Moving

Ok, I am moving my tank tomorrow, I know this is late notice. I believe I have everything I need....I have moved a fw 55g cichlid take 3 times before so I kinda have an idea, however; this is my first sw move I am basicly draining the tank, keeping all the water, moving, and setting back up. I got a big cooler and a bunch of bags to keep the fish and corals and to keep temp. After I set back up using all the water drained from the tank(I bought 5 5g gas cans to hold the water)....how big of a cycle will my tank go through?? I have a 24g nano. When the cycle is over what livestock should I add first? Fish, corals, or clam? What would the best order be? And how long will the livestock in the bags be o.k.? Should I set them up in buckets with air pumps or just leave them in the bags. I figured they would be ok in the bags because thats usually how they all get shipped here in the first place. Any advice or pointers from you old-timers is much appreciated.

 

Should I keep the paired Maroons in one bag together? One of the maroons has taken to the green hairy mushrooms.... should I keep him with green hairys in the bag?

 

Maroons should be bagged separate and the mushroom should be separate from the fish! PH, alkalinity and oxygen problems can result if the livestock is in a bag for too long.

 

Thanks, how long is "too long"?

 

IMO, I would place your livestock in containers/buckets instead of bags so you can monitor the livestock better(ie. deprived oxygen to livestock). More space for your livestock. I would add your fish first then the corals and clams! Air pumps for your livestock is ideal IMO to help with the gas exchange.
Good luck!

 

Cool, thanks. I have 4 buckets, two for the fish, two for the corals and the clam. I still have to move them in the bags. When I get to the new place and put them in the buckets should I get rid of the water they moved in and put them in the buckets with "tank water" from their old home?

 

make sure your clam doesn't stick to the bucket!

 

I placed a small piece of lr rubble under the clam and he attached to it. Hopefully he wont let go of it or try to attach to the bucket. I have a bunch of lr rubble..should i put have a lr rubble layer in the bucket instead of a bare bottom where the clam will be?

 

I was reading coral reefer's guide to moving and from what it seems....there really wont be a cycle. Did you add you livestock as soon as your water was put in the tank? Or did you wait a little while and check parameters before you put them in?