Any tips on moving a tank
- Thread starter dazed2040
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cristiangarcia
Guest
geez that sounds like fun...hope everything goes well though!!
shyfish
Member
Hi,
Here is what i did...I took two days off work to move just the tank. I hope I can remember all the steps, here goes...
I sat up tanks (borrowed a 10g and 75g) in the old place got it established a little using some if my rock and some water from the original. I used little heaters and small pumps w/airstones. I placed the airstones just on top to stir the water and spread the heat around. Did a water change and saved some of the water in 5g jugs.
Waited 5 days
Moving Day 1:
Transfered my stuff into the borrowed tanks w/airstones and heat and the little bit of rocks. Corals can survive a day or two without the right light, I hoped and they did.
Then broke down the main tank... Put the remaining rock into 2 new plastic 30g garbage cans, not realizing at the time my royal gramma was missing.
Took the tank to the new place..lights, pumps, heater everything, along w/ as much sand as I could get out in new buckets and bins with water to cover (very heavy) I only filled them halfway so water wouldn't splash all over in the van.
I sat up the new tank, waited for it to settle, it was cloudy from adding the sand. Using as much water as I could from the jugs. Left it overnight to get everything heated.
Moving Day 2:
I moved rock in the garbage cans.
Corals and fish as many CUC I could find, the rest stayed w/ the rocks, were placed in seperate gallon bags and put in bins.
At the new place I put the rock into the tank first. (I had to scoop out water from newly set up tank to make room for the rocks and bags. I just put the water I took out into the empty garbage can the rocks were in, in case I needed it.) The royal Gramma came next because it was in the garbage can w/ the rocks, I figured it wouldn't make it anyway and I couldn't do anything else. Then after floating the bags and acclimating ...I placed the coral, then added the fish and inverts. Topped off the tank w/ the extra water from the can I had saved and I was done.
Just had to clean up and return borrowed items. Whew!
I didn't loose a thing. All the critters made it. I wasn't able to worry about testing except to make sure the salt levels and temps were exact from point A to point B.
Even the royal gramma that hid in the rocks for the trip because I couldn't find it. I worried about that little fish the whole 60 mile trip. I was sure it would get crushed, it had to be hiding in the rock. When I placed the rock in the newly set tank there in the bottom of the can was my little basslet, I scooped it out quick and put it into the tank w/ the rocks, its been 5 months and its alive and happy!
If you do it the way I did or not, planning is the key. Keep as much of the original setup as possible.
Hope your move goes well!
Here is what i did...I took two days off work to move just the tank. I hope I can remember all the steps, here goes...
I sat up tanks (borrowed a 10g and 75g) in the old place got it established a little using some if my rock and some water from the original. I used little heaters and small pumps w/airstones. I placed the airstones just on top to stir the water and spread the heat around. Did a water change and saved some of the water in 5g jugs.
Waited 5 days
Moving Day 1:
Transfered my stuff into the borrowed tanks w/airstones and heat and the little bit of rocks. Corals can survive a day or two without the right light, I hoped and they did.
Then broke down the main tank... Put the remaining rock into 2 new plastic 30g garbage cans, not realizing at the time my royal gramma was missing.
Took the tank to the new place..lights, pumps, heater everything, along w/ as much sand as I could get out in new buckets and bins with water to cover (very heavy) I only filled them halfway so water wouldn't splash all over in the van.
I sat up the new tank, waited for it to settle, it was cloudy from adding the sand. Using as much water as I could from the jugs. Left it overnight to get everything heated.
Moving Day 2:
I moved rock in the garbage cans.
Corals and fish as many CUC I could find, the rest stayed w/ the rocks, were placed in seperate gallon bags and put in bins.
At the new place I put the rock into the tank first. (I had to scoop out water from newly set up tank to make room for the rocks and bags. I just put the water I took out into the empty garbage can the rocks were in, in case I needed it.) The royal Gramma came next because it was in the garbage can w/ the rocks, I figured it wouldn't make it anyway and I couldn't do anything else. Then after floating the bags and acclimating ...I placed the coral, then added the fish and inverts. Topped off the tank w/ the extra water from the can I had saved and I was done.
Just had to clean up and return borrowed items. Whew!
I didn't loose a thing. All the critters made it. I wasn't able to worry about testing except to make sure the salt levels and temps were exact from point A to point B.
Even the royal gramma that hid in the rocks for the trip because I couldn't find it. I worried about that little fish the whole 60 mile trip. I was sure it would get crushed, it had to be hiding in the rock. When I placed the rock in the newly set tank there in the bottom of the can was my little basslet, I scooped it out quick and put it into the tank w/ the rocks, its been 5 months and its alive and happy!
If you do it the way I did or not, planning is the key. Keep as much of the original setup as possible.
Hope your move goes well!
dazed2040
Member
Originally Posted by Bdhb12
http:///forum/post/2929650
With say a 29g biocube would it be possible to just leave sand and rock in the tank w/ a little water for an in/town move and all the critters in bags? This summer we will be moving to a duplex or nicer apartment
(ground floor hopefully) and was wondering what I can get away with.
I wish I was only moving a 29g biocube.
http:///forum/post/2929650
With say a 29g biocube would it be possible to just leave sand and rock in the tank w/ a little water for an in/town move and all the critters in bags? This summer we will be moving to a duplex or nicer apartment
(ground floor hopefully) and was wondering what I can get away with.
I wish I was only moving a 29g biocube.
fenrir
Member
Originally Posted by Bdhb12
http:///forum/post/2929650
With say a 29g biocube would it be possible to just leave sand and rock in the tank w/ a little water for an in/town move and all the critters in bags? This summer we will be moving to a duplex or nicer apartment
(ground floor hopefully) and was wondering what I can get away with.
You will not be able to lift that tank! I tried that with my 14 Biocube and could barely scoot it across the stand. Not only that you will break the seems inside the tank and cause major leaking. Just take everything out but the sand and you will be fine.
http:///forum/post/2929650
With say a 29g biocube would it be possible to just leave sand and rock in the tank w/ a little water for an in/town move and all the critters in bags? This summer we will be moving to a duplex or nicer apartment
(ground floor hopefully) and was wondering what I can get away with.
You will not be able to lift that tank! I tried that with my 14 Biocube and could barely scoot it across the stand. Not only that you will break the seems inside the tank and cause major leaking. Just take everything out but the sand and you will be fine.
fau8
Member
I moved a 45 gallon cube 90 miles.
1-- lots of rubbermaid containers.
In my move I kept the same water and did a standard water change the day after the new setup.
I put all my live rock in one container, And fish in the other.
Remember not to fill the containers more than 2/3s (weight and Sloshing)
Do to the weight I think I ended up with 4 or 5 containers.
The whole move took me about 4 hours it was the first item moved into my new home. Everything survived and I did not have a mini cycle. I had a 2-3 inch sand bed, and though I tried not to distrub it that was a no win situation.
The problem you will have is you are going to need 2 better with 3 people. And I would have at least 1/2 your tank water (new water) standing by and ready to go at your new location.
How far and your down time are major factors. You may want to consider seting up a "mini" system 20 30 gallons using material and filters from your exsisting setup and keeping your live stock there for a week or 2 after your main tank is set up.
Also do the move at a time you can still run to a home depot in case you need unexpected supplies.
1-- lots of rubbermaid containers.
In my move I kept the same water and did a standard water change the day after the new setup.
I put all my live rock in one container, And fish in the other.
Remember not to fill the containers more than 2/3s (weight and Sloshing)
Do to the weight I think I ended up with 4 or 5 containers.
The whole move took me about 4 hours it was the first item moved into my new home. Everything survived and I did not have a mini cycle. I had a 2-3 inch sand bed, and though I tried not to distrub it that was a no win situation.
The problem you will have is you are going to need 2 better with 3 people. And I would have at least 1/2 your tank water (new water) standing by and ready to go at your new location.
How far and your down time are major factors. You may want to consider seting up a "mini" system 20 30 gallons using material and filters from your exsisting setup and keeping your live stock there for a week or 2 after your main tank is set up.
Also do the move at a time you can still run to a home depot in case you need unexpected supplies.
try2wryte
Member
I actually moved on the fly, we decided to move in the AM and were moving into the new place in the afternoon.
I moved the Entire 95 gallon tank in 5 18 gallon rubbermaid totes with the fish, and invert in one with a powerhead and heater running off an adapter through my cigarette light in my truck. Put it all back in losing only about 10 gallons of water in the process. 3 totes were only filled with water as in the rush I didn't have time to properly filter and mix new water.
All fishies were happy and healthy for the 30 minute drive and were able to stay in the running car while we carried the tank and stand up two flights of stairs...... 4 oz of fuel used to avoid a dead battery was worth the piece of mind...lol
I moved the Entire 95 gallon tank in 5 18 gallon rubbermaid totes with the fish, and invert in one with a powerhead and heater running off an adapter through my cigarette light in my truck. Put it all back in losing only about 10 gallons of water in the process. 3 totes were only filled with water as in the rush I didn't have time to properly filter and mix new water.
All fishies were happy and healthy for the 30 minute drive and were able to stay in the running car while we carried the tank and stand up two flights of stairs...... 4 oz of fuel used to avoid a dead battery was worth the piece of mind...lol