Well, for those that remember me... I am back. Sorry I disappeared for about 2.5 years. Just kind of got burned out on the forum thing, etc. Slowly getting back in to the mix though.
My 75gal crashed 2 Thanksgivings ago. It was depressing watching all my corals, and inverts die. Water changes didn't help, nothing. The culprit... a mixture of 3 things I believe.. maybe 4..
1) when I had last topped off the tank I added too much RODI, thus dropping the salinity some. (that should not have been that big of an issue...BUT...)
2) I did not realize that one of the heaters in my sump had shorted/melted the cord, and was zapping my aquarium. (went downstairs to look at the tank and I could smell something burning. Looked in the sump and saw smoke coming out of the water...almost stupid me..my first impulse was to reach in the tank and pull out the heater. Thankfully, my brain kicked in and I unplugged it first).
3) with the heater going out, my tank temp dropped to about 70 degrees.
4) I hadn't checked on my tank due to my schedule for 3 days.. so my tank suffered for 3 days before I noticed.
So, all 4 things put together equals... devastation.
The only thing to survive was my clown fish, my watchman goby (which died 2 months ago), a hermit crab, which has since died, and a peanut worm, (which I hope is still alive).
I set up a 30gal tank upstairs in my living room, and have a BRUTE trashcan sitting next to it for a sump. Tank isn't doing all that well, but the new LR I put in is flourishing with mini stars. :-) And the 3 spaghetti worms I bought have now turned in to 7.
So, keep debating, do I tear it all down, or get things up and running again. After going to a local fish store and seeing their beautiful displays, and hearing that they were running a sale on RR tanks.. I bought a 75g RR. Hope it comes in this week.
I already have the stand, lights, etc, from the original 75. I will move everything upstairs, and drill plumbing through the floor. (The sump happens to sit directly underneath where I wish to put the tank now). I am jumping back in. :-)
Now..for those that have survived this very long and dry monologue.. question..
My first 75 has been running ever since the
crash. Low temp, in the dark. Think enough time and top offs has passed that I can use the sandbed again? Or should I not chance it? There are a few random mushrooms in that tank, and they are still alive. Chalk white, but still alive. Up until maybe December, I even detected some worm movement in the sand bed.
So..thoughts? Can I just transfer the sand bed in to the new 75? It is a DSB, so I know about the possible disturbing the lower layers warning.
Thanks again all!
Instead of just building a reef in my home...I so wish I could afford to build my home in the reef! 
Vince aka VINNIE 
75g Mixed Reef, T5 Lights, 2 Vortech's, Apex Controller.
