If I get a 90 gallon long

[rockethippo]

If I get a 90 gallon long and make my 30 gallon a sump, can I just leave my 30 gallon as it is, cycle the 90 gallon, connect them, and move everything to the 90 gallon? When I say leave it as it is, I mean take the fish/inverts out and leave the sand and LR. Can it just be one big area for equipmeant and a refugium or does it have to be seperated? And in a refugium is where macro algae it put?

 

[rockethippo]

Also is it possible to lift the 30 gallon half full of water? If I have to take my LR out and drain more water, will everything on the LR, like mushrooms and inverts, be fine if exposed to air for a quick sec?

 

[dorkfish]

That would work... but personally I would cure the LR in rubbermaid containers first (this way you don't get any (or very little) of the organics from the LR in your tank) then put it in the 90 then hook that up to your 30.

Don't even try to lift your 30 with half the water in it... My dad and I (both of us can lift 150+ ilbs) tried to move my 30 with just the sand in it, well we could barely get it to move (we ended taking out the sand). Try and keep your rock submerged - I've found that coraline doesn't agree with being out of water, corals will be fine though.

 

[rockethippo]

If I take out the sand will it become dead even if put into a bucket with soome aquarium water in it? Also just something like a dust pan will work to get the sand out quickly? If I do get a 90 gallon it will be for Christmas/my birthday on Jan. 6th