I just bought a 120 already set up aquarium with dead rock and sand in it, with 2 damsels and angel and a clownfish. Im transporting it about 45 minutes to my house and setting it up in my basement. This is my first salt tank and was wondering if i can put new live sand in and how long i would have to wait before i could add the fish that are already in it.
Transport
- Thread starter Juthunter28
- Start date
If it is setup test the parameter before you take it down if the ammonia and nitrites are zero then you can move the inhabitants the same day as long as you move the rock and sand and get it setup within that day. You can add full cured live rock at any time but if you add uncured rock make sure that the tank is free of anything you want to live as you will likely cause a mini cycle.
So if i take all the sand and live rock and pu t them into a clean 55 gal bucket with the aquarium water in it and come home fill the tank up and add the salt and everything and then put the rock and sand back in it and then add new sand to help produce new bacteria all in the same day i can put the fish back in later that day?
Im new to the hobby and wondering if its easier to keep some live rock and live sand and some fish instead of creating a whole reef aquarium from the get go. Im on a limited budget because im only 16 but am wondering if my 120 is suitable for just a fish only tank with just some live rock and live sand. The people im buying it from have an Emperor 400 filter on it and im assuming the heater becuase they have it up right now and they say everything in the tank is dead besides the fish...so if i add a few pounds of cured live sand to the tank and fill it back up with water and everything will the tank need to cycle again and can i put the fish back in the tank because i dont have another salt tank to put them in. Do i need a skimmer for just a fish only tank?
Last edited:
You will need a sand bed thats 4-5" deep, in a 120gl it will take ALOT more then a few pounds of live sand. You will also need some type of porous rock (Tufa or Lava will work if you cant get Live Rock). If you put water from the ocean into your aquarium it will be no better then making it yourself, the cycle depends on how much bacteria is present in your aquarium. I
t depends on how much live sand/rock the aquarium had before hand, or else there may not be enough bacteria to get rid of ammonia and nitrites the fish will produce. A skimmer will help out alot, especially if its your first SW tank, but its not required and will require more management without one.
t depends on how much live sand/rock the aquarium had before hand, or else there may not be enough bacteria to get rid of ammonia and nitrites the fish will produce. A skimmer will help out alot, especially if its your first SW tank, but its not required and will require more management without one.