Tank move help

dwsindy · 07/20/2007, 07:32 PM

Help and advice needed.
I will be moving in a couple of weeks and I am torn between moving my tank (125) or selling off the livestock and corals and tear the tank down and set it back up in a few months when we get settled.

If I move the tank and set it up immediately trying to keep 30 to 40% of the water and changing all of the sand will I have much of a cycle? I am only moving about 7 miles.

What is the success rate of moves? Would I have a huge die off of coral? I currently have mostly LPS & Softies in a DSB. The Sailfin and Mimic Tang will not be returned to the new setup but I have a False Perc and a Foxface Rabbit that will be making the move if I decide to keep the tank set up.

rkcca · 07/20/2007, 08:30 PM

Get yourself some storage bins and a helper. I've moved my tank lots of times, never lost a coral. Did loose a fish.

Bag fish and loose corals. Put them in a cooler.

Fill the bins about a quarter full of tank water, put in rocks. Base rocks on bottom. Carefully put your display rocks on top. Use a flat bed dolly to roll rocks to your vehicle.

Drain tank completely.

I replaced my sand with bags of live sand and had no noticable cycle.

Take as much water in jugs as you can. Fill tank with aged water and rocks. Float fish and corals to aclimate like normal.

The corals should be back to normal a few days.

alan214 · 07/20/2007, 08:56 PM

rkcca is right on. Done correctly you should lose very few (or none) livestock. If you trash your old sand, you'll minimize the odds of going through another cycle. The older the sandbed is, the more of a risk it is in trying to move it. Anything over a year is not worth it, IMO. You'd need to rinse it very, very thoroughly. Either way, save a cup or so from the old sand bed to seed your new sand.

dwsindy · 07/21/2007, 07:08 AM

Thanks guys,
I think I will give it a shot. I should have lots of help so that is not a problem. One worry I have is where to put it in the new house. I certainly do not want to be moving this thing again.

The tank has been set up for a year and a half so I will be ditching the sand except for a cup or two and get new sand. I wont be using live sand however, I guess the corals and fish would be ok in bags for several hours?

rkcca · 07/21/2007, 03:46 PM

Fish and corals should have not problem being in a bag for a few hours. I once moved from OC to San Francisco and back a few years later. The trip didn't bother them too much.

For a long distance move, I put a clean piece of plastic on the water in the bins. It minimizes the spill factor.

07/20/2007, 07:32 PM	#1
dwsindy Premium Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Indianapolis Posts: 218	Tank move help Help and advice needed. I will be moving in a couple of weeks and I am torn between moving my tank (125) or selling off the livestock and corals and tear the tank down and set it back up in a few months when we get settled. If I move the tank and set it up immediately trying to keep 30 to 40% of the water and changing all of the sand will I have much of a cycle? I am only moving about 7 miles. What is the success rate of moves? Would I have a huge die off of coral? I currently have mostly LPS & Softies in a DSB. The Sailfin and Mimic Tang will not be returned to the new setup but I have a False Perc and a Foxface Rabbit that will be making the move if I decide to keep the tank set up.

07/20/2007, 08:30 PM	#2
rkcca Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: OC, So Cal Posts: 236	Get yourself some storage bins and a helper. I've moved my tank lots of times, never lost a coral. Did loose a fish. Bag fish and loose corals. Put them in a cooler. Fill the bins about a quarter full of tank water, put in rocks. Base rocks on bottom. Carefully put your display rocks on top. Use a flat bed dolly to roll rocks to your vehicle. Drain tank completely. I replaced my sand with bags of live sand and had no noticable cycle. Take as much water in jugs as you can. Fill tank with aged water and rocks. Float fish and corals to aclimate like normal. The corals should be back to normal a few days. Last edited by rkcca; 07/20/2007 at 08:39 PM.

07/20/2007, 08:56 PM	#3
alan214 Premium Member Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: The Colony, TX Posts: 1,258	rkcca is right on. Done correctly you should lose very few (or none) livestock. If you trash your old sand, you'll minimize the odds of going through another cycle. The older the sandbed is, the more of a risk it is in trying to move it. Anything over a year is not worth it, IMO. You'd need to rinse it very, very thoroughly. Either way, save a cup or so from the old sand bed to seed your new sand. __________________ I live really close to the airport. The other day I was walking across the living room and the stewardess told me to take my seat. Current Tank Info: 73G FOWLR

07/21/2007, 07:08 AM	#4
dwsindy Premium Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Indianapolis Posts: 218	Thanks guys, I think I will give it a shot. I should have lots of help so that is not a problem. One worry I have is where to put it in the new house. I certainly do not want to be moving this thing again. The tank has been set up for a year and a half so I will be ditching the sand except for a cup or two and get new sand. I wont be using live sand however, I guess the corals and fish would be ok in bags for several hours?

07/21/2007, 03:46 PM	#5
rkcca Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: OC, So Cal Posts: 236	Fish and corals should have not problem being in a bag for a few hours. I once moved from OC to San Francisco and back a few years later. The trip didn't bother them too much. For a long distance move, I put a clean piece of plastic on the water in the bins. It minimizes the spill factor.