How do I 'successfully' move my tank?

elChino · 10/10/2006, 10:56 AM

I'm moving to another city, not too far away, only 15 minutes or so but I need guidance on how to best move my tank infllicting the least amount of trauma as possibly.

Can someone help or point me in the direction of a guide, please?

imtheonlylp · 10/10/2006, 12:00 PM

usually the reverse order of a setup works...i did something similar about a year and a half ago...i put all my LR and fishes in a 30g rubbermaid tub, siphoned out as much water as possible into 5g buckets (for re-use), then just moved the tank and set it up again in my new location...rocks first, let everything settle, then livestock...

cesau · 10/10/2006, 12:05 PM

The last time I moved, I bought a bunch of 10 gallon tupperware containers for like $3-4 each. I put some live rock in each one and spread the livestock among them. I put the substrate in another 2 containers. I took as much of the tank water as I could with me. This process was done on a 55 gallon long and took about 3-4 hours total to tear down, move, and reset up. I think I let the tank settle over night before putting the livestock back in. No casualties.

hodsgod · 10/10/2006, 12:23 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by cesau
The last time I moved, I bought a bunch of 10 gallon tupperware containers for like $3-4 each. I put some live rock in each one and spread the livestock among them. I put the substrate in another 2 containers. I took as much of the tank water as I could with me. This process was done on a 55 gallon long and took about 3-4 hours total to tear down, move, and reset up. I think I let the tank settle over night before putting the livestock back in. No casualties.

I did it in a very similar way, it minimises the shock to the fish if you keep all the original rock/water etc.

elChino · 10/10/2006, 12:25 PM

but doesn't taking the sand stir up a lot of unwanted gunk that's in there? that will be on the surface one you put the sand back in?

MrSpiffy · 10/10/2006, 12:35 PM

No, it shouldn't be too bad of a storm. You remove the rock and livestock, but leave the sand in the bottom of the tank. That way you don't have to worry about stirring things up too badly. Just be careful when you replace the water that you don't just dump it all over the sand and cause a storm. I've heard that pouring the sand on a container lid on the bottom helps minimize the storm.

I would avoid putting the fish/livestock in with rocks if it can be avoided. That way you don't bump them into rocks and such when the water sloshes in the container, and the rocks wont go sliding around in the containers and pinch the livestock against the container wall.

hodsgod · 10/10/2006, 12:38 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by elChino
but doesn't taking the sand stir up a lot of unwanted gunk that's in there? that will be on the surface one you put the sand back in?

As I said I did it similarly not identically, I left the sand and two inches of water above the sand in the tank.

NO matter what you do you are going to get some sort of stir up of the sand. You will have a lot of water to get back in very gently.

elChino · 10/10/2006, 01:03 PM

sweet... thanks for the advice guys, i think i can handle this after all.

imtheonlylp · 10/10/2006, 01:09 PM

oh, i would maybe pick up a couple of cheap carbon filters from walmart or something....run them for a few hours after the swap; this will help with the sand/poo storm

elChino · 10/10/2006, 01:10 PM

hahaha... ok, sounds good.

MCary · 10/10/2006, 01:46 PM

It also depends of how big the tank is, resources available, what kind of transportation and people you have to help. When I moved my tank, I took out 3/4 of the water, put the tank (stand and all) on furniture dollies and rolled it our the door and up the ramp of a U-haul truck. (150 gallon tank). Then I rolled it down the ramp, into the house, took the dollies out from under it, filled it with water and plugged it back in.

Mike

elChino · 10/10/2006, 01:54 PM

good idea. was it two stand-up dollies or those that have a large base?

MimicTang · 10/10/2006, 02:01 PM

Reverse setup...

Drain
remove live rock
remove critters
live sand
and move.

MCary · 10/10/2006, 02:17 PM

I bought two furniture dollies, basically a pallet with wheels rated for 1000 pounds each at home depot for, if I remember, $30 each.

If you have a nice sturdy stand you can lag screw the dollies onto the bottom of the stand so they won't slide off should you need to manipulate the set-up much. You can also band the tank to them if your worried about it sliding around. Although with a little weight its pretty stable.

Mike

10/10/2006, 10:56 AM	#1
elChino Registered Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Utah Posts: 208	How do I 'successfully' move my tank? I'm moving to another city, not too far away, only 15 minutes or so but I need guidance on how to best move my tank infllicting the least amount of trauma as possibly. Can someone help or point me in the direction of a guide, please? __________________ Who's gonna turn down a Junior Mint? It's chocolate, it's peppermint-- it's delicious!

10/10/2006, 12:00 PM	#2
imtheonlylp Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Columbus, Ga Posts: 465	usually the reverse order of a setup works...i did something similar about a year and a half ago...i put all my LR and fishes in a 30g rubbermaid tub, siphoned out as much water as possible into 5g buckets (for re-use), then just moved the tank and set it up again in my new location...rocks first, let everything settle, then livestock... __________________ "Tomorrow is the only day that appeals to a lazy man" - Jimmy Lyons Current Tank Info: 75g glass, 20g sump/refugium, QueenTS200, CA2300 return pump, (2) AquaClear4000 powerheads

10/10/2006, 12:25 PM	#5
elChino Registered Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Utah Posts: 208	but doesn't taking the sand stir up a lot of unwanted gunk that's in there? that will be on the surface one you put the sand back in? __________________ Who's gonna turn down a Junior Mint? It's chocolate, it's peppermint-- it's delicious!

10/10/2006, 01:03 PM	#8
elChino Registered Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Utah Posts: 208	sweet... thanks for the advice guys, i think i can handle this after all. __________________ Who's gonna turn down a Junior Mint? It's chocolate, it's peppermint-- it's delicious!

10/10/2006, 01:09 PM	#9
imtheonlylp Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Columbus, Ga Posts: 465	oh, i would maybe pick up a couple of cheap carbon filters from walmart or something....run them for a few hours after the swap; this will help with the sand/poo storm __________________ "Tomorrow is the only day that appeals to a lazy man" - Jimmy Lyons Current Tank Info: 75g glass, 20g sump/refugium, QueenTS200, CA2300 return pump, (2) AquaClear4000 powerheads

10/10/2006, 12:05 PM	#3
cesau Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Posts: 100	The last time I moved, I bought a bunch of 10 gallon tupperware containers for like $3-4 each. I put some live rock in each one and spread the livestock among them. I put the substrate in another 2 containers. I took as much of the tank water as I could with me. This process was done on a 55 gallon long and took about 3-4 hours total to tear down, move, and reset up. I think I let the tank settle over night before putting the livestock back in. No casualties.

10/10/2006, 12:35 PM	#6
MrSpiffy Premium Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Loveland, CO Posts: 1,300	No, it shouldn't be too bad of a storm. You remove the rock and livestock, but leave the sand in the bottom of the tank. That way you don't have to worry about stirring things up too badly. Just be careful when you replace the water that you don't just dump it all over the sand and cause a storm. I've heard that pouring the sand on a container lid on the bottom helps minimize the storm. I would avoid putting the fish/livestock in with rocks if it can be avoided. That way you don't bump them into rocks and such when the water sloshes in the container, and the rocks wont go sliding around in the containers and pinch the livestock against the container wall.

10/10/2006, 01:10 PM	#10
elChino Registered Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Utah Posts: 208	hahaha... ok, sounds good. __________________ Who's gonna turn down a Junior Mint? It's chocolate, it's peppermint-- it's delicious!

10/10/2006, 01:46 PM	#11
MCary Premium Member Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Hardin, Montana Posts: 3,142	It also depends of how big the tank is, resources available, what kind of transportation and people you have to help. When I moved my tank, I took out 3/4 of the water, put the tank (stand and all) on furniture dollies and rolled it our the door and up the ramp of a U-haul truck. (150 gallon tank). Then I rolled it down the ramp, into the house, took the dollies out from under it, filled it with water and plugged it back in. Mike

10/10/2006, 01:54 PM	#12
elChino Registered Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Utah Posts: 208	good idea. was it two stand-up dollies or those that have a large base? __________________ Who's gonna turn down a Junior Mint? It's chocolate, it's peppermint-- it's delicious!

10/10/2006, 02:01 PM	#13
MimicTang Moved On Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Hartford CT Posts: 1,517	Reverse setup... Drain remove live rock remove critters live sand and move.

10/10/2006, 02:17 PM	#14
MCary Premium Member Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Hardin, Montana Posts: 3,142	I bought two furniture dollies, basically a pallet with wheels rated for 1000 pounds each at home depot for, if I remember, $30 each. If you have a nice sturdy stand you can lag screw the dollies onto the bottom of the stand so they won't slide off should you need to manipulate the set-up much. You can also band the tank to them if your worried about it sliding around. Although with a little weight its pretty stable. Mike