Moving Tanks

[new2u]

OK im finally going to buy the newer bigger setup! First of its a 150 gallon with an impator angel, zebra eel, cinnimon clown, carpet anenome, various corals, and 200 lbs of live rock, and a sump/fuge. I have no idea how I could move this setup in the least. I know i can get jumbo sized bags from work to put the fish/eel in as well as the corals but how should i move the tank with or without water? Do you think a suburban would cut it or would I need a U haul? Could I put the LR in those big ol 30 gallon trash cans? Should I mix up a whole lot of water at home too? I want to use the existing water from my 55 gallon and put the all the fish in at a time and move MY LR int the tank too but the eel (that I'm going to sell) would eat the fish and shrimp wouldnt he How long could the eel stay in the bag? I guess I could drop the eel off at work with the cinnomon clown so I wouldnt have to mess with that couldn't I... How long do you think they would survive in the bag?

 

[dskidmore]

Always ship aqauriums as empty as possible. The extra weight combined with the uneven support it's likely to fact in shipping can stress and damage the tank.
I'd put all the live critters in a big rubbermaid trash container with thier old tank water, some sort of filtering and temperature control while you're setting up the new tank. No need to subject them to the trauma of aquascaping in addition to the move stress. You could pick up an additional tote for the eel, but by all means if you're going to sell him, just get him to the buyer as soon as possible.
For limited time moves, you could bag the fish, online fish stores routinely bag fish and expect them to arrive healthy a couple days later. Keep the temperature as constant as possible. The sooner you can get them out of the bag and into some sort of temporary aquarium (rubbermaid container) the better.
As far as what vehicle to use, take some measurements. Consider multiple trips or multiple cars for the tank, jugged water, rock, sand, and critters.
I'd suggest getting multiple smaller containers for the live rock, you don't want to have to lift all 200lbs at once.

 

[cowfishrule]

you have to drain the tank to move it. moving the tank around with all that water would really stress the seals.
get a couple of rubbermaid containers and premix some water, so you can get that chemicaly stable so that would help everyone re-adjust.
if you work at a fish store, why dont you grab like, 2 or 3 tanks and set up a makeshift qt while you move transport all the water.

 

[thederek]

man...and im stressing about moving my 5 gallon....i have no experience moving tanks so i cant offer much help...but i wish you good luck!

 

[dskidmore]

I used to move my 10 gallon freshwater tank twice a year. The QT or other temporary tank is the way to go. Take your time with aquascaping and put the fish in the tank after it's all ready and the water runs clear again.

 

[robchuck]

The biggest pieces of advice I can offer from various tank moves over the years are:
-Plan out every detail of the move on paper
-Visualize many times how each step of the process will go
-Allow twice as much time for the move than you think you'll need
-Have twice as much prepared saltwater at the destination than you think you'll use
Best of luck with the move!

 

[new2u]

this is what i think im going to do,
1st- pick up all the fish and bag them and then aclimate and then put them in my 55 gallon at home.
2nd- using 18 gallon roughnecks that would be pre filled with new salt water transport the rock
3rd use 30 gallon trashcans to siphon as much water as possible out and put in suburbans
4th go home and unload
5th go back and load the tank sump and lights and take home (i already have the stand there)
6th put up the tank and then put all the water and rock and sand in
7th take all the rock from my 55 gallon tank and put it in the new tank
8th bag & acclimate new fish
9 release fish
10 enjoy!
What do you guys think?

 

[dskidmore]

Step 8,
If the fish are going from one tank you own to another tank you own in the same building, and the water temp and basic conditions are the same, you shouldn't need to bag aclimate, just transfer. If it makes you feel better, put some of the new tank water into the old tank to replace the drip acclimtion stage.

 

[new2u]

ok so just skip step 8?

 

[dskidmore]

If you're confident the water is the same between the two tanks, then yes you can completely skip it.
If the water isn't the same, do some water exchanges between them, and adjust the thermostats a bit. (Use the same thermometer to measurue both tanks, unless you already have highly accurate ones in both tanks.) Then you can do the striaght transfer without bagging.