Getting 70g setup Friday... Need Help!

Ok I just started my first tank a few weeks ago and it is still cycling. so I am very new to all of this but im pretty exited about this.
I was at the fish store yesterday just looking around and a guy came up to me and asked if I would be interested in a salt water setup established for over 7 years. Very cheap.
I was intrigued and started asking questions.
Here is what he has.
70 gallon tank with light oak stand, new pump and bulk heads, protein skimmer, Wet drybox, about 60pds of rock (not live), and 2 - 4' double bulb light strips. Includes 2 big purple tanks, 1 big Yelow tang, 2 tomato clowns, p__?__ angel, a freshwater puffer that is 11yrs old and was converted 4 yrs ago to salt and another fish i cant remember what it was called.
Also he is throwing in an acrylic 55 gallon hex tank with stand lights external pump, cooling fans and rock (again lot live)
And everything he has for them like food, testing equ., ect.
$400 for everything
I saw the tanks and they are mint except for the layer of green algea on all the sides. It is dark green you cant really see in the tank very well. I opened the tank and there was no smell at all. I tested the water and everything seems fine I guess he just didn't clean the glass on the tank much or lately anyway.
I just couldn't pass this up.
Well now down to what i need help with. I got a friend that is going to help me with the move and im going to give him the hex tank as a gift.
Im going on Friday morning to take care of this move. I bought 12- 5 gallon pails with lids for Home Depot. I plan on taking all of the water for the 70gal and reuseing it.
The guy said that the sand is loaded with beneficial stuff so I should reuse it?
What do you think?


What else should I consider doing during this move?

Im hoping not to get conflicting suggestions b/c in doing this Friday so whatever i can learn by then is going to have to do.


I was planning on not cleaning the filter and using the same water to maintain whatever good stuff is in there. I hope to do this without loosing fish. I also want to clean the glass sooo bad... can I??? Will that be harmful to clean all that off during the move... Meaning would that have a neg effect. I could clean it later on but would so much rather clean in during the move.


Thanks for any help you could offer

 

IMO I would chuck the Sand. I lose my entire tank in the past because of the crap trapped in the sand. I would buy new. I would also scrub and clean everything. Keeping the same water is a good Idea but I would also prep for about 30G of salt water just in case. get enough rubbermade so you can keep your fish safely in then for a couple of days. That way you are not rushed in your set up. Take it slow and try and do everything exactly as you want it. Once it has water in it. it's a lot harder to make changes.

J

 

Hey Thanks for the reply

I planed on making up addition water in case i need it. Im glad to here i can clean the tank out good. Do you agree that I should not clean out the filter right now? I will take your advise and replace the sand. I was planning on setting everything up and putting them in back in the tank within a few hours do you think i should wait? would they die in rubbermaids without filters to filter the waste and heat? Im going to put in live rock but I dont have an extra $500 right now. So for now im going to leave the rock he has in it. I plan of adding corals to it one day but for now i just want to do the move and have as much as possible live through it.


Thanks again
Mike

 

I would see if you can get your lfs or a friend with a tank take the fish for you while you do this move. You're going to basically be cycling a new tank by adding new sand. You'll be stressing the fish if not killing them. I've moved my tank a good number of times. You could keep the sand PROVIDED it isn't disturbed much in the move but that's a big tank & with the sand will weigh a ton. Probably best to start fresh.

 

I would consider any rock from a 7 year old tank "Live", and treat it as such. I agree on ditching the sand bed, but as long as you're careful, the rock will be very beneficial. Keep all the rock in tank water until you're ready to put it in, and keep the wet/dry filter wet. With 60 lbs of existing rock, and a mature wet/dry filter, you should only see a short cycle time (if at all). I would move the tank, remove the existing sand bed, put in your fresh rinsed sand bed, as much of the original tank water as possible, then the "live rock", then get that wet/dry filter hooked up and circulating as quickly as possible. After the temp is stabilized, I would go ahead and put in the two tomato clowns, as they are usually tough enough for a small "cycle". I would agree to let someone keep all the rest of the fish for you for a few days. I would check ammonia and nitrites for a few days, and let those tests determine when it's safe to add the rest of the fish, and then I would only add one every 2 days or so. If you're careful, you could easily have it back up and running in a couple of weeks.

 

Ok im going to talk to my lfs about whether to keep the sand or not. I do not have any friends that can take 8 fish in which, 7 are 3-4" each, into there systems Im not sure my local fish store can do it either but I will ask.


My goal should be to not have the tank cycle right?


At 8am tomorrow i will be tackling this project with hopes of all or some of the fish making it. If not I still got a good deal and I will put the system away in the garage until i feel more comfortable to start from scratch.

If anyone can chime in with advise before tomorrow that would be greatly appreciated.

Mike

 

No way around it - it's going to cycle since you'll be adding new stuff (sand, rock). Just try to keep the losses to a minimum.

 

New sand has no life in it so that means there will be nothing to die off. There fore there will be no cycle with new Sand.

All you will have to do is rinse the new sand a ton and get it so the rinse water is running clear. Then add it to the tank. Put your water in slowly not to stir the sand. Place your Rock and Test your Ammonia. then add you fish.
Done

J

 

hey i hope this all goes well

how long is the tank because i thought that saltwaterfish like tangs need 3foot tanks so they have room to swim

also the rock will have been in there for quite some time and with all that algae it is probably as close to live as can be so dont treat it as dead

 

IMO if the water test good in all areas then keep it. But if he hasnt done a water change in a while (especially if theres such dark green algae that hasn't been cleaned), i would do one just to get some more oxygenated water flow. Definetly clean the algae off and kick the sand. New sand will be beneficial in all areas such as filtration and such. Perhaps try some biosand if your worried about there not being enough biological "factors" in your tank. clean the filter from all the possible detritus in it and...yeah sounds pretty sweet for one sweet price.

good luck with everything

BB23