moving
- Thread starter swfishfan
- Start date
ifirefight
Active Member
LOTS of posts on this ...do a search of this site.
sflasurfer
Member
I just went through this in the begining of July. It is only as bad as you make it. This is what I did. The last thing to go was my tank I got 4 five gal buckets and one large rubbermaid container. I put my fish in one with a battery operated bubler, I put my anenomes with their host rocks in another with a battery operated bubbler, I put my stars, snails, crabs and some l/r in another with a battery operated bubler, then I put my sand in the last with just enough salt water to keep it wet. I then dipped towels in my tank lined the rubbermaid container with large plastic bags placed the towels in the plastic and arranged the live rock in a secure way I then covered all the rock with dampened towels from my tank tied of the bag and sealed the lid. The hardest part is moving that live rock container. I then took 5 five gal gas cans and filled them up with my established water from my tank. Upon arival I had already found a lfs pre called and they had my water ready for my arival. I also have a echo system filter so I had to keep my miracle mud and plants submerged for the move so I just emptied it to just above the mud.
My move took approx 23 hours and I did not have a single fatality. I only had a trumpet/candy cane coral break, but it needed to be fraged anyway.
The tank did not go through another cycle not even a small one because I never let the live rock get even close to dry. I was worried about this because I had to go from natural seawater to synthetic. Good luck. oh yeah you can buy those battery operated bubblers at any large discount store that starts with a W and ends in mart, in their fishing dept. They are made for bait buckets but work excellent for moves and if you ever loose power about $12 bucks and run on 2 c batteries I hope this helps and good luck.
My move took approx 23 hours and I did not have a single fatality. I only had a trumpet/candy cane coral break, but it needed to be fraged anyway.
The tank did not go through another cycle not even a small one because I never let the live rock get even close to dry. I was worried about this because I had to go from natural seawater to synthetic. Good luck. oh yeah you can buy those battery operated bubblers at any large discount store that starts with a W and ends in mart, in their fishing dept. They are made for bait buckets but work excellent for moves and if you ever loose power about $12 bucks and run on 2 c batteries I hope this helps and good luck.
ninjamini
Active Member
I use 22 gallon rubbermaid tubs for moving tanks. I have done it several times. There 5$ at home depot.
1. take out corals and put it in a tub with water.
2. Take out rocks. check each rock as you take it out for critters. I have seen blennies go with the rock. Do this trying not to stir up the sand. fill with water.
3. Take out the fish. put them in another bucket. Do i need to say to put water in here too?
4. Take out the inverts and put them with the fish.
5. Drain the tank so that the sand is wet but the tank is not full o' water. If you have a DSB then you will want to take the sand out. Watch out the sand stinks.
Now to reassemble.
Put the sand back in the tank and then the rock. Or base rock, sand, ricks. Now wait 3-4 days with the corals and fish in there tubs. Test the water. Ammonia, nitrite, nitrate. I have never had a cycle from moving a tank, even when I moved the sand from one tank to another. But you might. If 3-4 days later testing is good put in your corals and reintroduce your timid fish. Wait a day and introduce the dominany/territioral fish. Watch the water for another week just in case.
Have lotsa water ready for water changes. Have enough heaters for all the tubs. Put a light over the fish, even if its just a reading light. Put your lights over the corals. If you have jumping fish then keep the fish covered. You will be surprised what will jump. Be prepared for some loss. In the last move I lost one fish to jumping and one just disappeared.
1. take out corals and put it in a tub with water.
2. Take out rocks. check each rock as you take it out for critters. I have seen blennies go with the rock. Do this trying not to stir up the sand. fill with water.
3. Take out the fish. put them in another bucket. Do i need to say to put water in here too?
4. Take out the inverts and put them with the fish.
5. Drain the tank so that the sand is wet but the tank is not full o' water. If you have a DSB then you will want to take the sand out. Watch out the sand stinks.
Now to reassemble.
Put the sand back in the tank and then the rock. Or base rock, sand, ricks. Now wait 3-4 days with the corals and fish in there tubs. Test the water. Ammonia, nitrite, nitrate. I have never had a cycle from moving a tank, even when I moved the sand from one tank to another. But you might. If 3-4 days later testing is good put in your corals and reintroduce your timid fish. Wait a day and introduce the dominany/territioral fish. Watch the water for another week just in case.
Have lotsa water ready for water changes. Have enough heaters for all the tubs. Put a light over the fish, even if its just a reading light. Put your lights over the corals. If you have jumping fish then keep the fish covered. You will be surprised what will jump. Be prepared for some loss. In the last move I lost one fish to jumping and one just disappeared.
mimosa
New Member
i don't like moveing tank for my fish always..cuz that is more long time for them to adapt ...
www.in-brands.com
www.in-brands.com
ncacura
Member
I just moved my 75 gallon. It's really not that bad, everyone that posted so far has good ideas, and everyone's is different.
1. I got two 40 gallon rubbermaid trash cans (with wheels) and borrowed a pump from my LFS. You could just use the one for your sump but my LFS had an industrial pump which made it a lot quicker.
2. I took out all my live rock and put it in one trash can. Obviously filled it with water.
3, I then filled the other trash can most of the way and put all my corals in that bucket.
4. I took all my fish and put them in a five gallon bucket, plus all my shrimp, etc. Snails and stuff just went in the big trash can.
5. I then emptied out all the water and had 4 of my friends help me lift the tank.
6.Put the tank on a dolly and transfered it.
7. Put everything back in the tank. Nothing died, fish were a little stressed till the sand settled but after that they've been great. It's definitely a huge pain in the ass and I hate doing it, but you gotta do what you gotta do.
1. I got two 40 gallon rubbermaid trash cans (with wheels) and borrowed a pump from my LFS. You could just use the one for your sump but my LFS had an industrial pump which made it a lot quicker.
2. I took out all my live rock and put it in one trash can. Obviously filled it with water.
3, I then filled the other trash can most of the way and put all my corals in that bucket.
4. I took all my fish and put them in a five gallon bucket, plus all my shrimp, etc. Snails and stuff just went in the big trash can.
5. I then emptied out all the water and had 4 of my friends help me lift the tank.
6.Put the tank on a dolly and transfered it.
7. Put everything back in the tank. Nothing died, fish were a little stressed till the sand settled but after that they've been great. It's definitely a huge pain in the ass and I hate doing it, but you gotta do what you gotta do.
sflasurfer
Member
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