Moving

ajer

ajer

Member
I will be moving my 24 gal soft coral reef tank tank in a couple of months and would would like some help. My current plan not to feed the fish for 2 days before the move, remove the live rock and live sand (stored in water in 5 gallon buckets), remove all but 5 gallons of water (the water will be stored in five gallon buckets), leave the hermits, snails, fish in the tank, removing the corals and putting them in a flat plastic container with 2 230 gallon per hour Maxi Jets. Then carrying the tank to my SUV and filling it to a level where the filter will function (about half full) and transporting it to the final destination (about 8 hours away) then draining the tank to 5 gallons, bucketing the water, then carrying the tank inside, then putting the stand in place and checking that it's level, then sitting the tank on the stand, netting the fish, putting them and the water in a bucket, then putting in the Live rock first, then the live sand, then all the water, letting it settle for 1-2 hours, then adding the corals and the fish.
Now I know I am probably doing something COMPLETELY idiotic, that's why I am adding this thread.
Thanks
 
cowfishrule

cowfishrule

Active Member
i wouldnt move it with water in it.
all that water sloshing around puts pressure on the seals.
bucket all your stuff, and move the tank empty.
search around.. there are a couple of good moving tank threads.
 
saltyfish808

saltyfish808

Member
I think I would take all the corals and fish out, then all the live rock. Then I would drain all the water and leave the sand in the tank. You can drain all the water without messing up the sand to bad
Then when you get there all you have to do is put the rock back in and add the water slowly over the rock not messing up the sand so it does not cloud up the tank. Then add your live stock back in!! Thats what I would do atleast
 
ajer

ajer

Member
But if i remove the fish & inverts can they (12 Hermits,12 snails, 1 shrimp, 1 Carpenters Flasher Wrasse, 1 Purple Firefish, 2 Occellaris) be in a bucket with no filter (i can add a pump/powerhead) for 8 hours?
 
sman

sman

Member
Not all in the same bucket, split them up; hermits in one, snails and maybe shrmp in another, flasher with the firefish, and then the clowns. They spend longer than 8 hours in a bag when they are shipped from the distributor to you or the lfs, and thats only a small amount of water.
 
ajer

ajer

Member
So a bucket for Live sand/rock, 1 for hermits, 1 for snails, 1 for the shrimp, 1 for the Clowns and 1 for the wrasse and firefish? Should I use the water in the bucket to fill the tank on the other end or should I use conditioned tap water (or RO water as I may have purchased a RO unit by then)?
 
iyachtuxivm

iyachtuxivm

Member
Try to use as much of the old as possible. That way you dont loose any bacteria ( not that much in water anyway but play it safe). Just make sure to test your params after set up. Be ready to do a water change within the week. Moving could cause a minor to a major cycle so just be ready for it. Also I agree with cowfish move it as empty as possible. Remember Murphy's Law " whatever can go wrong will" key here is to be ready and you'll be fine.
 
unleashed

unleashed

Active Member
Originally Posted by Ajer
http:///forum/post/2833655
I will be moving my 24 gal soft coral reef tank tank in a couple of months and would would like some help. My current plan not to feed the fish for 2 days before the move, remove the live rock and live sand (stored in water in 5 gallon buckets), remove all but 5 gallons of water (the water will be stored in five gallon buckets), leave the hermits, snails, fish in the tank, removing the corals and putting them in a flat plastic container with 2 230 gallon per hour Maxi Jets. Then carrying the tank to my SUV and filling it to a level where the filter will function (about half full) and transporting it to the final destination (about 8 hours away) then draining the tank to 5 gallons, bucketing the water, then carrying the tank inside, then putting the stand in place and checking that it's level, then sitting the tank on the stand, netting the fish, putting them and the water in a bucket, then putting in the Live rock first, then the live sand, then all the water, letting it settle for 1-2 hours, then adding the corals and the fish.
Now I know I am probably doing something COMPLETELY idiotic, that's why I am adding this thread.
Thanks
well most of your plan is sound minus the not feeding your fish for 2 days.. feed your fish normally this will keep their natural immune systems up.. not feeding them will weaken them..(this you dont want)... as for your fish you can add air pumps(battery operated)as they will have oxygen the entire time you are traveling. this will lessen your haste. 5 gal buckets work well you can poke a hole in the lid for the air hose and have no worries of spillage or slashing about all over your car.. clean coolers would also for transorting lR and corals .. you may wish to place corals in bags to keep them separate from other species as to not release toxins onto each other.. without a filter running this could easily happen.. creating chemical warfare on each other.
 
saltyfish808

saltyfish808

Member
I Still think leaving the ls in the tank with just enough water to keep it wet would save you alot of trouble! Your tank is only 24gal so cant possibly have to many pounds of ls in it. I dont think it would hurt the tank.
 
ajer

ajer

Member
THE FINAL PLAN! (I put this in bold to make myself feel better when I change THE "FINAL"
PLAN)
Remove corals and put in bags, place bags in cooler. Put Clowns in a 5 gal bucket with lid and airstone, same for wrasse and firefish, and smae for hermits, same for snails, same for shrimp. Remove LR, put in clean garbage bag (is this safe?) and put beneath bags of corals (to prevent crushing), remove water, leave LS in tank, move tank to car (I have a inverter in my car so I can use my normal airpump) hook up air pump, drive 8 hours. Put stand in place checking that its level. Move tank into house. Put LR in place, making sure there is no sand beneth the LR, remove most of the water from the buckets, fill tank partially. Set up all equipment. Add fish and inverts. Add corals. Add all water. (note: I always do testing every week so I should be fine) do water change if necessary.
The "FINAL"
PLAN IS UNALTERABLE! (note: except when I am wrong)
 
big

big

Active Member
Originally Posted by Ajer
http:///forum/post/2839022
Are the garbage bags safe and will packaging the LR without water cause a die off?
Buckets or a tub may be a better choice.........Do take as much of the old water as you can.
Using buckets and tubs (Coolers are the best) is the best plan for keeping everything totaly wet and stable as possible......I moved my 72 back in 07.
One thing to watch for is a spike from disturbance of the sand or substrate. That will spike the tank.............................If you can keep after set up keep you critters in a separate tub with PH and heater till the spike passes........ Good Luck.........
 
ajer

ajer

Member
So, I put the LR in a bucket and the corals in individual bags? I'm leaving the LS in the tank. just leaving 1-2 inches of water to cover it.
 
big

big

Active Member
Sounds OK but remember the sand will spike the system a bit after re-introduction....... I moved my corals in coolers as opposed to re-baging them with some still attacheted to live rock. The coolers helped to mantain a constant emperture will being moved..... Good Luck.
 
big

big

Active Member
OK Hope all work out OK!
I just put water in the coolers with the corals instead of using bags when I did mine...........
 
blkhawk10

blkhawk10

Member
Saltyfish hit it on the noes, I have moved my tank 3 times in the past two years, one being today as it sprung a leak. I have drained some of the water, took out the rock put it in some tuperwear bins, wrapping the rock in wet paper towels. Next I scooped the fish/inverts and put them in bags I kept when I bougt them from the LFS, drained the rest of the water and was ready to go. I Left the sand in the tank, when you get to your final destination, fill the tank about half way with water, put the rocks in, let the the filter do its thing until the water is clear, get it up to temp, then start adding the inhabitants back in. I have never had a problem doing it this way.
 
big

big

Active Member
Originally Posted by saltyfish808
http:///forum/post/2836452
I Still think leaving the ls in the tank with just enough water to keep it wet would save you alot of trouble! Your tank is only 24gal so cant possibly have to many pounds of ls in it. I dont think it would hurt the tank.
Yea that part for sure disturb the sand the least amount possible. A small tank can carry the sand load OK during the move with a few inches of water.......
 
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