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Group: Forum Members
Last Login: 9/2/2010 2:08:34 PM
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Good evening!
We're renovating our house and have to move out in a couple of months. I've spent so much effort feeding and doing the water changes to make up for the feeding of all the animals growing in my sandbed and I wondered whether you think it's worthwhile to try to move them, too. I know that most of the population probably has representatives on my live rock, so it's probable that I could rebuild the populations if I had to, but I do hate to sacrifice animals if there really is no need. And I'm not convinced that a sandbed "should never be touched."
Thanks!
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Andy
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| At the very least you should distribute it to your local friends so you can collect it back when the time comes to set up again. Dang, does that mean no pics and wierd events from you for a while? Fred
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Group: Forum Members
Last Login: 9/2/2010 2:08:34 PM
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Sorry, Fred!
I'm setting up an intermediate system at my office so I'll be keeping all of my buddies for the duration of the renovation (probably a year or so). So, it might be a whole lot of top-down shots for a while.  I'm sure there'll be plenty of weird events, too, just maybe not as many viewed in the reef tank.
We just found out a few months ago that we have to replace our furnace, but that means getting the asbestos and lead paint abatement teams out and us moving out. Well, as long as we're moving out anyway, it's time to make all the upgrades we've been dreaming about for the last decade. The last time we had the floors refinished, they told us it would be the last time we'd ever have the floors refinished.
It's a big pain, but we have plans laid for a great big new tank! So at least I can start a tank build thread....
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Andy
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Hi Andy,
Certainly, it is possible to move a sand bed. The question becomes, "Is it worthwhile to move the bed." One has to be careful - the sand bed particles can act like a grinding mill on most of the animals. The recipient tank should be as large as the donor bed, or you have to make the decision as to what part of the bed to move.
Howsoever, if you want to do this it can be done with a minimum of problems for the bed critters. The shorter the move, the better, though. One has to scoop out sections of the bed, a bit at a time and place those in buckets. If the bed is a well set up DSB, one should transfer the upper part of the bed separate from the underlying areas. One also has to ensure that one moves the bed as quickly as possible and with a minimum of water. It is best to drain the first system all the way and move the bed as "moist sediments." Water over the sediments during the move often causes the sediments to become anaerobic, and this can cause a lot of mortality.
Anyway... if you want, we can discuss this in more detail when you are at the stage of needing the information.
Cheers, Ron
"The difference in mind between man and the higher animals, great as it is, certainly is one of degree and not of kind. The love for all living creatures is the most noble attribute of man." Charles Darwin (1809-1882)
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Group: Forum Members
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Wonderful! I didn't relish the thought of leaving so much life behind. My office is in a building on the rear of my home's property, so it should be a fairly straightforward process. Just lots of trips with the bucket, really.
Should I lay down a bed of new sand in the new location first and then just move the top layer in on top of it? I assume that most of the life (macro life, at least) is clustered toward the top of the bed. How worthwhile is it to try to preserve the lower areas? Sorry, that just makes a difference in the setup that needs to happen soon.
Thanks!
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Andy
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Hi,
You asked, "Should I lay down a bed of new sand in the new location first and then just move the top layer in on top of it?"
Yes, that generally works well.
"I assume that most of the life (macro life, at least) is clustered toward the top of the bed. How worthwhile is it to try to preserve the lower areas? Sorry, that just makes a difference in the setup that needs to happen soon."
Most of the animals are in the upper couple of centimeters. Often a if you use a plastic dustpan as a scoop you can "plane off" the upper layer with a minimum of disturbance. The lower areas have a lot of bacteria and protozoans rather than larger creatures, but they are necessary for the overall health and functionality of the bed. When you start with a new bed they will not have a habitat to their liking. They will not do well at first. You will transfer some of them with the upper part of the bed, and their populations will remain low for some time (how long they will have low populations is hard to predict). Then, as the new bed matures they will populate the lower levels and the bed will become more functional.
The new bed will not be fully functional right away. No matter how careful you are, this sort of procedure kills a lot of animals. The new system will go through a cycling episode and then it will be months before it returns to normal. It is often worth while to reduce the main decorative livestock load before the transfer, and they build it up again gradually as the sand bed recovers.
As you might expect, this sort of process is rather tricky, and this will be especially so with regards feeding.
Cheers, Ron
"The difference in mind between man and the higher animals, great as it is, certainly is one of degree and not of kind. The love for all living creatures is the most noble attribute of man." Charles Darwin (1809-1882)
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Group: Forum Members
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Sounds like a plan. I purchased and cleaned two 100gal. feeding troughs today and will connect them together along with a 40gal. aquarium that happens to be over there and empty. I believe if I hurry that I'll have the luxury of allowing the tanks to cycle well before the move, so at least I'll have some bacteria established before I add all the ammonia from decomposition.
My fish load is intentionally fairly low at the moment (6 cardinalfish, 1 blenny, 1 rabbitfish, and 2 anthias). Most of the corals should be fine cruising with lower-than-normal food for a while. The other inverts ought to do fine with fish leftovers plus some nori. I'll bring the feeding up really slowly.
Umm ... that's all I can think of for the moment. Thanks for your time!
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Andy
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