Movin tank to new house -- sand bed?

[ps2cho]

The tank is 4 months old. 40 breeder with 40lbs of sand

 

I was thinking of just draining the water to the bottom, then carefully moving it with two people without touching the sand bed.

 

Any issues with this at all? The sandbed isn't that old so I don't want to start again...

[ReefWeeds]

Even though it is only 4 months old, I still think any sort of move will disturb the bed and you're going to get a spike of ammonia etc.

[brandon429]

You should rinse it hard 100% and lose 4 mos of detritus

 

Rinse in saltwater, distilled, tap, doesn't matter. Do the final rinse in SW and just move a clean bed

 

None of this sterilizes or kills bacteria it just removes waste

 

If you move no detritus you get no recycle, only detritus causes cycles in sandbeds

 

I'm making a video showing me rinsing my SB in tap last nite then put back together as regular cleaning routine.

[ReefWeeds]

I moved a 12 long from one room to another that was about 6 months old, drained it down to the sand bed, left about an inch of water and still had an ammonia spike and a cycle.

[brandon429]

Skip cycle 75 gallon

 

Move to new home

http://reef2reef.com/threads/the-official-sand-rinse-thread-aka-one-against-many.230281/#post-2681445

 

Agreed that order of operations is important, you have to disassemble the move tank in order and transfer no waste. Live rock can cycle sometimes due to detritus as well plugged inside and liberated in the move, bac are not lost its an overwhelming of them when a cycle does occur

 

The way we trace out cycles:

 

Ammonia is the symptom, must be measured accurately. Excludes API

Can only come from proteins being digested via rot and bacterial decomp, or by digestion and waste excretion

Find source of ammonia, isolate, prevent cycle.

 

Certainly can't hurt to have prime on hand safety insurance.

 

The only reason we need to hash out relatable ways of moving is so certain methods can be employed to stop loss. Just a couple decades ago the procedure had no steps and any large action taken on a tank might cycle it... our hobby took a long time to see the liabilities of detritus storage

 

Skip cycles must be used when people set up display tanks at the big conventions etc

[ps2cho]

I am starting with fresh saltwater so would you guys suggest I scoop the sand into a 5g bucket, and rinse with the old saltwater until it comes out pretty clean?

[ScubaPooch]

I'd be hesitant to move it with sand in it. I moved a 90g with the wet sand left in it and the bottom seal gave out from the stress.