Small Crisis - Am I Crazy?

[JohnD]

I looked at my stand for my 55 gallon FO tank this morning and saw that it was seperating. It is one of those compressed particle board jobs and I have had it for at least 12 years. It doesn't owe me any money and I think it is about ready to give up the ghost. That is the crisis.

As stated, the 55 tank and stand have been up and running a long time - at least 12 years. It has a HOB wet/dry and a Remora skimmer. It also has a CC bottom. (Like I said, it is an old tank.) The crushed coral is going in the garbage.

Can I move the contents of the tank, wet/dry and skimmer to a spare 75 gallon tank and not worry about cycling? Am I crazy?

 

[SnowManSnow]

I think you sould do SOMTHING. You don't want your investment scattered all over your carpet by any means! I'd recommend getting you, or building, a more substantial stand.. from solid wood this time (I'm facing the same problem with the press board stuff), and try to move it. Just have a big container avail.. pump most of your water into the container... move the contents to the container.. move the aquarium.. replace the stand... replace the aquarium.. pump the water back in... put the inhabitants back in place I know it SOUNDS simple in THEORY haha....

Good luck!
B.!

ps.. I KNOW you'll get questions about WHY run a wet dry.. but if its been fine for 12 yrs.. I'd leave well enough alone

 

[Fatal Morgana]

>...Can I move the contents of the tank, wet/dry and skimmer to a spare 75 gallon tank and not worry about cycling? Am I crazy?

Unless we both are crazy, you should be fine. I did this many time without cycle.

 

[JohnD]

Morgan,

Thanks.

 

[blastermqn]

For a short term repair you might try a heavy duty clamp and some wood glue to keep the current stand from demonstrating the law of gravity and entropy while you are at work. Tanks and stands will not break while you are home (usually). They are designed to implode only while you are at work and when a significant other is scheduled to arrive home first. It's natures law.

If you keep your live rock wet and limit air time as short as possible, you shouldn't get a big cycle. Regardless, with a big tank move I watch ammo like a hawk, if not do aggresive water changes just because something might die off, or somthing already dead and buried suddenly finds some good old O2 to help speed up decay.

Plan for the worst and hope for the best.

 

[Anonymous]

JohnD, you may want to also stockpile change water, just in case you do get a spike.

 

[cdeakle]

Can I move the contents of the tank, wet/dry and skimmer to a spare 75 gallon tank and not worry about cycling?

As other said you should be fine but more than likely you will have a small cycle but should not be any problems....

 

[shr00m]

i got 2 words for ya. Duct Tape

 

[Anonymous]

Move it as soon as you can. I am in the same boat as you. I have to move a 50 and a 100 gallon from a metal stand.(never again). I am going to build my own using treated wood 4x4's for a bargain price.