Will I be able to use this?

[KMurphy]

Hi guys, I've been a longtime reader and finally see what I think is a good deal from someone getting out of the hobby, he is selling the following for $250

 

40 gallon breeder tank 36" long with flip open glass lid great condition with new seals.

4 bulb t5 light with led moon lights.

Maxi jet 400 powerhead/pump.

Aqua clear 50 powerhead/pump.

Sea clone 100 skimmer with pump.

Aquaclear 20 filter Rio nano skimmer.

Aqua clear 20 heater.

Fluval e300 heater.

Mag float.

Thermometer.

2 different types of hydrometers.

45 lbs of live rock with a couple mushroom corals and feather dusters and some coraline growth.

Live sand.

Brand new 200 gallon box of instant ocean salt.

Test kits.

All kinds of meds, additives, food, nets, scrubbers, coral planting kit, background, air line, filter media, syphon hose, extra heater, powerhead for mixing salt, and filter, among other goodies, mixing buckets, and everything I have to go with it.

 

My problem is I wouldnt be able to set it back up until after my honeymoon in October, I know the corals wont last, I'm thinking I can take them to the LFS or something, but what about the live rock and sand? will I be able to reuse those if they sit and dry out for a few months?

[iball1804]

Yeah, the LR and LS will most likely dry out, killing whatever bacteria is presently on the rocks and sand. You'll need to seed the tank with some other form of bacteria when you actually set up the tank.

[Derbird]

You could always just set up a tub with a powerhead and a heater to keep the LR alive until you are ready. A small protien skimmer wouldn't be a bad idea either

[steviejitsu]

so did u end up buying it? I would. that brand new instant ocean salt seals the deal like no other

 

and I would jump on this deal, someone else will pick it up fast. maybe you can ask a fellow reefer to hold those corals and rocks for you. and you can give a couple things in return.

[KMurphy]

Heh I just posted this about 15 minutes ago so no I haven't bought it yet. He's about a 2 hour drive from here so I'm working out a time in the next few days to pick everything up

 

I figure even if the rock and sand have to be replaced, the tank, lights, powerheads etc etc are worth the $250 to get started

[KMurphy]

Any suggestions on what I should do with the rock and sand in between having the tank up and running? Should I just take them out of the tank and let them dry out? rinse them with tap water? (I don't have an RO/DI unit yet) I'm thinking they might start to smell if I just take them out of the tank and let them sit

 

Thanks!

[GokesReef]

Well the sand you will want to ditch.. that won't keep well.

 

The rocks, just set them outside in a bucket, in the sun or set up a tub with water, heater and powerhead to keep them going until you can use them.

[iball1804]

IMO, put the rocks outside to fry anything on them. We don't know what type of setup this guy ran so literally ANYTHING could be on them.

[KMurphy]

So I went and picked everything up last night, and kept the live rocks/sand in some of the water. The wife has decided she wants it set up now as everything looks too cool to wait. I put the rocks in my old 15g tank with the water that came with them and small heater and powerhead.

 

Can I just fill up the new tank with new saltwater and add the rocks back in? I was going to mix up the water today and let it run in the tank with the powerhead running for a day or so, then make sure the salinity and temp is right before putting the rocks in.

 

Do you think that will cause a cycle? I'm in no rush to add fish or livestock, but I had planned on spending the next 2 months coming up with a solid plan to get everything up and running so I'm feeling a bit lost at the moment

 

Any advice you guys could give would be awesome

 

Thanks!

[patback]

Let te salt mix well first. Great deal by the way... Before you go away, I would invest in an ato and maybe somthing to monitor the temperature and shut it off incase it gets stuck.

[Jneighbors]

To be completely honest with you I would do what everyone else is telling you, leave the rocks out and kill the bacteria that is on the rocks because god only knows what's in them and I'm sure you don't want to have things get out of hand and have a crashed tank. But once you do that put the rocks back in and hook up your heater and power head and let it cycle for however long until your test are okay with the water. Hope this helped and good luck:)

[KMurphy]

You're probably right about killing everything and starting fresh with a new cycle, would the dead bacteria already on the rocks be enough to start the cycle?