Tank change

big day tomorrow
my 75 gallon 5ft x 18 x 18 has been in service a few years, and is now badly scratched due to various particles being trapped between the algae magnets
the scratches where hardly noticeable until Feb this year when I upgraded my lights

so tomorrow a brand new 75 is being delivered (my cabinet and canopy are fine so its just a new tank)

my plan

am - switch of power and syphon as much water into 2 x 25 gallon new buckets - without disturbing to much, so water stays clean

place corals into said buckets and use my 2 internal cannister filters filled with purigen currently to keep water moving and oygenated

then finish removing water into a large plastic toy box (sorry son, you will get it back)

once I am left with maybe an inch or 2 of water, the rock will be removed and placed in 5 stackable tubs in order so I can easily put my reef back together

last but by no means least , when all the rock are out, fish will be caught and added to the toy box - which will have the skimmer set up on it

I will place my T5 canopy over the 2 large buckets with corals in

tank with maybe 2 inches of water and sand will be removed from stand

new tank arrives lunch time

once tank is on stand

rock will be put back (yes there will be foul language, probably)

water from the large buckets will then be put pack ( but making sure cannisters and corals remain submerged)

water from toy box will also be added -

revised tank will be bare bottom in order it is easier to keep clean in future. or I may add some new fine sand - I will be discarding my current sand.

once water levels are up , corals and fish will be once again be back home

I have 10 gallons of saltwater ready to make up for any losses during this process and will top up as required

does the above sound like a reasonable plan?

is there anything obvious I am missing or doing in the wrong order?

Once everything is in its new tank, I will finally post pictures of my set up

tanks aesthetics have prevented me posting pictures until now, too ashamed of the scratches

Oh and my flame angel is the only current inhabitant who will not be returning to his refurbished home (coral nipping started on Zoanthids and finger leather)

he will be sent to the 60 and a new home with the 3 snails, chocolate chip star and hermit crab and no corals


Steve

 

I only see one issue....

If your tank doesnt arrive at lunch time, or doesnt arrive at all tomorrow... you already have stuff out of the tank. I'd wait until you have your new tank available and ready to go!

Otherwise, looks good

 

ah, china. i dont know how reliable your delivery service there is but can you be a 100% sure the tank will arrive by lunch? because you dont want to take everything out, be ready and then have to wait on the tank...right?

 

dangit phayes.....guess u type faster than i do

 

good thinking by both of you

Ive not paid for the tank, I pay when they deliver
and part of the deal is they take the old one away with them
so its a one in, one out type scenario

my biggest worry is them arriving before the old one is empty so Ill be up at 6 am and starting the removal

Steve

 

The tank not being there on time (or early) would also worry me.
You'd be better off having them drop if off one day, and pick the old tank up the next day if at all possible.

 

Sounds good to me...
you speak the language and I'm sure you know the bad words pretty well by now so if they don't deliver on time - you know what to do
I think everything will go smoothly... nice planning, btw

 

The one thing that worries me is the sand being a big biological filter in the old tank, and there being no sand in the new tank...

you could add new sand, and a little bit of the old sand to seed it.

 

I don't think it would a problem provided he has enough LR. I wouldn't add any of the old sand to the new tank...

 

best of luck steve with this endeavor.