ohiofishman
New Member
i just brought a mature 55 reef tank packed with LR and fish and corals..i live about 30mins away...what would be the best way to tear down,tranesport,and setup this tank..with min. die off..any help would be great
tranesporting a mature 55 tank
- Thread starter ohiofishman
- Start date
dse
Member
i move house every six month at min due to family getting bigger and bigger long sotry lol.
anyway what i do is use 2-3 buckets for my gravel keep water a flot on top and cling film the top to make less of a spill of each buket that meens gravel can stay mature with out any problems second i bag up fish put them in a poly boxy and make sure they wont roll around if they do use news paper in scrunchys.
second the filter i leave water inside take apart the the piping from i and store in a bucket due to it leaks a little.
heater i place in a safe place so it wont brake.
with tank tho i move that as fast as i can as u have like 1-3 hours before the good bactiera sart to die away.
on the set up i put gravel with the water straight in i dont even remove anything from loading van lmao!!
i then start to fill as fast but safly as i can.
i get the filter pumped up and ready to go once the water lvl has reached a certain point on my tank.
and then add your LR asap that should be kept in a buket too i have like 6 bukets in total btw this is wat i did do for FW.
adding fish is same gradually and gentaly.. just like u baught from shop tbh.
ive moved in 3 years about 6 times im about to do a 7th move lol as i just had a daughter born on friday 21st march 4:47am GMT.
we called her Cara btw.
oh make sure water is the right temp b4 your start placing the fish.
this is what i do when i move maybe others have a different way.
the main thing is be fast but be safe.
anyway what i do is use 2-3 buckets for my gravel keep water a flot on top and cling film the top to make less of a spill of each buket that meens gravel can stay mature with out any problems second i bag up fish put them in a poly boxy and make sure they wont roll around if they do use news paper in scrunchys.
second the filter i leave water inside take apart the the piping from i and store in a bucket due to it leaks a little.
heater i place in a safe place so it wont brake.
with tank tho i move that as fast as i can as u have like 1-3 hours before the good bactiera sart to die away.
on the set up i put gravel with the water straight in i dont even remove anything from loading van lmao!!
i then start to fill as fast but safly as i can.
i get the filter pumped up and ready to go once the water lvl has reached a certain point on my tank.
and then add your LR asap that should be kept in a buket too i have like 6 bukets in total btw this is wat i did do for FW.
adding fish is same gradually and gentaly.. just like u baught from shop tbh.
ive moved in 3 years about 6 times im about to do a 7th move lol as i just had a daughter born on friday 21st march 4:47am GMT.
we called her Cara btw.
oh make sure water is the right temp b4 your start placing the fish.
this is what i do when i move maybe others have a different way.
the main thing is be fast but be safe.
ohiofishman
New Member
thanks you have many useful tips. I'll be using a cargo van with all the cold weather here...wouldn't it be easier leaving sand in the tank. with water just above it? (it has a thin sand bed..about an inch )and with all the rock,fish and water i put in the buckets that don't really leave much plain water to refill tank to start filters before i add the LR,fish and rest of water..would making new water to make up the difference do more harm then good? you know insuring i have minimal die off. btw love the baby's name
dse
Member
lol yeah if you can lift it with sand in but remember you will be putting stress on bottom of glass whilst lifting too.
my tank as just glass wieghs 70kg so sand of 30kg makes it 100kg lol.
i take insurance aswell for my tank, if your tank is expensive or large travel insure it,
and no a good water change is good sumtimes but if moviing it cant be helped.
remember you do water changes all the time so this is like a big water change to the tank.
but as long as items and filter is still mature and have not been cleaned nor been dryed out you should be ok.
one thing i do recomend is not turning on your lights if you can for like 24hours as stress is very high on transport i learnt that if you let them settle as long as possible the better.
but you can add LR and other accecories to tank b4 water i just put them in after just in caase i damege them. im a biy of a worryer when it comes to that.
lol the wife found the name.
it meens love in italian.
my tank as just glass wieghs 70kg so sand of 30kg makes it 100kg lol.
i take insurance aswell for my tank, if your tank is expensive or large travel insure it,
and no a good water change is good sumtimes but if moviing it cant be helped.
remember you do water changes all the time so this is like a big water change to the tank.
but as long as items and filter is still mature and have not been cleaned nor been dryed out you should be ok.
one thing i do recomend is not turning on your lights if you can for like 24hours as stress is very high on transport i learnt that if you let them settle as long as possible the better.
but you can add LR and other accecories to tank b4 water i just put them in after just in caase i damege them. im a biy of a worryer when it comes to that.
lol the wife found the name.
it meens love in italian.
prk543
Member
You can move it with sand in the bottom, but you can't have any water on the surface of the sand bed, because it will slosh back and forth and could damage the seals on you tank. If you can take out the most sand that you can and put it in a bucket.
Once you start putting the tank together, put the sand back in first, and then put a clean bowl in your tank on top of your sand bed and start adding water into the bowl, it should help keep some of your sand from stirring up.
Then you can add your Live rock, I would hold off on putting in the fish and corals until you can test your water, and be prepared for a mini cycle from stirring up the sand bed. So you should have some salt water mixed up and ready to go.
If your water is ok, then go ahead and add your fish and corals.
Good luck with the move, just have your testkits, change water, and keep an eye on the tank.
Prk543
Once you start putting the tank together, put the sand back in first, and then put a clean bowl in your tank on top of your sand bed and start adding water into the bowl, it should help keep some of your sand from stirring up.
Then you can add your Live rock, I would hold off on putting in the fish and corals until you can test your water, and be prepared for a mini cycle from stirring up the sand bed. So you should have some salt water mixed up and ready to go.
If your water is ok, then go ahead and add your fish and corals.
Good luck with the move, just have your testkits, change water, and keep an eye on the tank.
Prk543
1journeyman
Active Member
You guys have infinitely more faith in glass seals than I do if you are moving a tank with wet sand in it.....
Heck NO, I would not suggest that.
Heck NO, I would not suggest that.
grim_reefer
Member
i agree with the lifting of sealed glass with weight in it.. a 55 is alot sturdier then the bigger tanks, but you are still chancing a "twist" in the carrying which can and usually does lead to a bad seal, which in turn will lead to a leak..
ohiofishman
New Member
thanks for all of the advise guys...it was just a thought about leaving the sand in ...not much in there less then 20 lbs...but like you guys said why take the chance...i'm picking up the tank on saturday..i hope all goes well...i'm sure it will,