traveling 2 hours with 125g tank got questions

[beejes]

I am buying a 125g all fish tank 2 hours from my home. I am going to haul all of the water with it. There are two puffers, one lion fish, and 3 black damsels. I am told there are 5 live rocks that are softball sized. The fish are all football sized, except the damsels. There is a 1/2 in to 1 in sand bed. When I set this back up at home how long do I wait before putting the fish back in? I plan on taking them to the pet shop because I actually want to convert this to a reef tank. I have a skimmer and sump. I'll be getting power heads. I want to start adding live rock as soon as the fish are gone. any advice from anyone?

[geaux xman]

no way possible will you be able to lift it with water in it. thats over 1000lbs.

[greech]

Can you make it so the fish go right to the LFS? Then just take the tank home and take your time. Just make sure your LFS will take them.

Taking all the water isn't really necessary. Bag the fish individually and keep them in a good styro container. Put the water you take in a new clean trash can with the LR. Take the tank home, fill it with water and and add flow and heat. Find out what the SG currently is and have how ever much water you need ready a day before you move the tank and use that water to fill the tank the rest of the way up. Make more water than you think. Add the LR, match the temp back up to what the fish are in currently and add them to the tank.

I wouldn't use the existing sand and get new sand unless you want to wash it for later use. Maybe keep a couple if ziploc bags of the old sand to seed the new bed.

if you can't find somewhere/someone to take the fish, test often and have water ready for water changes just in case.

[dmastracchio]

I am assuming he'll be draining the water before he moves it.

Drain as much water as possible. The one problem is when the sand bed gets stirred up it can release stuff into the water which can be bad.

I have moved my tank from 4 hours away and I put everyone back into the tank about an hour after it was all set up and the sand settled. I did a few water changes the following couple of days just to be safe. Had 0 deaths.

[reefergeorge]

I just did it. There were two more tubs in the truck that had the fish, and corals in it.

[robrich342]

You can have 50% new water waiting when you get there, fill one of the new 64 gallon Rubbermaid trash cans with wheels on them with your old water, put the fish in a ice chest with old water ( they will be fine for a couple of days as long as you keep them at a decent temp ) throw an air stone or power head in the chest when you get to your new home, put bottom media in a can and fill it two or three inches over the top with old water, do the same with the rocks.

If you are talking about moving it all in the tank ...I will not say it is impossible but, its not a good idea at all for tons of reasons #1 being your personal safety.

[robrich342]

If the fish are football sized...if was me I would try to trade for smaller one at your LFS and if they will not trade I would give them to the store. If you are going to a reef later you will not want fish that big in your tank.