Please Help With Tank Move!!!!!!

cslawso

cslawso

Member
I Just Bought A Friends 120 Gal Tank And I Have To Move It About 20 Miles. Any Tips About Moving. I Bought His Live Rock, Coral, Fish, Everything. Anyone Who Has Done This Please Help. Another Question Is 1. He Has A Sump With A Protein Skimmer And Bio Balls In It. Has 4 Power Heads In The Tank. Two Mh Pendants 175w Each. And Some Kind Of Kalkwasser Drip Thing, Im Kind Of New To This Stuff. Is This All I Will Need Or Will I Need More Equipment. Also Need To Know About Water Changes And What Supplements Or Vitamins I Should Be Using In This Tank. Thanks For The Help
 
jakebtc

jakebtc

Member
pretty advanced system for a newbie but sounds good drain tank into jugs and buckets keep eveything in water
 
misfit

misfit

Active Member
Sounds like a pretty good setup, you may want to get rid of the bioballs and get some LR rubble instead. Bioballs can lead to nitrate problems later. I dont think you will need anything else for this setup right away maybe in the future depending on what you add to the tank.when you go, dont be in a rush to tear it apart. Take some pic with a digital camera if possible so you can rememeber how everyhting went. Things to take with you are some old towels,large roll of heavy plastic to lay down on the floor.Rubbermaid totes are the best for LR.Take out corals and bag them, then LR, then fish last bag them , Get some 5 gal jugs put water in them. Scoop out most substrate put in tote with some water to cover(With LR you dont have to keep totally covered).The last little bit of water and substrate should be discarded it is too nasty.Break down tank and travel. I have done this about 4 times now, twice with a 125 gal. Dont move tank until completely empty ( you could damage it other wise)It takes me and my husband about 6 hrs from beegining to all back together, with a 20 min travel time.What are your questions on water changes?
 
misfit

misfit

Active Member
I almost forgot, when you get there ,before anything test the water for SG, ammonia, nitra,nitri, cal, temp, PH and ALK, to know where you stand and what parameters the tanks inhabitants were used too. I would also ask if they were dosing any supplements first.You need to set up and get everything running then test for mag nesium and iodine and such before you go dosing cause you may not need anything. Also test for copper, important to know if they used it in the tank or not.Also ask if they were using RO/DI wtaer or tap.If it was tap then you should check for phosphates also. Hope I didnt give you too much info :joy:
 
cslawso

cslawso

Member
Question About The Live Rock Rubble? Since The Bio Balls Are Already There, What Would Be The Best Way To Swap Them With Live Rock Rubble Without Causing A Problem. He Uses Ro Water. And As Far As I Know The Only Thing He Adds Is Kalkwasser. I Guess I Need To Buy Test Kits For All That Other Stuff Huh? On My Current Tank I Just Test For Sg Ph Temp Ni Na.
 
misfit

misfit

Active Member
You could swap out 1/4 of bioballs at a time with the rubble over a few weeks time frame til its all done.The test kits are one of the most important investments. Thats good he uses RO water makes your life easier.If he wasnt dosing anything besides kalk, you probably wont have to either but I would test for it anyway.Salifert isa good test kit.Most people like them the best.Good luck :happyfish
 
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