Hi, Im Kerry and just been given a marine set-up!!! Please Help

[Lulabell55]

Hi, I am about to be given a matured marine set-up. I am new to marine but have kept tropical fish for a few years.
I was wondering if anyone can give me any trusty advice or tips to help me out to start off. I have a local marine fish shop helping me out with the moving of the tank and all its contents.

I wondered how the fish and invert and alike will cope with being moved, I wasn't sure if they would be likely to survive the move as I would imagine this would be streeful.
If possible could anyone let me know how they have got on with moving a mature tank and give me any advice.
Thanks
Kerry :)

[Kev]

Hi Kerry, welcome.

I moved all my stock into buckets from the old tank, tranferred live rock into new tank, decanted mature water into new tank, transferred stock from buckets into new tank. Easy, with the help of a friend, just hard work.

Kev

[Macca]

Make sure and get as much of the tanks water as possible. Take plenty containers and try to get every last bit of water. Try and get styrofoam boxes and house all the aquatic life smuggly inside and keep at room temp where possible. Live rock will be fine getting transferred but be very very careful about moving a sand bed. I would personally take advice form someone who knows what they are doing who can give you professional help when moving a sand bed. To give advice without being there would be wrong. Sometimes the sand can be added sometimes it cant.

James

[Lulabell55]

Hi, Thanks for your reponse Kev, how long do you get from turning the tank off to setting it back up the other end?? What sort of time frame would you recommend we tried to do it in ??

Kerry

[Lulabell55]

Thanks Reef Critters for your response also, I have purchased several containers to transport the water and poly-box's for the aquatic life. I am hoping it wont take us too long and I am also hoping I wont loose any of the tank life in the moving process.

Thanks again,
Kerry

[Macca]

As long as the livestock is kept warm I would safely say 12- 24 hours.

The important thing is to reduce stress as this could lead to disease or even death. Bag them in the poly box , close the lid and only open once you are ready to float them in their new home.

Their new home must be as much of the original water as can be. Once the tank has been set back up, Raise the temp in the tank, turn of lights and slownly acclimatise each bag and release back into system. Be careful on what fish / inverts/corals you put back in. Make a note of livestock and the forum members will help you decide which ones should be introduced first. This can be important!

James

[Kev]

Hi Kerry. It must have taken me about 6 hours, with no problems for the livestock. It was more a pain in the neck for me, because I am bone idle.:D

Kev

[Kev]

Hi Kerry

Just thought I would add, that you may do well to get a couple of good books, read lots on the internet / this site, to get a basic understanding of water chemistry and the parameters you need to achieve prior to the move. Don't mean to offend you, you may already have this knowledge, but I have assumed not.

Kev

[SteveS]

hi kerry welcome to the site, good luck with your new venture

what size tank are you getting? maybe take a pic on a digi cam so you can see how it all goes back together? nothing worse than restacking live rock! note the positions of powerheads etc

a couple of things that im speculating on here some may not be relevent

does the system have a dsb(deep sand bed) as filteration? if so you dont wanna be disturbing this as it or an external canister filter?

imo i would transfer any live rock with corals on in water, and rock without corals in a bucket without water.

does the system have a sump? if so maybe try and prepare a salt mix using ro water to top up if need be

let us know how it goes and post a pic when its all done. any questions fire away

steve

[Kev]

I am taking it as a joke by the way.

Kev

[Lulabell55]

Thanks Kev, Would you recommend any good books at all ???

[Gillybaby]

Hi Kerry, welcome to Reef Corals. Great advice from the guys here. You'll have no problems now ;)

[Kev]

Thanks Kev, Would you recommend any good books at all ???

Hi Kerry

Books that I always fall back on are the Reef Aquariums Vol 1 + 2 by Delbeek and Sprung. A little bit pricey when I got them, but will probably be a bit cheaper by now. Maybe a little dated too, but a wealth of info.

Kev

[callum_parsons]

just thought i would say it was hard enough with freshwater let alone doing marines.
just need buckets and lots of water containers and free time

[Reefer]

Of course it was a joke Kev!
Sound chap is our Kev absolute salt of the earth or the ocean of course!
Prolific poster and advisor too.

[Kev]

Reefer.

Many thanks

Kev

[Rover]

Good luck, you won't regret it once the move's completed.

[Lulabell55]

Hi All,

Well I picked the tank up last night, am very pleased with it. I transported all the water and rock. It only had 3 humbugs and 1 boxer shrimp in it, not great but a start.

Here is a picture of the tank before we filled it back up. Will post some more as and when.

Thanks again for everyones advice. I look forward to some more help and interesting reading on here.
Cheers
kerry :)

http://www.reefcorals.co.uk/forums/imagehosting/thum_1824539bead6cf7b.jpg (http://www.reefcorals.co.uk/forums/vbimghost.php?do=displayimg&imgid=84)http://www.reefcorals.co.uk/forums/imagehosting/thum_1824539bec4486f7.jpg (http://www.reefcorals.co.uk/forums/vbimghost.php?do=displayimg&imgid=85)

[Kev]

looking forward to seeing how you progress.

Kev

[Lulabell55]

Hello,

I am debating on getting a Protein Skimmer as the setup never came with one, Does anyone recommend a particular brand or type???
Also does anyone recommend I get any other equipment ??

Cheers
Kerry :D

[Kev]

Anyone recommend a good skimmer for Kerry?

Kev

[Macca]

Kerry, what do you propose to keep in your system?

James

PS Lovely looking tank, looks great in your room.

[Lulabell55]

Hi All...

Well I am looking to have some clown fish, Flame angel, Tang and some nice anemome's hopefully. I am keen to have a nice bright tank that will be pleasing on the eye as the tank is in our lounge where we spend most of our time.

Can anyone tell me if what I was told was true, I was told that if i want more than say 2 clown fish that I have to buy them all in one go, and cant add more once the first ones have been in the tank??

Oh and can anyone recommend a good protein skimmer for me..??

Thank
Kerry :D

[callum_parsons]

i have the new tmc v2 skimmers it is ace and really good value or if you have some cash spare you could get a D Deltec MCE600 this are the business so i hear