Breakin Newz

Hey, I have gotten different feeback about this.. Some say 1 day only some say 2weeks is fine etc etc...

So I want to see more opinions.. I am going to do a tank transfer I was going to do it today but I recieved my tank broken... And I have water that I was saving from my old tank for the new tank in a container...

So how long can it sit for... I have a pump running on it right now but I sometimes turn it off...

Im pissed off about this 2 tank transfer withing 2 weeks and now recieving my tank broken!!! Maaaaaaaan!

rbtwo4

my guess would be its no good UNLESS u have a powerhead in there or some type of filtration going on. if u have nothing but water sitting in there i think its shot ph would be down and god only knows what else.
hope someone chimes in with more knowledge on this

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tsouth

Hmm idk man. I don't think that water is necessarily needed to be saved. Is there livestock? You could do weekly water changes on that and when you fill up the new tank just use new water.

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Chong

Keep a heater and powerhead in the container you are storing the water. Not sure exactly how long your water would be good for but my guess would be as long as you have enough circulation your water will be fine. IMO its better to use as much of your old tank water during a transfer.

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Breakin Newz

Well I have just a pump in there... Its about a week old atm... Has about 5 gallons of old tank water and 10 gallons of new...

tunicata

Hm, with a pump and maybe even adding a heater, there isn't too much difference between your water holding tank and a sumpless/skimmerless tank is there?

As long as the beneficial bacteria aren't given the opportunity to die I don't see a problem. People store SW/FW in huge barrels for weeks at a time with only a power head and a heater.

To be cautious, since no one is still 100% sure of anything, when you are ready to do your transfer go slowly. Do you mix with new water, break out your chemistry set, make sure parameters are in check and there you go.

I some times shut my sump down for weeks at a time, and just add on a bit of flow and a heater, just so that when I turn it back on it wont be a temp shock. Before I turn the pump back on, I take maybe a gallon on water from the display and add it to the sump and let that swirl around, then add in 1-2 gallons of new RO water (top off plus any dosings).

Reefer4life

Allow me to put it this way.
1 - You have had the water sitting for how long?
2 - You have turned the power head off for how long at a time?
3 - You did not run a heater in this container.

Now let me ask you this:
What do you think the chances are that there is any Good Bacteria left alive in it?

Further more the beneficial bacteria that you actualy want transfered in to your new system is in your live rock & sand. There is very little in the water column.

Hope that helps.

Tunicata, why do you turn off your sump? I don't understand.

tunicata

Oh, it was made as someone's DIY project and they didn't build the seams very well. It's acrylic and it uses silicone as its sealant. When I bought it I didn't know that it was a bad idea! The baffles leak water between different sections and the major problem is there is a leak in one of the joints. Every 2 months or so I have to turn it offline and completely drain that section/whole sump and reapply silicone until I can figure out a way to fix it 100%.

So, usually it takes me a while to get over being annoyed so the sump ends up sitting around for a bit before I reseal that area.

That is one reason I want to start my own DIY acrylic project, hopefully I do it better than the person who made this one and I never have leaks!
Other than that though, its a nice sump.

Reefer4life

Tuni, I think that what was suppose to be used was "Weldon". I don't know to much about acrylic so you may want to ask Deep, or Psychographic.
I would think that you would remove the silicone, clean the acrylic really good, dry it, and perhaps use the Weldon to seal it.???

tunicata

yup, that's what I plan on doing. I can't really do it until school ends though. But I've tracked down 2 weldon sources AND a fellow that is willing to do it for me if I wait till summer anyway. He says I'd also need a way to clamp it, and he already has all the weldon products I'd need, etc. Since I plan on doing more projects I will just buy the stuff myself (Acme plastics is like 20mins away from school/home) and play around.

I'm just going to get:
Weldon 4, 16
4 when building new, or needing to get into tight places only thin solvents can reach
16 when I've botched up or need to fill a space that has been botched already.
Also applicator tip for 16, and applicator bottle and tip for 4 as well as a funnel/can lip. I think I'll get both in a pint size and call it good.

For the acrylic I'll get 1/4-1/2 inch non-lexi if I can find enough at a good price. HD has some but I need to check if its a decent brand at least for a sump.

Psychographic

I ca'nt see any problems with somewhat long term storage other than, as has already been stated, what bacteria is in the water will die off without a food source.


Is the tank itself held together with silicone or just the baffles? If the tank IS held together with silicone, I would STRONGLY suggest you waste no time rebuiding it using the proper solvents such as Weldon. This could come apart at any time and, well, you know the consequenses of that happening.

Also, do yourself a favor, DON"T use cheap acrylic! If quality acrylic is out of your price range, make your sump out of an existing glass tank and use glass baffles, it's much cheaper.

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Breakin Newz

so if the bacteria does die off will it cause ammonia or something?

johnmaloney

Not much good bacteria in the water column anyway. If you have the filter media, (rock sand, etc...) You will be good, keep that wet. As for the water, if still I give it a day if it has nutrients in it, then it will go stale and get to much of the noxious bacteria in it. New water won't kill your tank off, this stuff could.

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Breakin Newz

Damn I mixed 5gallons of old water with about 10-15 new water... So in most likley its bad? I have to throw it out? Damn i've been throwing money out like its comin out my ***!!