Have you ever moved your tank? (driving)
- Thread starter lil.guppy
- Start date
crypt keeper
Active Member
How fast do you have to move?
U
usirchchris
Guest
Originally Posted by lil.guppy
http:///forum/post/2902189
How would I go about moving my whole reef aquarium with fish on a 4-5 hour drive in the winter months?
I have done this quite a few times actually. Break everything down. Get a few rubbermaid containers. Put sand in one, put rock in another. Make sure both are submersed in water. Generally you don't need to add any water to the sand...it settles and ends up underwater. Then put the fish in bags or containers....I would put them in containers so you can turn the water to keep oxygen in the water. Then just make sure everything stays warm. When I get to the new place. I set up the tank for a day or so to make sure no mini cycle has started. Then I put the fish in. I ditch all of the old water and start new. Just did this with a 120, 125, and 75 about a week ago.
http:///forum/post/2902189
How would I go about moving my whole reef aquarium with fish on a 4-5 hour drive in the winter months?
I have done this quite a few times actually. Break everything down. Get a few rubbermaid containers. Put sand in one, put rock in another. Make sure both are submersed in water. Generally you don't need to add any water to the sand...it settles and ends up underwater. Then put the fish in bags or containers....I would put them in containers so you can turn the water to keep oxygen in the water. Then just make sure everything stays warm. When I get to the new place. I set up the tank for a day or so to make sure no mini cycle has started. Then I put the fish in. I ditch all of the old water and start new. Just did this with a 120, 125, and 75 about a week ago.
U
usirchchris
Guest
Originally Posted by crypt keeper
http:///forum/post/2902209
How fast do you have to move?
I start with the rock first. I fill a container about 1/4 to half water, then start stacking it in. Don't put a ton in as you will have to lift this. I just make sure the rock is completely covered with water. After the rock is out I catch my fish. Then drain the water completely, then take the sand out. As long as everything stays wet and heated, time is not all that important IME.
I had a hippo tang in a little rubbermaid container for three days supported by an air pump in a crunch once. I have let sand and rock sit for a day before putting it back into a tank, and still no cycle.
http:///forum/post/2902209
How fast do you have to move?
I start with the rock first. I fill a container about 1/4 to half water, then start stacking it in. Don't put a ton in as you will have to lift this. I just make sure the rock is completely covered with water. After the rock is out I catch my fish. Then drain the water completely, then take the sand out. As long as everything stays wet and heated, time is not all that important IME.
I had a hippo tang in a little rubbermaid container for three days supported by an air pump in a crunch once. I have let sand and rock sit for a day before putting it back into a tank, and still no cycle.
cleve_seahorse
Member
It's not as scary or daunting as it seems....We just moved labor day weekend and I dreaded moving the tanks, so much so that I left them at our old house for a week and went over twice a day to feed them and make sure everything was fine....when it came time to move them we had a few friends come over [ pizza and beer is a great enticement] and the tear down only took about an hour.....used alot of rubbermaids and online fish stores styro containers ....saved a little of the water, loaded everything in a van ,and set everything back up.....i made sure to keep my filter material in tank water also....and I never experienced a cycle....I had a qt set up at the new house expecting a cycle but never had one
stanlalee
Active Member
its a real pain if you have alot of corals attached to large rocks but otherwise its just a matter of breaking it down. sand I keep that in the tank/fuge wet with a slight splashing or tank water (not enough to get messy, just enough to keep it live). liverock in 5g orange home depot buckets with lids. corals and fish bagged like pet stores do and boxed to keep from rolling around. this is best done with a SUV/VAN/Wagon. with those you can put pretty much put everything including most normal sized tanks in the vehicle exposed to the climate control that you are so there's really no temperature issues on a days trip.
the real pain is having to already deal with moving and settling in everything else ALL that takes a back seat to setting up the tank. I've never moved nearly that far BUT when I bought my house and had the electricity turned on moving and setting up the tank was a seperate event. I did the regular moving on a different day (not that anybody wants to do that on a 4hr trip). I used all new water which is probably going to be your biggest issue (hauling or making a tank full of water to be ready the same day you get everything there).
the real pain is having to already deal with moving and settling in everything else ALL that takes a back seat to setting up the tank. I've never moved nearly that far BUT when I bought my house and had the electricity turned on moving and setting up the tank was a seperate event. I did the regular moving on a different day (not that anybody wants to do that on a 4hr trip). I used all new water which is probably going to be your biggest issue (hauling or making a tank full of water to be ready the same day you get everything there).
scubachris
Member
Im not moving but I got a question. If you break down a tank, and then put it back together, and use all new water, it will not cause a cycle?
stanlalee
Active Member
Originally Posted by scubachris
http:///forum/post/2903485
Im not moving but I got a question. If you break down a tank, and then put it back together, and use all new water, it will not cause a cycle?
not as long as you keep the live rock and sand submerged in saltwater. what better time for a mega water change.
http:///forum/post/2903485
Im not moving but I got a question. If you break down a tank, and then put it back together, and use all new water, it will not cause a cycle?
not as long as you keep the live rock and sand submerged in saltwater. what better time for a mega water change.
U
usirchchris
Guest
Originally Posted by Stanlalee
http:///forum/post/2906257
not as long as you keep the live rock and sand submerged in saltwater. what better time for a mega water change.
+1
http:///forum/post/2906257
not as long as you keep the live rock and sand submerged in saltwater. what better time for a mega water change.
+1
crypt keeper
Active Member
Originally Posted by usirchchris
http:///forum/post/2902225
I start with the rock first. I fill a container about 1/4 to half water, then start stacking it in. Don't put a ton in as you will have to lift this. I just make sure the rock is completely covered with water. After the rock is out I catch my fish. Then drain the water completely, then take the sand out. As long as everything stays wet and heated, time is not all that important IME.
I had a hippo tang in a little rubbermaid container for three days supported by an air pump in a crunch once. I have let sand and rock sit for a day before putting it back into a tank, and still no cycle.
Im moving down the street. Im just leaving the sand in the tank. Im draining the water into those 5 gallon water jugs. duct taping a bag over the tops. Putting the rock in a few rubber maid containers with some water. Taking the fish like you did. Having 4 friends and just grabbing the tank with 1/4 water and the sand in it. Be the first thing I move along with my nano. The first thing I will do is set up the tank. I already pictured its spot. Set it back up and pour water back in put rock back in Im golden. Then just put about 20 gallons for my 30qt (cause I will just empty that totally out) back in the qt and add a water change and then just put a 20 gallon water change in my main tank.
simple on paper. LOL
http:///forum/post/2902225
I start with the rock first. I fill a container about 1/4 to half water, then start stacking it in. Don't put a ton in as you will have to lift this. I just make sure the rock is completely covered with water. After the rock is out I catch my fish. Then drain the water completely, then take the sand out. As long as everything stays wet and heated, time is not all that important IME.
I had a hippo tang in a little rubbermaid container for three days supported by an air pump in a crunch once. I have let sand and rock sit for a day before putting it back into a tank, and still no cycle.
Im moving down the street. Im just leaving the sand in the tank. Im draining the water into those 5 gallon water jugs. duct taping a bag over the tops. Putting the rock in a few rubber maid containers with some water. Taking the fish like you did. Having 4 friends and just grabbing the tank with 1/4 water and the sand in it. Be the first thing I move along with my nano. The first thing I will do is set up the tank. I already pictured its spot. Set it back up and pour water back in put rock back in Im golden. Then just put about 20 gallons for my 30qt (cause I will just empty that totally out) back in the qt and add a water change and then just put a 20 gallon water change in my main tank.
simple on paper. LOL
U
usirchchris
Guest
Originally Posted by crypt keeper
http:///forum/post/2906270
simple on paper. LOL
It really isn't all that bad, and I like changing up the scenery every now and then. Actually worst part is getting all the plumbing and pumps going again IMO.
http:///forum/post/2906270
simple on paper. LOL
It really isn't all that bad, and I like changing up the scenery every now and then. Actually worst part is getting all the plumbing and pumps going again IMO.