Advice needed before I sell everything

me myself & I · 06/06/2006, 08:34 AM

I will be moving out to Arizona all the way from Cleveland Ohio in the first week of July. I have a 37 gallon cube tank with 70lbs of live rock, 5 Green Chromis, 1 Coral Beauty, 1 Pink Spotted Shrimp Goby with Pistol Shrimp buddy assorted Hermit Crabs, 1 Emerald Crab and assorted low light corals( Kenya Trees, Mushrooms, Star Polyps. Is there a good/safe way to drive all of this 2100 miles and still have everything alive? Does anybody have any good advice or suggestions on how to pack and transport my friends? Or should I try to sell everything. Man this sucks I really don't want to get rid of my tank I've had these guys for almost 2 years and there great. Could I put them in coolers to keep the tempature more steady? Help please.

E-A-G-L-E-S · 06/06/2006, 08:39 AM

if you can fit everything, and have time and resources to set it back up as soon as you get there, you will be fine if you prepare and pack well - IMO

use styrofoam boxes and multiple bags per livestock(go to your lfs and ask for some of their livestock bags....if they are cool they will let you *put oxygen into your bags on your way out of town

MCary · 06/06/2006, 08:54 AM

I would try to sell the livestock. I just moved and the pressure to try to get the new home for the fish setup before they die sucks. Wrap the rocks in wet newspaper and put them in a rubbermade tote. When you get to the new destination, fill the tote with SW and cook them while you plan the new setup.

That's what I'd do.

Mike

me myself & I · 06/06/2006, 08:56 AM

Would it be better to put them in a Rubbermaid container with a lid and to use a battery operated air pump?

fsn77 · 06/06/2006, 09:37 AM

Having moved across multiple states before, successfully moving livestock can be a difficult task. It takes well thought out planning. I don't think the worst part of it is the packing or the transport (other than keeping the temp acceptable and some surface agitation for gas exchange), it's arriving at the new place. A multiple day moving trip is exhausting enough, and once you arrive it can be a real pain to try to get everything re-organized (if you can find it) so you can set-up your tank again.

Plan well, use coolers (most lfs will give you the styrofoam ones they get orders in for free, at least IME), and be prepared for some headaches.

I'd try to move all of it if it was me, but if you decide to sell any of it, I'd focus on the fish first.

reefgeek84 · 06/06/2006, 10:04 AM

everyone is talking about air pumps...As long as they are not going to be bagged for more then 24 hours, they will be fine in bags if you put in sufficent oxygen in before you sealed the bags. All of you have to remember that most of our wet friends are shipped from across the globe and are not given air pumps and what not. Also a styrofoam container will act as a insulator and will keep the temp at safe levles, if you are really worried about it, get some heat packs.

Also if you have a cooler then you put most of the water and fish in there....its a little better on them and when you get to your final destination you can just ad an airstone and a heater and you can leave them in there until you have the tank set up, moving a tank is not hard at all. I have done many many times.

06/06/2006, 08:34 AM	#1
me myself & I Premium Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Cleveland, Ohio Posts: 134	Advice needed before I sell everything I will be moving out to Arizona all the way from Cleveland Ohio in the first week of July. I have a 37 gallon cube tank with 70lbs of live rock, 5 Green Chromis, 1 Coral Beauty, 1 Pink Spotted Shrimp Goby with Pistol Shrimp buddy assorted Hermit Crabs, 1 Emerald Crab and assorted low light corals( Kenya Trees, Mushrooms, Star Polyps. Is there a good/safe way to drive all of this 2100 miles and still have everything alive? Does anybody have any good advice or suggestions on how to pack and transport my friends? Or should I try to sell everything. Man this sucks I really don't want to get rid of my tank I've had these guys for almost 2 years and there great. Could I put them in coolers to keep the tempature more steady? Help please.

06/06/2006, 08:39 AM	#2
E-A-G-L-E-S Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Lehigh Valley, PA Posts: 7,038	if you can fit everything, and have time and resources to set it back up as soon as you get there, you will be fine if you prepare and pack well - IMO use styrofoam boxes and multiple bags per livestock(go to your lfs and ask for some of their livestock bags....if they are cool they will let you *put oxygen into your bags on your way out of town __________________ Smug Egotistical Contemptuous It's difficult to get a man to understand something that his salary requires him not to.

06/06/2006, 08:54 AM	#3
MCary Premium Member Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Hardin, Montana Posts: 3,142	I would try to sell the livestock. I just moved and the pressure to try to get the new home for the fish setup before they die sucks. Wrap the rocks in wet newspaper and put them in a rubbermade tote. When you get to the new destination, fill the tote with SW and cook them while you plan the new setup. That's what I'd do. Mike

06/06/2006, 08:56 AM	#4
me myself & I Premium Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Cleveland, Ohio Posts: 134	Would it be better to put them in a Rubbermaid container with a lid and to use a battery operated air pump?

06/06/2006, 09:37 AM	#5
fsn77 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: SC Posts: 777	Having moved across multiple states before, successfully moving livestock can be a difficult task. It takes well thought out planning. I don't think the worst part of it is the packing or the transport (other than keeping the temp acceptable and some surface agitation for gas exchange), it's arriving at the new place. A multiple day moving trip is exhausting enough, and once you arrive it can be a real pain to try to get everything re-organized (if you can find it) so you can set-up your tank again. Plan well, use coolers (most lfs will give you the styrofoam ones they get orders in for free, at least IME), and be prepared for some headaches. I'd try to move all of it if it was me, but if you decide to sell any of it, I'd focus on the fish first.

06/06/2006, 10:04 AM	#6
reefgeek84 Moved On Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Portlan, OR Posts: 997	everyone is talking about air pumps...As long as they are not going to be bagged for more then 24 hours, they will be fine in bags if you put in sufficent oxygen in before you sealed the bags. All of you have to remember that most of our wet friends are shipped from across the globe and are not given air pumps and what not. Also a styrofoam container will act as a insulator and will keep the temp at safe levles, if you are really worried about it, get some heat packs. Also if you have a cooler then you put most of the water and fish in there....its a little better on them and when you get to your final destination you can just ad an airstone and a heater and you can leave them in there until you have the tank set up, moving a tank is not hard at all. I have done many many times.