Best way to move a tank ?

[Dfwnoob]

I bought a tank 75 gallon ( see attached photo ) it's establish for about 5 years . What would be the best way to move it 20 min away for its current location ? It's has about 6 fishes live rock and a dry wet sump . Any advise would be greatly appreciated .

[Dfwnoob]

Picture of tank to be moved

[gotwake89]

will you be taking all of the fish, rock, and sand with it to it's new location?

[fishgate]

If it was me, I'd take almost all the water out and put it in 5 gallon buckets, leave enough to keep the sand wet. Do NOT disturb the sand in ANY way. Move the fish into bags with tank water. Put the live rock in 5 gallon buckets submerged in water. 2-4 guys should be able to move that tank with the sand and a small amount of water. Once at the new location, CAREFULLY return the water using dinner plates to diffuse it. Return the rock. Return the fish. Should be ok!

[Dfwnoob]

Yup , all is going . Thinking of taking rock off and 50% of water n leaving fish intank for the move ... It's actually less 10/15 minutes

[Dfwnoob]

Lady mention she always moves the sand around she vacuums it every weekend

[cap032]

I would take several bucketts or a large rubbermaid tub to place the live rock in and then fill them/it with saltwater. This way you can rest assured there will be no die off. Place the fish in water from the aquarium and take a bunch of empty bucketts to fill with water from the tank. You could prepare ahead of time by making approx 20 or so gallons of fresh saltwater so that you can dispose of the water you transport the fish and rock in, but try and match the salinity to what the tank is currently at. I dont knkw if you are taking the current owners sand but........I would replace at least half with new sand.

[nynick]

As long as you keep everything in water, well oxygenated and heated you will be fine and keep as much of her water as you possibly can. The only real problem in moving an existing tank is the sand. All the above ideas are fine but comes with some risks if something goes wrong. You will also be in a hurry so something is likely to go wrong. Another option is to clean the sand very well, this will take an hour or 2 but this is not a problem if you have a rubbermade container with a powerhead and heater for rocks and livestock.

If you live close to a lfs and have a spare hundred bucks buy new sand and have it cleaned and ready the day before, will make for a much smoother transfer and very low screw up potential.

[pool guy]

I can tell you how I did it. I actually have 2 35 gallon tank totes for rodi water and mix. I brought my 120 qt cooler, my two totes, and a few 5 gallon buckets. We took several buckets of tank water and put into cooler. Took most of the live rock from tank and placed in the cooler (all rock being underwater. I took a few pieced of live rock and placed in one of the 35 gallon totes, placed more of the tank water into the 35 gallon tote. I then placed the fish into the 35 gallon tote with the rocks and put an airstone pump in with them, and off we went. It was about a 45 minute ride back to the house, and I didn't loose a fish. (yellow tang, sailfin tang, foxface, mated pair of clowns, GIANT engineer goby, and a sixline.....)

I tried to save the sand, but it was waaaaaaay easier to just use new sand. I think I took some of the top layer from the old tank, but tossed the rest.

BUT, the real answer to your question of "what is the best way to move a tank" is:
WITH A BUNCH OF FRIENDS !!!!!!

[Neokane]

I am moving a 90 gallon tank with rock and fish tomorrow..
I have 2-44 gal brute force trash cans for the live rock and majority of the water.
I have plastic bags from the lfs for critters. A small air compressor to put air in the bags.
A cooler to put the bagged critters in.
Going to leave enough water to cover the sand,
I have both ro/di water at home and also mixed water ready to be used.
Fish are last on the truck and first off the truck into the house.
This us my first move too.. Should be interesting.

[Dmorty217]

Originally Posted by Dfwnoob

I bought a tank 75 gallon ( see attached photo ) it's establish for about 5 years . What would be the best way to move it 20 min away for its current location ? It's has about 6 fishes live rock and a dry wet sump . Any advise would be greatly appreciated .

Go to tractor supply they have rubber maids there that are big enough I think there is a 100g one pump the water, move the rock and sand and livestock into the Rubbermaid transport to new location pump water and move rocks sand and livestock back into your tank

[OregonReefer2]

Originally Posted by Dfwnoob

Yup , all is going . Thinking of taking rock off and 50% of water n leaving fish intank for the move ... It's actually less 10/15 minutes

IMHO it's a bad idea to move the tank with 50% of the water in it... that's about 300 lbs in just the water weight

The weight shifts from the water moving back and forth in a vehicle are likely to either knock the tank over in transport or break a seal. No matter how careful you drive there's going to be water everywhere and probably a fish or two in the pickup bed.

That's a really thin sandbed and if she vacuums it it'll be fine

Keep 50% of the water in buckets (you could put the fish in the same buckets), have SW mixed to fill it the rest of the way. Keep the rocks submerged and have a plan to get it set up as quick as possible.

[Dfwnoob]

My issue would be a fish that's in the tank a foxface I was told by the owner that he is very over reactive gets scare easily and tries to jump out of the tank every chance he gets and it's pretty old would hate to lose him . He is the main attraction of the tank if you will ... What would be the issue me using the old sand if owner kept it clean ... For a 7 year old tank it has the whitest sand I've seen !

[Dfwnoob]

Person kept her tank clean ! If she could scrub the fish and use windex inside the glass she would !

[nynick]

Don't try to move the tank with water in it!!! Not only will it be insanely heavy but the glass is likely to break the first time you hit a bump in the road. Glass might be strong for constant pressure but it is anything but if containing 200Lb of water when you hit that bump.

Also never carry a tank with a lot of water in it no matter how light it is. If something goes wrong (if it weighs 200Lb something will go wrong!) you run the chance of getting a shower filled with razor sharp pieces of glass. Ever seen one of those slomo vids of a water glass exploding? Now imagine the same thing but with 100Lb of glass and 200LB of pressure and you are 1 inch away from it.

[Dfwnoob]

Make sense , than you guys for advise . Thinking buying big 50 g + jugs and small ones hopefully since its a short drive fishes won't stress out

[nynick]

I am just full of doom and gloom today...lol..but I just realized you said Foxface. Get him a bucket to himself. They have poisonous spines on their back that will puncture a plastic bag, hurt another fish if it stresses out and possibly give you a nasty sting too if you are not careful. Don't worry about him in the tank, I have never seen one use it for anything but posturing but if he panics in a plastic bag with other fish it might get wet and nasty.

[Dfwnoob]

Yea he's something else been over to lady's house and he's always propping his back spines ... So ill share my great deal or should I say steal !!! 75 gallon tank stand few other misc. stuff along with a foxface blue eye koli a coral beauty 2 pajama cardinals and a flame hawkfish for the low price of $300 !!!!

[elio]

Great deal bro!..

[elio]

Btw.. Good thing you asked this question. I'll be moving my 90 gallon tank that I have already moved from my previous job. ..Ough.. Hate moving tanks! I was gonna see what easier methods others had.

[markandamber11]

i would clean sand bed as well thats just my opnion ..

[Reeferz412]

I read up to removing 50% of the water.... let me tell you... water weighs a lot. Empty the tank up until the sand bed. Make sure the sandbed is covered with water if you are adamant on keeping it. Remove the rockwork and fish and anything else that weighs. The tank alone is heavy and wet sand makes it even heavier. Have a few buckets or rubbermaid tubs with some heaters and air pumps and a powerhead.

[Dfwnoob]

Yea , thinking about breaking it all down .

[coralsnaked]

See PM

[Dfwnoob]

Thank you !