Used tank purchase with questions

I'm just re-thinking...it makes sense to me to scrub if the tank is established and the rock has been dying off via dry shipment. BUT, your rock is still in the water it came in, right?

Unfortunately no.
 
I kinda had the same scenario as yourself, I bought the complete setup with the rock but the tank was drained with the rock left damp in two rubbermaid containers. This guy didn't know how to maintain the tank so he was getting rid of it, i think the rock was all dead or near-dead anyway. There was no critters, frags, or even coraline algae on it. I didn't know much myself either just starting out but I have had no problem since I scrubbed the algae off and that was over 4 years ago.
According to your profile, it doesn't seem like you've got a major bio-load. Add a few nice pieces of live rock to re-seed and don't overstock. Thats one thing I've learned in my years at this, TAKE YOUR TIME.
 
I kinda had the same scenario as yourself, I bought the complete setup with the rock but the tank was drained with the rock left damp in two rubbermaid containers. This guy didn't know how to maintain the tank so he was getting rid of it, i think the rock was all dead or near-dead anyway. There was no critters, frags, or even coraline algae on it. I didn't know much myself either just starting out but I have had no problem since I scrubbed the algae off and that was over 4 years ago.
According to your profile, it doesn't seem like you've got a major bio-load. Add a few nice pieces of live rock to re-seed and don't overstock. Thats one thing I've learned in my years at this, TAKE YOUR TIME.

Yeah, I think that's the plan. I'm not even sure which direction I'm going with this one yet. After QT I think I will add the percula to my 30g and the 2 damsel to my 20g which I call the aggressive tank. If you can't play nice with others that's where you end up! LOL! So I will clean everything up, get it ready and go from there. I could add 30 to 40lbs of new LR without a problem and that would be about 50%. And considering the Fluval and the Penguin are both rated for up to 75g with that much LR that's pretty much overkill on filtration. I might try to sell one and and one of the Sea Clones. Plus I will probably upgrade the lighting also. I want to try corals eventually and could easily do that in my 100g since I have a Nova Extreme 432 watt on that already.
 
Totally a tangent but I was wondering if your tanks are near enough to one another that they could share a large sump/refugium? That would be pretty nifty!
 
Totally a tangent but I was wondering if your tanks are near enough to one another that they could share a large sump/refugium? That would be pretty nifty!

Not really. The 20 and 30 are actually on the same metal stand one over the other but the plan is to eliminate the 20 and put the 30 on a new wood stand. The 100 is in a different spot in the same room but will eventually be moved even farther away on a full wall cabinet setup that I am planning on building. The new 56 will be in what will be our bedroom. I have a number of remodeling projects going on. The shared sump idea is interesting though. Giving me new ideas but don't tell my wife, she already thinks I'm obsessed enough. :grinyes:
 
Good grief that is alot of work you've got going on! Keep us posted with pics!
 
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