Suggestions for a newbie w/ move

[slugg3r]

I've been reading these boards for awhile and it is finally time for me to take the plunge. I was just able to buy a 90gal bowfront from a local person looking for a change and he is going to help me move it next week.
I'm trying to figure out how to best move the tank and keep as much alive as possible. I've read all the strings about how to move a tank so I think I am set with that. Just really wondering how to get the tank how he has been keeping it to more how I want to set it up.
He currently has 2 damsels (I don't want to keep those), a percula, and some type of small wrasse. He also has many corals and an anomone.
He was only using tap water and I would like to use RO. He also said I need to get new live sand. Any suggestions? I was wondering if I should put the entire thing back together as he had it, add the new sand, and then start using RO water for my water changes, or if I should put the fish and coral in some type of smaller tank while I got the new one going so I know that all the water is pure.
I'm a little worried about adding new live sand.
Any other help would be appreaciated... Thanks!

 

[joyfnp]

why won't he let you keep some of the sand? is he using it for another tank? If you can get a couple pounds of it, I would think that would be a beneficial "seeding" of your new tank. I wouldn't spend the money on new live sand, I would let that mature on its' own and go with live rock pieces.

 

[slugg3r]

He said because of all the Algae growth in his sand I should replace it. Should I just keep it then? He only had a 1" or so sandbed and I would like to increase it to 2"-3" by adding some sand anyway.
Thanks again for your help... I definitely still have lots to learn and now I am jumping into the fire.

 

[slugg3r]

I'm thinking about buying 2 smaller tanks this week, 1 for a future sump, and 1 for a future QT. Would I be able to put the fish/corals/inverts, in these new tanks with the exisiting water a powerhead and filter for a few days while I get the DT cleaned and up and running with RO water, the sand, and rock, and then acclimate the fish to the revamped DT?
This is the best solution I have come up with but I sure am no expert.
Thanks

 

[hardcrab67]

Originally Posted by SLUGG3R
I'm thinking about buying 2 smaller tanks this week, 1 for a future sump, and 1 for a future QT. Would I be able to put the fish/corals/inverts, in these new tanks with the exisiting water a powerhead and filter for a few days while I get the DT cleaned and up and running with RO water, the sand, and rock, and then acclimate the fish to the revamped DT?
This is the best solution I have come up with but I sure am no expert.
Thanks
I'm no expert either, but I'd say your on the right track. You should test his water to see where your at and where you need to get to. I suspect Phosphates from the tap is a major contributor to the algae. As you stated your going to need those tanks anyway, but you could use totes which are cheaper if money is needed elsewhere(sand) and they come in handy for mixing SW too. Set it back up w/ 50% old water and 50% fresh SW. Might need to run a Phos sponge to get that reading down. Wash the LR w/ fresh SW and when you set up the temp tanks, I'd do 50/50 on them too, then acclimate the fish. Sand is no biggie, just add playsand to the tank and put the LS on top of it , it will seed the playsand. If you think the sand is dead, then put it in first and get a 20lb bag or bags of LS and place on top of the old. HTH