Moving Live Rock....

Reefer2727 · 07/19/2009, 03:10 PM

Hi all,

In a couple of weeks I have a big move coming. The move is going to be around 20 hours of driving over 2 days. Plan is to leave early on Thursday morning and will be arriving at the new place sometime Saturday night.

I have about 80 Lbs of live rock to bring with me. The tank was broken down a few months ago and the rock has been in 2 garbage cans with heaters and powerheads since.

My question is what is the best way to move this stuff? As it stands, I just planned on taking the 2 garbage cans with as little water in them as possible just to try to keep them wet. Are there any better options? Do they need to stay wet ? Could I try the wet paper towel set up and no water?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

cloak · 07/19/2009, 03:41 PM

What you described sounds good. Just put enough water so that the movement of the car, the turns, the bumps, etc would slosh the water around keeping them wet. You could try the paper towel method but I think it might be more trouble than it's worth. What's the temperature like up there? You might have to insulate those buckets some how if it gets cold.

GL.

Reefer2727 · 07/19/2009, 04:02 PM

It is summer here so I am not concerned about temperature at all. They will get cool at night but there isn't too much I can do about that. I am just looking for the easiest way to do this as moving can be pain enough without the saltwater addiction!

darkdruid · 07/19/2009, 04:37 PM

You can get a 12 volt livewell pump from any marine store and alot of Wal-Marts. Leave a few inches of water in the can and put the pump in the bottom with a hose to the top. Just plug it in the lighter and you have water being pumped over the rock continually keeping it wet, without having to carry more than a few gallons.

Reefer2727 · 07/19/2009, 04:58 PM

Good idea darkdruid. Problem is that these cans will be in the back of a big cube van. Not sure that I would have access to a cigarette lighter socket.

darkdruid · 07/19/2009, 05:03 PM

A 12 volt car battery with some alligator clips works too.

Reefer2727 · 07/20/2009, 08:01 PM

Would keeping the rock out of any water for a couple of days be a huge deal? My tank won't be set up right away anyway so it will be a longer slow cycle.

Thanks

darkdruid · 07/20/2009, 08:06 PM

You can scrub the rock well and set it in the driveway to dry and pack it in boxes. It will just be dead rock but after a few weeks in your tank with a small piece or two of live rock from the LFS nearest your new home, it will recycle and be colonized with the bacteria and ready to go. It would be the same as setting up a tank with all dry rock from Marco Rocks. People do it every day with no problems.

bpulmano · 07/20/2009, 09:28 PM

Man, 20 hours, thats a haul.. It was bad enough for me when I moved cross town.

Reefer2727 · 07/20/2009, 10:52 PM

For sure, it's going to be rough.

07/19/2009, 03:10 PM	#1
Reefer2727 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Canada Posts: 995	Moving Live Rock.... Hi all, In a couple of weeks I have a big move coming. The move is going to be around 20 hours of driving over 2 days. Plan is to leave early on Thursday morning and will be arriving at the new place sometime Saturday night. I have about 80 Lbs of live rock to bring with me. The tank was broken down a few months ago and the rock has been in 2 garbage cans with heaters and powerheads since. My question is what is the best way to move this stuff? As it stands, I just planned on taking the 2 garbage cans with as little water in them as possible just to try to keep them wet. Are there any better options? Do they need to stay wet ? Could I try the wet paper towel set up and no water? Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.

07/19/2009, 03:41 PM	#2
cloak Moved On Join Date: Jul 2000 Location: Stockton, CA Posts: 14,854	What you described sounds good. Just put enough water so that the movement of the car, the turns, the bumps, etc would slosh the water around keeping them wet. You could try the paper towel method but I think it might be more trouble than it's worth. What's the temperature like up there? You might have to insulate those buckets some how if it gets cold. GL. Last edited by cloak; 07/19/2009 at 03:47 PM.

07/19/2009, 04:37 PM	#4
darkdruid Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Knoxville, TN Posts: 520	You can get a 12 volt livewell pump from any marine store and alot of Wal-Marts. Leave a few inches of water in the can and put the pump in the bottom with a hose to the top. Just plug it in the lighter and you have water being pumped over the rock continually keeping it wet, without having to carry more than a few gallons. __________________ Get all the fools on your side and you can be elected to anything. Current Tank Info: 46 gallon bowfront and 35 gallon mixed reefs, several 10 and 20 gallon frag tanks, beginning a 125 build

07/19/2009, 05:03 PM	#6
darkdruid Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Knoxville, TN Posts: 520	A 12 volt car battery with some alligator clips works too. __________________ Get all the fools on your side and you can be elected to anything. Current Tank Info: 46 gallon bowfront and 35 gallon mixed reefs, several 10 and 20 gallon frag tanks, beginning a 125 build

07/20/2009, 08:06 PM	#8
darkdruid Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Knoxville, TN Posts: 520	You can scrub the rock well and set it in the driveway to dry and pack it in boxes. It will just be dead rock but after a few weeks in your tank with a small piece or two of live rock from the LFS nearest your new home, it will recycle and be colonized with the bacteria and ready to go. It would be the same as setting up a tank with all dry rock from Marco Rocks. People do it every day with no problems. __________________ Get all the fools on your side and you can be elected to anything. Current Tank Info: 46 gallon bowfront and 35 gallon mixed reefs, several 10 and 20 gallon frag tanks, beginning a 125 build

07/19/2009, 04:02 PM	#3
Reefer2727 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Canada Posts: 995	It is summer here so I am not concerned about temperature at all. They will get cool at night but there isn't too much I can do about that. I am just looking for the easiest way to do this as moving can be pain enough without the saltwater addiction!

07/19/2009, 04:58 PM	#5
Reefer2727 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Canada Posts: 995	Good idea darkdruid. Problem is that these cans will be in the back of a big cube van. Not sure that I would have access to a cigarette lighter socket.

07/20/2009, 08:01 PM	#7
Reefer2727 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Canada Posts: 995	Would keeping the rock out of any water for a couple of days be a huge deal? My tank won't be set up right away anyway so it will be a longer slow cycle. Thanks

07/20/2009, 09:28 PM	#9
bpulmano Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 55	Man, 20 hours, thats a haul.. It was bad enough for me when I moved cross town.

07/20/2009, 10:52 PM	#10
Reefer2727 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Canada Posts: 995	For sure, it's going to be rough.