Best way to move tank??

Putty · 08/15/2012, 07:23 PM

Ended up selling my house, which means I have to disrupt my system to move it to a new location. I hate hate catching my fish in nets, seems to stress the crap out of them.
Should I get a tote and put all of fish then one for rocks, etc? I need to get a few 30g cans to take water.

thegrun · 08/15/2012, 07:27 PM

5 gallon buckets with lids are your best friend, anything larger takes a lot of effort due to the weight. Remove your rock first, then catch your fish. If you take the water level down fairly low you can use a Tupperware container to scoop them up with rather than a net.

Will4VT · 08/15/2012, 08:15 PM

Just bought a tank yesterday. I bought 2 5 gallon buckets with lids and I bought 2 30 gal tuber ware tubes. Put the tubes were u want them in the vehicle, dump the water in there, put the rock and water in one. Stored the fish in the 5 gallon buckets with an air stone.

Putty · 08/16/2012, 01:17 PM

Thanks, guys

nasoisking · 08/17/2012, 01:12 PM

yes 5g buckets for fish, and i used 18g totes to transport the lr, and 5g buckets for the sand.

thegrun · 08/17/2012, 02:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nasoisking

yes 5g buckets for fish, and i used 18g totes to transport the lr, and 5g buckets for the sand.

Thanks nasoiking, that's a polite way of calling me a wimp! I'll admit I'm just not up to lifting 18 gallon containers!

coreenm · 08/30/2012, 04:29 PM

Good luck to you. I had to move my 90 gallon twice, and it is way more work than you even think it will be. Like other posters said, 5 gallon buckets work well. Plastic storage totes are also good as long as you don't overfill them.

usmc121581 · 08/30/2012, 04:53 PM

I have moved my 180 gal from south Carolina and many times since 2006 I have 4-50 gal totes with the wheels , 2-35 gallon trash cans and many 18 gal totes with many salt buckets. Easiest way to do this is prep yourself and do not rush the process I don't know what you have more equipment. Start by removing all corals and splitting them into the 18 gal totes, I put all 200 lbs of sand in 5 gal buckets and used the 50gal totes and trash cans for rock and to transfer water. I much I hated to do it once everything was set back up I used straight tap water and salt to top off the system till the following weekend and did a major water change. It took me over two days to move a 180 with 55 gal sump and 29 gal. refug. After you set it back up it will be really murky depending on the equipment you have it will clear in roughly 24 hours only with all the corals mucus. Just do not let the wter get cold or to warm that will add stress o n the. Peals and fish and chances are you will kill something. You will need to remember if you use totes they can not and will not hold has much water as they are rated. Also a dolly will be your friend

08/15/2012, 07:23 PM	#1
Putty Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2011 Posts: 332	Best way to move tank?? Ended up selling my house, which means I have to disrupt my system to move it to a new location. I hate hate catching my fish in nets, seems to stress the crap out of them. Should I get a tote and put all of fish then one for rocks, etc? I need to get a few 30g cans to take water.

08/30/2012, 04:53 PM	#8
usmc121581 Where am I? Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Abingdon, maryland Posts: 1,671 Blog Entries: 1	I have moved my 180 gal from south Carolina and many times since 2006 I have 4-50 gal totes with the wheels , 2-35 gallon trash cans and many 18 gal totes with many salt buckets. Easiest way to do this is prep yourself and do not rush the process I don't know what you have more equipment. Start by removing all corals and splitting them into the 18 gal totes, I put all 200 lbs of sand in 5 gal buckets and used the 50gal totes and trash cans for rock and to transfer water. I much I hated to do it once everything was set back up I used straight tap water and salt to top off the system till the following weekend and did a major water change. It took me over two days to move a 180 with 55 gal sump and 29 gal. refug. After you set it back up it will be really murky depending on the equipment you have it will clear in roughly 24 hours only with all the corals mucus. Just do not let the wter get cold or to warm that will add stress o n the. Peals and fish and chances are you will kill something. You will need to remember if you use totes they can not and will not hold has much water as they are rated. Also a dolly will be your friend __________________ I prefer not to think before I speak, I like to be just as surprised as everyone else by what comes out of my mouth. Current Tank Info: I have a 180 gal mostly LPS corals, it contains 1 Val. Tang, 1 yellow striped clown fish, 3 percula clownfish, a blood shrimp, cleaner shrimp and a sand shifting goby, 5 pajama cardinals, 1 green chromis. Also a 75 gal. sump/fug.

08/15/2012, 07:27 PM	#2
thegrun Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Garden Grove, Ca Posts: 17,023	5 gallon buckets with lids are your best friend, anything larger takes a lot of effort due to the weight. Remove your rock first, then catch your fish. If you take the water level down fairly low you can use a Tupperware container to scoop them up with rather than a net.

08/15/2012, 08:15 PM	#3
Will4VT Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: West Virginia/Virginia Posts: 128	Just bought a tank yesterday. I bought 2 5 gallon buckets with lids and I bought 2 30 gal tuber ware tubes. Put the tubes were u want them in the vehicle, dump the water in there, put the rock and water in one. Stored the fish in the 5 gallon buckets with an air stone.

08/16/2012, 01:17 PM	#4
Putty Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2011 Posts: 332	Thanks, guys

08/17/2012, 01:12 PM	#5
nasoisking Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Swartz Creek Michigan Posts: 59	yes 5g buckets for fish, and i used 18g totes to transport the lr, and 5g buckets for the sand.

08/30/2012, 04:29 PM	#7
coreenm Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Grand Island, NY Posts: 72	Good luck to you. I had to move my 90 gallon twice, and it is way more work than you even think it will be. Like other posters said, 5 gallon buckets work well. Plastic storage totes are also good as long as you don't overfill them.