aargh!! some moving questions please?

[gerry_e]

I have to move my 120 gallon to a new house in 2 weeks.
I have an inch and a half of fine sugar sand which has been in tank for 7 months. Is it a good idea to use the same sand ? I would just as soon go to a coarser substrate as I hate how the fish kick this fine sand up.
I am just worried as all I have is a little 30 gallon tank to keep fish (a dozen)
in until tank is ready. also,do I have to cart any of the old water over?

 

[reckler]

I have a friend that moves tanks for a living and he puts al the fish in a bucket with water, all the corals,sand,ect. and has alot of 5 gallon buckets for the water. everything is moved so the tank is set up the exact way it came down. that is what he does to move a tank.

 

[wangotango]

i personally would try to keep the sand, one because its got good bacteria for your bio-filter, and disturbing it can sometimes release stuff. just leave like a half and inch of water over it if you can.

 

[bacia]

I moved the contents of a 58 galllon tank from north east Kentucky to north west Indiana. I emptied the tank and put the sand in a plastic tub, the fish,shrimps and corals in individual plastic containers in styro containers, except for the 3 LTA and 3 cinni clowns. They all went togther in one big tub. The live rock was carefully put into another tub and covered with tank water. I had battery operated air pumps in with the LTAs, the corals and the tang. That was just for water circulation. The more surface area you have on the water the better the oxygen exchange. I took all the water except a few really dirty gallons from the bottom of the tank and sump. When I got home I put everything in a 78 gal tank. It all made it and is still living. Good luck.

 

[reefkprz]

if you keep the fine sand you can put coarser stuff over it, the coarser stuff always stays on top, that sugar sand is aweesome for anerobic bacteria, if you add your coarser stuff you end up with a deeper sand bed and IMO thats a good thing. plus by keeping the sand you get to keep all your bactiria and sand dwelling critters, if you trash it you lose everything in it.
moving tanks is no fun I do not envy you at all. good luck with the move.