Moving aquarium

[Laura Kelsey]

hi everyone

So we recently bought a new house and close next week and will need to move our 75g tank. I’m stressing hard core and wondering if people have tips. It it we have the sand and live rock. We then have a clown, 2 damsels, 2 disbar Anthias and an algae blenny. We have 5 or 6 baseball size rocks of GSP, a few rocks with some pulsing Xenia, and then a RBT anemone.

We r moving to a house that is around 30 mins away. My plan as of now was to take the rock that has nothing on it out, put the rock with corals in a bucket, the fish in a bucket and then fill 7 of my 5 gallon jugs with the water and drain to the point we can carry and transport and set up ASAP with the old water and replace with new water for however else much is needed.
Does that sound like an ok plan. If not I’d love ideas... my thinking from start to breakdown to getting set back up will be an hour and a half hopefully.

 

[silverado61]

hi everyone

So we recently bought a new house and close next week and will need to move our 75g tank. I’m stressing hard core and wondering if people have tips. It it we have the sand and live rock. We then have a clown, 2 damsels, 2 disbar Anthias and an algae blenny. We have 5 or 6 baseball size rocks of GSP, a few rocks with some pulsing Xenia, and then a RBT anemone.

We r moving to a house that is around 30 mins away. My plan as of now was to take the rock that has nothing on it out, put the rock with corals in a bucket, the fish in a bucket and then fill 7 of my 5 gallon jugs with the water and drain to the point we can carry and transport and set up ASAP with the old water and replace with new water for however else much is needed.
Does that sound like an ok plan. If not I’d love ideas... my thinking from start to breakdown to getting set back up will be an hour and a half hopefully.

This may seem like an odd question but how long after closing do you have to be out of your old home?

 

[Laura Kelsey]

This may seem like an odd question but how long after closing do you have to be out of your old home?

We have until the 17th... we close on the new house on the 5th... so it’s my last thing I want to move.

Also idk if this is important at all but the tank sand is only 4 months old... that’s my most stressful thing... I have read that I need to get new sand and I’ve read I can leave it.

 

[silverado61]

Ok, here's the thing. One way or another your tank is going to go through a mini cycle when you move your tank so your going to have to set up a QT (20 gallons or more is preferred) in the new home. Congratulations on your new home by the way. I should be closing on my new home an about a month and I can't wait.

Anyway, put some filter floss in your tank or sump now so that it starts collecting good bacteria. You'll use this to cycle the QT. The day you get the keys for the new home set up the QT in your new home. Keep it simple. Bare bottom with no sand, some PVC tubing so your critters have a place to rest and feel safe, a heater, a power head and an HOB filter.You can use water from your 75 to fill the QT by doing a water change. Place the filter floss in the QT and power everything up. Ghost feed the tank to keep the anaerobic bacteria going. Once the QT is cycled put your critters in one bucket and the rocks with the coral in another, again using water from your 75. No need to do a water change for this as you'll be moving it anyway. Transfer the critters and coral into the QT making sure you acclimate. Keep testing your QT levels and do 20% water changes as needed. Premix saltwater to be used to fill the 75 once you move it keeping a power head in the water for mixing and aeration.

Now you can start breaking down the 75. Make sure you power down the display so you don't burn anything out. Take the rock out, put it in a bucket and cover it with newspaper soaked in water from your display leaving the base rock in the tank imbedded in the sand. Remove as much water from the tank leaving about an inch of water to keep the sand covered and cover the base rock with more newspaper keeping it wet. Completely empty the sump if you have one placing any filter media (Cheato, rocks, sand, etc) into another bucket filled with tank water.

The next part is a two person job. Carefully transfer the tank ( disturbing the sand as little as possible) in the back of a pickup or SUV to your new home. Again, disturb the sand as little as possible so take it easy while driving. Set up your stand and position the tank making sure it's level and supported. Take the bare rock (not the rock with corals) out of the bucket and place it in the tank. Fill the tank (and sump) with the freshly mixed saltwater and power everything up. You can do this all in one day. Now your tank is going to go through a mini cycle. Once the tank starts it's cycle caused by the die off, ghost feed the display to keep the anaerobic bacteria going. Keep track of your Ammonia, Nitrites and Nitrates until everything is where you need it to be. This should take about two weeks maybe longer depending on how much you disturbed the sand and any die off from the rocks.

Once the tank is cycled and ready transfer the rocks with the coral from the QT into the display making sure to properly acclimate. Test the water the next day and if there is any rise in parameters do a 20% water change. If no rise in parameters wait a couple of days and test again. When your sure everything is stable again acclimate and transfer your critters into the display.

Enjoy your display and your new home!!

 

[lmforbis]

I’d get new sand. It will get stirred up big time and can cause water quality issues in the future. I moved my old tank several times and it went well. I just went slow and methodically. I’d invest in several rubbermade tubs. You can transport coral and fish in those. I’d have new water ready and mixed at the new house. As much as is possible. Get all the live stock and rocks to the new house. Empty the tank and transport it. Set the tank up add some water and start adding your rocks. Once rocks are in, at least the bottom layer, add your sand. I’d use new sand but if you use the old you will have to wash it in salt water until it is completely clean. This is a pain in the butt and can take a long time and a lot of salt water. I prefer new sand. Start filling the tank with water. You need to keep the temp good so a heater should be in it the whole time. You can add fish back last. I’d acclimate them as if they were new fish.

 

[silverado61]

All due respect but I've transferred tanks also and you don't need new sand if you let the tank run through it's mini cycle once moved. And your sand won't get stirred up if you take your time and don't shake up the sand. The only reason you would have to clean the sand is if you remove it from the tank. Buckets work better than tubs because there's less surface area for the water to move around (less sloshing) and they're easier to handle.

 

[beth]

I'd get new sand too. The sand will have no beneficial elements once it is taken from the display, and could well harbor all kinds of problems. Planning the process out in detail is key to success and will alleviate your stress as well.

You can use dedicated rubbermaid containers to house your live animals in until you feel confident that they can be safely transferred to the display. I would use fresh live sand at least on the top layer of sandbed in the new setup. Also use new RODI water.