best way to move a tank with coral?

robgeib · 01/13/2008, 04:01 PM

Hi, I'm moving to Florida from Virginia / 9 hour drive. My plan is to keep about half of the water and make the other half before I make the move. I plan to keep the corals in a large rubbermaid container and bring them in my SUV. I will put a small powerhead in the rubbermaid container when I arrive and set the tank up the next morning. I plan to transport the 4 small fish in a 5 gal bucket.

The tank is a 33 gal so I should be able to set everything up by the next day.

I am a little worried about the move, any suggestions on how to do this the best way would help.

chin · 01/13/2008, 04:46 PM

The move shouldnt be too bad if the tank is a 33. Sturdy rubbermaids and buckets are the way to go. Place corals/fish in rubbermaids. Larger surface area=more O2, especially since you plan on setting up the next day. I would also keep the live rock in water in 5 gal buckets. Normally you would ship LR wrapped in wet newspaper, but you always get die off. If you move the LR wet, you will minimize the die off. I would also recommend cleaning all your equipment (skimmer, powerheads, filter) before you leave. It will be less of a headache when you set up the tank again. Best of luck and travel safe.

robgeib · 01/13/2008, 04:56 PM

that is a good idea about the equipment thanks for the post

str8clownr · 01/13/2008, 05:25 PM

i think it would be best if you set it back up same day, and not wait till the morning,

just a though..

kar93 · 01/13/2008, 06:39 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by str8clownr
i think it would be best if you set it back up same day, and not wait till the morning,

just a though..

I thought the same. The drive will be stresfful enough

cardgenius · 01/13/2008, 06:49 PM

I would set it back up as soon as possible and save as much water as you can. Then use the water you made to finish toping off the tank and keep as back up. For that long of a drive I would try and bag as much of your coral as possible. Kinda like your shipping them. Put the stuff that wont fit in bags in a bucket.

Just make sure your prepared for any disasters. I moved back in october and lost tons of coral and a few fish cause of a cracked tank and spilled water container(about 55g).

miwoodar · 01/13/2008, 07:09 PM

Definitely have a bunch of extra water made up. Try as I might, I've always needed more.

As suggested by Melev in a Reefcast episode...buy a baby pool and put everything in it when you get to your new place. It worked great for me. Add a pump and a heater and you can take your time loading everything back in the tank. You can also see all of your rocks and corals simulaneously helping you reduce time doing trial and error.

***edit***
Another thing that helped me last time I moved - I used trash cans to hold the rock/water. I didn't fill them up all the way so I could easily move them. To keep splashing to a minimum, I blew up garbage bags and 'plugged' the cans before I put the lids on. This last step helped a TON.

robgeib · 01/13/2008, 07:52 PM

the pool is a good idea... I may also use a huge rubbermaid container because I only have a 33 gal tank. Thanks for all the advice...

miwoodar · 01/13/2008, 08:03 PM

IME - The plugged trash cans plugged with blown up trash bag balloons works much better. Getting regular household containers to seal is a big challenge. If you already have the rubbermaid, it will work. Don't stack anything next it that can't get wet though. Taping down the lid helps a little.

navy crf · 01/13/2008, 08:27 PM

I moved from Michigan to North Carolina a few years back and had an issue closing on my house so I had 2 tanks, live rocks and all the equipment in the back of my SUV for 2 days. I had oxygen pills for the bags of fish and just bagged the corals. Rubbermaid containers with water for the live rock. Moving again in another year and I think I will not use the oxygen pills again as one of the tanks had freshwater discus and I think the oxygen pills messed with the pH of the water. Also used a couple of battery powered airpumps. Most corals made it, but I still had a good sized ammonia spike once I set up the tank. I have seen a 5 gallon thermos type bucket with a 12 volt car adapter on e-bay in the past and will probably give that a shot if I can find it again.

ALittleSalty · 01/13/2008, 08:29 PM

When I moved my 2 tanks across the state a year ago (2.5 hr drive) I put all the live rock with water in a large rubber maid container and kept the fish in a 5 gallon bucket. I had the luxury of being able to drive the day before and set up the tank and get it running before I actually moved. Once I arrived at the new house, it was easy to get things moved. Good Luck and bring lots of towels and make stops minimal. Jon

01/13/2008, 04:01 PM	#1
robgeib Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Richmond VA Posts: 18	best way to move a tank with coral? Hi, I'm moving to Florida from Virginia / 9 hour drive. My plan is to keep about half of the water and make the other half before I make the move. I plan to keep the corals in a large rubbermaid container and bring them in my SUV. I will put a small powerhead in the rubbermaid container when I arrive and set the tank up the next morning. I plan to transport the 4 small fish in a 5 gal bucket. The tank is a 33 gal so I should be able to set everything up by the next day. I am a little worried about the move, any suggestions on how to do this the best way would help.

01/13/2008, 06:49 PM	#6
cardgenius Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Denver, Colorado Posts: 527	I would set it back up as soon as possible and save as much water as you can. Then use the water you made to finish toping off the tank and keep as back up. For that long of a drive I would try and bag as much of your coral as possible. Kinda like your shipping them. Put the stuff that wont fit in bags in a bucket. Just make sure your prepared for any disasters. I moved back in october and lost tons of coral and a few fish cause of a cracked tank and spilled water container(about 55g). __________________ I'm no hero...never was. I'm just an old killer hired to do some wet work.

01/13/2008, 07:09 PM	#7
miwoodar Likey the bikey Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Colorado Posts: 3,371	Definitely have a bunch of extra water made up. Try as I might, I've always needed more. As suggested by Melev in a Reefcast episode...buy a baby pool and put everything in it when you get to your new place. It worked great for me. Add a pump and a heater and you can take your time loading everything back in the tank. You can also see all of your rocks and corals simulaneously helping you reduce time doing trial and error. *edit* Another thing that helped me last time I moved - I used trash cans to hold the rock/water. I didn't fill them up all the way so I could easily move them. To keep splashing to a minimum, I blew up garbage bags and 'plugged' the cans before I put the lids on. This last step helped a TON. __________________ Mike On hiatus. I'm either out riding my bicycle, playing with my family, or throwing ferts in my planted tank. Or working. I hope I'm not doing that though. Current Tank Info: 140 DIY Cube

01/13/2008, 08:03 PM	#9
miwoodar Likey the bikey Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Colorado Posts: 3,371	IME - The plugged trash cans plugged with blown up trash bag balloons works much better. Getting regular household containers to seal is a big challenge. If you already have the rubbermaid, it will work. Don't stack anything next it that can't get wet though. Taping down the lid helps a little. __________________ Mike On hiatus. I'm either out riding my bicycle, playing with my family, or throwing ferts in my planted tank. Or working. I hope I'm not doing that though. Current Tank Info: 140 DIY Cube

01/13/2008, 08:27 PM	#10
navy crf Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Gaylord, MI Posts: 88	I moved from Michigan to North Carolina a few years back and had an issue closing on my house so I had 2 tanks, live rocks and all the equipment in the back of my SUV for 2 days. I had oxygen pills for the bags of fish and just bagged the corals. Rubbermaid containers with water for the live rock. Moving again in another year and I think I will not use the oxygen pills again as one of the tanks had freshwater discus and I think the oxygen pills messed with the pH of the water. Also used a couple of battery powered airpumps. Most corals made it, but I still had a good sized ammonia spike once I set up the tank. I have seen a 5 gallon thermos type bucket with a 12 volt car adapter on e-bay in the past and will probably give that a shot if I can find it again. __________________ 150 gallon softie, 55 gallon planted freshwater Current Tank Info: 150 gallon softies tank

01/13/2008, 04:46 PM	#2
chin Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Chicago Posts: 80	The move shouldnt be too bad if the tank is a 33. Sturdy rubbermaids and buckets are the way to go. Place corals/fish in rubbermaids. Larger surface area=more O2, especially since you plan on setting up the next day. I would also keep the live rock in water in 5 gal buckets. Normally you would ship LR wrapped in wet newspaper, but you always get die off. If you move the LR wet, you will minimize the die off. I would also recommend cleaning all your equipment (skimmer, powerheads, filter) before you leave. It will be less of a headache when you set up the tank again. Best of luck and travel safe.

01/13/2008, 04:56 PM	#3
robgeib Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Richmond VA Posts: 18	that is a good idea about the equipment thanks for the post

01/13/2008, 05:25 PM	#4
str8clownr Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: mia Posts: 619	i think it would be best if you set it back up same day, and not wait till the morning, just a though..

01/13/2008, 07:52 PM	#8
robgeib Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Richmond VA Posts: 18	the pool is a good idea... I may also use a huge rubbermaid container because I only have a 33 gal tank. Thanks for all the advice...

01/13/2008, 08:29 PM	#11
ALittleSalty Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Lafayette, IN Posts: 119	When I moved my 2 tanks across the state a year ago (2.5 hr drive) I put all the live rock with water in a large rubber maid container and kept the fish in a 5 gallon bucket. I had the luxury of being able to drive the day before and set up the tank and get it running before I actually moved. Once I arrived at the new house, it was easy to get things moved. Good Luck and bring lots of towels and make stops minimal. Jon