Salt Newbie w/Questions

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
I had a big evening last night. I decided to get rid of my existing substrate. First I cleaned my 65G tank, and netted all my shellies out of it. Moved them to my 125G tropheus tank. Then, I netted all my fry (28 Tropheus, 27 E. Cyanosticus) from the 75G tank and moved them to the newly cleaned 65G tank (temporary home until they get big enough to sell). Next I drained the 75G, removed the filters (big job in itself: AC110, FX5, and Marineland 350) and pulled the substrate, ran more water into it and cleaned it thoroughly. Went to 5 different fish stores looking for Red Sea brand salt (which is what the guy selling the tank uses), but couldn't find it. Finally settled on Instant Ocean reef salt. Bought 45 one gallon jugs of distilled water from Walmart (I bought them out). Hauled those upstairs and added to the tank with the correct amount of salt. Left two Koralia 1050s and a heater running in the tank to aereate the water and warm it up to my target temp of 78 degrees.

This evening after work I'll have to go buy more totes and buckets to bring over the live sand, live rock, and fish and various inverts. To Ryan's question above, I don't know what inverts are in there. He said he had some snails and I think he mentioned clams (but I didn't see any clams). I am planning on saving as much of his water as possible as I don't have enough water in my tank as it is.

1. Will probably start buy siphoning off some clean water (before I stir up the sand bed or move the live rock), storing that.
2. Next I'll pull the live rock and put in totes with water over them.
3. Then net the fish and put in a bucket with clear tank water.
4. Then siphon out the sand into a tote and pour off the dirty water that's on top.

Then I'll reverse the process at my house with sand going in first, then LR, then (if the water is clear), the fish. I am pretty dubious that the water will be clear enough to add fish tonight, so I may house them at a pet store for a few days to let the water clear and the sand settle (although I don't really want to do that either since pet stores are notorious disease hatcheries).

Does anyone have thoughts on whether the fish would be better going straight into the tank or to the pet store? Like I mentioned, it's one clown fish and 2 damsels.

Also, I am all ears about ideas that work better than what I've outlined above.

Thanks!
 
How big are the fish roughly?
I was moving a 180g setup over 2 days and i kept 2 clowns and a mandarin which were no more than 3cm big in a 20-30litre bucket which i just kept heater for 2 days.

How far are you travelling? you don't need to keep the LR under water the whole time, just keep it moist.
 
Put the sand in 1st before filling the tank w/ water - line sand with cardboard - fill w/ water remove cardboard- start pumps+ heaters for salinty+ lights for PH and add saltmix and dial it in. Next day add rocks and fish.

You can keep the fish in with the LR using his water a heater and circulation pumps.
 
aznfish said:
How big are the fish roughly?
I was moving a 180g setup over 2 days and i kept 2 clowns and a mandarin which were no more than 3cm big in a 20-30litre bucket which i just kept heater for 2 days.

How far are you travelling? you don't need to keep the LR under water the whole time, just keep it moist.
Click to expand...

It is a short drive (less than 30 minutes). They are really small fish (less than 3" each, more like 2"). So, maybe it would be smarter to keep a tote with a heater and a Koralia on it with the water from their tank until my tank clears up. Good idea. Thanks!
 
Otherone said:
Put the sand in 1st before filling the tank w/ water - line sand with cardboard - fill w/ water remove cardboard- start pumps+ heaters for salinty+ lights for PH and add saltmix and dial it in. Next day add rocks and fish.

You can keep the fish in with the LR using his water a heater and circulation pumps.
Click to expand...

Crap! I already added 40 gallons to the 75G tank w/salt. Is this a total disaster? I didn't know how I was going to add the sand without having a huge mess. Perhaps, I need to get a big trash can and put the water into that for now, then add the sand, put cardboard on top (great idea, I never would have thought of that), then add the water back. Let clear over night then add the fish and LR from the totes.

Thanks for all your replies, this is a huge help!
 
Willz said:
It is a short drive (less than 30 minutes). They are really small fish (less than 3" each, more like 2"). So, maybe it would be smarter to keep a tote with a heater and a Koralia on it with the water from their tank until my tank clears up. Good idea. Thanks!
Click to expand...

Any corals/anemone on the LR?
Since the drive is less than half an hour, just get a foam box or cardboard box that is lined with plastic and place the LR in the box for the drive home. (do it if there isn't any corals or anemones).

Do make sure that there aren't any crabs with the fish while in the bucket....
my fish got eaten by a small emerald crab in my 3ft tank while i was on holiday.........don't even know how its possible LOL
 
aznfish said:
Any corals/anemone on the LR?
Since the drive is less than half an hour, just get a foam box or cardboard box that is lined with plastic and place the LR in the box for the drive home. (do it if there isn't any corals or anemones).

Do make sure that there aren't any crabs with the fish while in the bucket....
my fish got eaten by a small emerald crab in my 3ft tank while i was on holiday.........don't even know how its possible LOL
Click to expand...

I don't think there's anything on the LR right now except hair algae, which I'll be rinsing off before it goes into my tank. I'll be careful about not storing the fish with crabs (I don't know if he has any crabs in the tank now, but I'll watch for them).

Thanks!
 
Willz said:
I don't think there's anything on the LR right now except hair algae, which I'll be rinsing off before it goes into my tank. I'll be careful about not storing the fish with crabs (I don't know if he has any crabs in the tank now, but I'll watch for them).

Thanks!
Click to expand...

haha np. any small crab can do damage when it is a very small area for the fish and invert. i found out the hard way.
 
If he has dwarf blue leg hermit crabs, then you don't have to worry about fish attacks; they stay pretty small and are reef-safe.

Since you already have the saltwater mixed and at the correct temperature, it would be fine to add the sand and rock, then add the mixed saltwater; you could add the fish immediately after acclimating them provided that the water isn't overly cloudy from the sand.
 
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