Moving need help

[knots72]

Hey whats up saltwaterfish.com
I was just wondering my tank has been set up for about a couple of months now with one damsel left and a trigger. I had a couple of damsels before but i think the trigger ate them andts only 1 left.
But let me cut too the chase i am moving on friday and i was wondering how can i save my cylcled water from going down the drain so that i wont have too start allover again. I was on saltwaterfish.com a couple of months ago and someone had the same problem. he had a couple of rubbermaid storage containers and some power heads and some other stuff thati couldt really recognize from the pics.
And also i am going too buy a new tank because i brought a used 72gallon bow front for cheap but i cant get rid of this damn salt ring around the glass.
so i want a nice fresh look for when i move into my new place.
So guys please help me i am desperate and i need of help im still a beginner to this game but im willing listen and take info that will helpp me in the long run..
Thanks please let me know if i left anything out....................

 

[kilhullen]

I am in a similar boat. I discussed this with somone on another thread, and was given this as an answer.
I am being given an estabilshed already running reef tank, and would like to keep the same water etc. I am only going to be transporting for a max of 30 minutes or so therefore I am going to the LFS and getting a bunch of fish baggies, and going to home depot and getting a bunch of buckets with lids (you could also use rubbermaid or similar trashcans with well fitting lids).
I am going to baggie the fish, then siphon some water into each bucket to house the lr. Then any remaining water will be siphoned out and finally the live sand with enough water to cover it sufficently. Then it is to all be loaded on the truck and brought to my house. I will then set everything back up again using the same water etc. (but I am thinking about seeding some other tanks with it shortly thereafter during a waterchange after everything destresses. I am hoping since there will be no aclimation issues (I don't think) that I can get it all done within about 45 minutes to an hour from begining to baggie the fish to putting the last fish in. The quicker I can the less temperature change of the water and the lower the stress for the animals involved.
If anyone has better suggestions, I also am willing to listen and learn, but this is my current plan.

 

[mace]

I moved a 150 and put all the water in 55g trash bins bought from wal-mart along with the sand and LR. That is what I would do. HTH

 

[mace]

Originally Posted by Kilhullen
I am in a similar boat. I discussed this with somone on another thread, and was given this as an answer.
I am being given an estabilshed already running reef tank, and would like to keep the same water etc. I am only going to be transporting for a max of 30 minutes or so therefore I am going to the LFS and getting a bunch of fish baggies, and going to home depot and getting a bunch of buckets with lids (you could also use rubbermaid or similar trashcans with well fitting lids).
I am going to baggie the fish, then siphon some water into each bucket to house the lr. Then any remaining water will be siphoned out and finally the live sand with enough water to cover it sufficently. Then it is to all be loaded on the truck and brought to my house. I will then set everything back up again using the same water etc. (but I am thinking about seeding some other tanks with it shortly thereafter during a waterchange after everything destresses. I am hoping since there will be no aclimation issues (I don't think) that I can get it all done within about 45 minutes to an hour from begining to baggie the fish to putting the last fish in. The quicker I can the less temperature change of the water and the lower the stress for the animals involved.
If anyone has better suggestions, I also am willing to listen and learn, but this is my current plan.
I would let the tank sit after you put it back together for a few days to let everything settle back in. I put the fish from the 150 in my sons tank (29g) for a few days.

 

[hogs]

How do you move a trash bin with 55g of water in it? Even if it's 2/3 full, it's still over 300lbs!?
Originally Posted by Mace
I moved a 150 and put all the water in 55g trash bins bought from wal-mart along with the sand and LR. That is what I would do. HTH

 

[mace]

I used 2 other guys it was easier then you think. They also were only 2/3's full.

 

[slowburn22]

Mace did it right. If you dont have all the help mace did, then use rubermaid containers with powerheads and heaters in them... Its a pain but doable.

 

[kilhullen]

Originally Posted by Mace
I would let the tank sit after you put it back together for a few days to let everything settle back in. I put the fish from the 150 in my sons tank (29g) for a few days.
OK, I have a quarantine tank, I was just thinking maybe that wouldn't be necessary because it was all the same water just located in a different place.

 

[slowburn22]

The reason for doing that is to monitor the tank to make sure it doesnt start a cycle after the move. Thats why you make the temporary housing. You are most likely not going to be able to save all the water from the tank - especially if its a big tank.

 

[kilhullen]

Originally Posted by slowburn22
The reason for doing that is to monitor the tank to make sure it doesnt start a cycle after the move. Thats why you make the temporary housing. You are most likely not going to be able to save all the water from the tank - especially if its a big tank.
OK. Thanks!

 

[jennythebugg]

Originally Posted by slowburn22
Mace did it right. If you dont have all the help mace did, then use rubermaid containers with powerheads and heaters in them... Its a pain but doable.
we used the rubbermaid boxes too

 

[rabbit_72]

Originally Posted by slowburn22
The reason for doing that is to monitor the tank to make sure it doesnt start a cycle after the move. Thats why you make the temporary housing. You are most likely not going to be able to save all the water from the tank - especially if its a big tank.
That is what must have happened to my husband's tank......hhhmmmm...

We have had problems putting new fish in it and many died after the move. But the clowners and anemone survived. Weird. So I agree with letting the tank settle a few days after transport.

 

[kilhullen]

Just curious - what would someone do in knot72's position where they don't have a tank set up and ready for the fish to allow the tank to settle? Could the fish live a couple days in a trashcan of the water with a heater and powerhead? Are there other alternatives?

 

[halcyon_diver]

i was in the same situation a month ago...i purchased an established 120 reef system...i put the live rock in 26 gallon rubbermaid totes, covered in water,(120 lbs) and had 3, 35 gallon new trash barrels for the water, i also bought 6 cheap foam coolers and put the fish and corals in there, i ditched the old sand ( but saved a couple of cups to seed the new sand) dismantling was easy!! i alson had 60 gallons of rodi water at home. I set everything back up(approx 14 hrs from take down to set up) and left the live stock in the tubs till the sand settled...(about a day) then plced the corals and fish back into the tank. I did loose one clown and an anemone which really bummed me out, but it has been five weeks and everything is doing great! Just have a plan and plenty of buckets and it will all work out great. Good luck!!

 

[forcrz6]

As I stated in an earlier post I did the same thing too about a month ago. The Bins that I got had wheels on them. so I halved my water up and did it that way w. the rocks inside the bins. I left the fish and the rest in the tank.
You can get these types of bins.
Here is a pic of what I used.

 

[halcyon_diver]

I left the fish and the rest in the tank.
you left the sand, water and fish in the tank??
i had read many threads advising against that , due to the fact that the tank cant handle the stress of the wieght and sloshing during the move,, im glad yours went well, just makes me cringe to think about the possibilities if the tank let go

 

[kilhullen]

Originally Posted by halcyon_diver
i was in the same situation a month ago...i purchased an established 120 reef system...i put the live rock in 26 gallon rubbermaid totes, covered in water,(120 lbs) and had 3, 35 gallon new trash barrels for the water, i also bought 6 cheap foam coolers and put the fish and corals in there, i ditched the old sand ( but saved a couple of cups to seed the new sand) dismantling was easy!! i alson had 60 gallons of rodi water at home. I set everything back up(approx 14 hrs from take down to set up) and left the live stock in the tubs till the sand settled...(about a day) then plced the corals and fish back into the tank. I did loose one clown and an anemone which really bummed me out, but it has been five weeks and everything is doing great! Just have a plan and plenty of buckets and it will all work out great. Good luck!!
Did you just leave your fish in their carriers for that long? Did you use a powerhead / filter? I am curious how you handled them (as the other is pretty straight forward).

 

[halcyon_diver]

Originally Posted by Kilhullen
Did you just leave your fish in their carriers for that long? Did you use a powerhead / filter? I am curious how you handled them (as the other is pretty straight forward).
when i got back home i put the fish in on bin with a heater and power head and did the same for the corals as well.and no..i didnt use any filtration,but i did do a small water change the following morning i think about 2 gallons, they really did better than i did...i know what your going thru, i was a nervous wreck, but everything worked out great , everyones seems to be very happy!

 

[kilhullen]

Originally Posted by halcyon_diver
when i got back home i put the fish in on bin with a heater and power head and did the same for the corals as well.and no..i didnt use any filtration,but i did do a small water change the following morning i think about 2 gallons, they really did better than i did...i know what your going thru, i was a nervous wreck, but everything worked out great , everyones seems to be very happy!
Thank you for your input. If I get there and there are too many fish, I may do what you are saying you did with the more fragile ones to keep it down one acclimation.

 

[halcyon_diver]

Originally Posted by Kilhullen
Thank you for your input. If I get there and there are too many fish, I may do what you are saying you did with the more fragile ones to keep it down one acclimation.
its my pleasure to be able to help you!!...i just made sure before i put anything back into the tank that the temp and sg where the same as when i emptied it...fortunatly there wasnt any issues there. you prob should have some rodi water and some salt water waiting for you just in case of spillage during transporting and such..i also went a little crazy for the next couple weeks...testing every day,, amm..nitrites..nitrates..phos...wanted to make sure that if the water parameters began to climb i could stay on top of it.