keeping the fish alive while we take the tank down, load it, get it home and set it back up. How long can the fish survive out of the tank?
Keep as much of the original water as possible and don't rinse the skimmers/filters. If you don't know anything about SW start doing research now.
You will likely need some salt mix and testing equipment for SW stuff as well, along with doing some research, yes I just said that twice.. They aren't that hard once you know what you're doing. Make sure to have a good refractometer as well so you can get the salinity right.
Do not add that last bit of water and fish until the salinity is set and stable, the temp is set and stable and you test the water to make sure nothing is out of whack.
Also make sure you have some sort of good filter on your tap, straight tap water generally isn't the best for a SW tank unless yours is exceptionally clean.
You will likely need some salt mix and testing equipment for SW stuff as well, along with doing some research, yes I just said that twice.. They aren't that hard once you know what you're doing. Make sure to have a good refractometer as well so you can get the salinity right.
Do not add that last bit of water and fish until the salinity is set and stable, the temp is set and stable and you test the water to make sure nothing is out of whack.
Also make sure you have some sort of good filter on your tap, straight tap water generally isn't the best for a SW tank unless yours is exceptionally clean.
Agreed, keep the sand, rock and filter material wet. Keep as much of the water as possible. You can move the fish in cooler with battery powered airstones and they'll be fine. When you get there, add the sand, rock and as much of the original water as possible (try for at least half of it). Let it all settle down and start to clear up and see where you stand. If you have enough water to run the filters, get them going. If not, make up enough new water to get it high enough to run... doesn't have to be all the way full right away. If you add water, let it mix awhile, then reacclimate the fish to the tank. Over the next day or so, make more salt water and top it off.
I'd keep something to check pH and specific gravity handy.
I'd keep something to check pH and specific gravity handy.
Just found out I have to get the tank tonight. Where would be the best place to get salt and test kits. most everywhere is closed today considering I live in southwest florida and the dumb tropical storm hit us last night/this morning so I would have to get it tomorrow morning. We have just about every kind of commercial pet store and a couple saltwater specialty stores.