transporting a complete reef setup

tcermd · 04/14/2015, 08:36 PM

Thinking of buying a 125 gallon from a friend and it is an active tank, it has 200lbs of live rock with significant coral but only one tang. Do i remove as much water as possible and leave everything in tank or do I have to remove all of it and transport tank empty to prevent damage or stress fractures? it will be in truck for 30 minutes at maximum. 49inches long by 21 inches

MoneyGone · 04/14/2015, 08:42 PM

Take everything out into Rubbermaid tubs or buckets and move the tank empty.

skeeter_ca · 04/14/2015, 08:51 PM

30 minutes will most likely turn into two hours but it should still be ok.

reef_aholic · 04/14/2015, 09:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MoneyGone

Take everything out into Rubbermaid tubs or buckets and move the tank empty.

+1

I am also setting up for a move of my 120G. I will be putting everything in 2 50 gal barrels, and lots of rubber made totes. Generator running in truck with power head and heater to keep water warm in barrels with rock. Fish and coral in totes.

CHizer · 04/14/2015, 11:52 PM

I'd not move the tank with anything in it. I guess the sand if you're careful.

kmbyrnes · 04/15/2015, 06:05 AM

Empty.

julie180 · 04/15/2015, 06:06 AM

empty

tcermd · 04/16/2015, 09:33 AM

If it does turn in to 2 hours transit, do I need to have heater and power head going?

oscarinw · 04/16/2015, 05:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tcermd

If it does turn in to 2 hours transit, do I need to have heater and power head going?

No, you don't, but you want them to be in clear water so corals and fish should be transported in one of the rubbermaids with clear water in it. Try to do it at a time of the day when it won't receive direct sunlight to avoid overheating or when it's too cold.

dymaxiun · 04/16/2015, 05:16 PM

30min turns into, 1hr, 1hr turns into 2, 3hrs turn into a long day. Just be prepared to spend extra time, and give up your day to ensure this gets the attention it needs.

As many others have said...1. Empty 2. Rubbermaid containers or lots of buckets 3. Small circulation pumps ready to go at our destination. 4. Patience, don't rush it. 5. Reserves of patience.

thegrun · 04/16/2015, 09:42 PM

A tank move is a lot more work than most people think. I would not reuse the sand, it will contain a lot of trapped detritus that if released could start a new cycle, killing off all your livestock. Start fresh with dry sand. Be sure to wash the sand well before using it. To wash the sand place 5 pounds or so at a time in a 5 gallon bucket. Use a garden hose at full flow to agitate the sand. The finer grains of sand will overflow the top of the bucket, leaving the larger grains behind. Continue to agitate the water until it runs clear. I would not use "live" sand as it can contain more dead than live organisms and has the potential to start a new cycle (and cost more to purchase since you are paying for water). Try to reuse as much clean water from the old system as possible to lessen the shock of new water chemistry on your livestock. Once the water from the old tank starts to get murky from stirred up detritus, don't reuse that water. Have plenty of new premade and preheated saltwater on hand to make up for the lost water. I would plan on pre-making 50% of your display tank's volume and have it ready for use. 5 gallon buckets with lids are your best friend for a tank move. Anything larger becomes very heavy to move, although for longer moves ice chests work well at maintaining water temperatures. You can use bubble wrap to help keep your rock with corals attached from being smashed against the sides of the buckets during transport. Start by filling three buckets 1/3 with water from the tank and then add the rock from the system to one of the buckets. Continue filling buckets first with water, then rock until you have removed all the rock. Save a couple of half full buckets of clean water from the tank for the fish. Once all the rock has been removed, the fish should be easy to catch. Some fish will burrow into the sand to hide so if you come up short on your fish count you may need to sift through the sand to find the missing fish. Once you have everything back at your home and the tank in place, first set up your rock. Try to minimize the amount of time the rock is out of the water. If aquascaping the rock takes you awhile, pour some of the saltwater from the old set-up on the rock to keep it wet. Once the rock is set fill the tank with all the old water and whatever new water is necessary. You can just dump the fish directly from the buckets into the new tank to prevent injuring the fish or adding stress to the fish by netting them. Then start circulating the water, get the heaters running and the rest of the equipment. Tank moves take much longer than one would first suspect. Plan on a very long day. Best of luck and keep us posted with your results!

tzylak · 04/17/2015, 08:19 AM

All mentioned above are good options.
I removed most rocks to lighten the load but left enough water to cover whatever remained, including the fish. -Not disturbing the bottom made for a quick recovery from the move with minimal stress to all creatures.

I purchased a 4x8 foot panel of 1" insulation foam at Home Depot and cut it to closely fit the INSIDE of the tank to eliminate splashing during transport. I placed a plastic foil on top of the water as a moisture/contaminant barrier, then the foam plate, then wedged vertical columns of foam between the flat plate and the top rim of the tank to keep the flat plate down and stable.

Yes, it is a day-long process, brace yourself with patience to do it slowly and RIGHT. Get 3 or four guys to help you in the process. -You will need some muscle.
Good luck!!

SaltieG · 04/17/2015, 12:12 PM

Im going to be moving my fully stocked 90 reef in a couple months to a new house and my plan is to get a large rubbermaid container or a used cheap tank. Im going to have the container ready at the new house so I can just bring all the rock/fish/coral straight over and that all can sit there while I transport the main tank/equipment. Its just too much of a hassle to worry about keeping everything in multiple buckets while I get the main tank going again. I am planning on leaving my sandbed in the tank with just enough water to cover it. The tank is less than a year old so im not too worried about the sand having too much gunk built up inside of it. Im also going to have a good 60-70 gallons of fresh saltwater on hand at the new house just incase my water gets fouled up or I have an ammonia spike somewhere along the line.

igot2gats · 04/17/2015, 12:56 PM

Don't forget to clean the Rubbermaid bins out before you use them as well.

tcermd · 04/17/2015, 07:53 PM

thanks to all. All of a sudden I think I will offer less to purchase this than I previously planned now that I know the time committment. I new setup sounds a little more appealing

dymaxiun · 04/17/2015, 08:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tcermd

new setup sounds a little more appealing

You can plan, get what you want, and most important - take your time... which is the single most important element of the hobby.

This hobby is built on regrets, and lessons which turn to pride, great livestock, amazing tanks, and enjoying a well thought out system.... Take it from the thousands of people here, and learn from others ... what you can learn is invaluable. However, if you get a good deal it's probably still worth it to consider if it makes sense.

tcermd · 04/18/2015, 07:37 AM

thanks

AmberLee · 04/18/2015, 08:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thegrun

A tank move is a lot more work than most people think. I would not reuse the sand, it will contain a lot of trapped detritus that if released could start a new cycle, killing off all your livestock. Start fresh with dry sand. Be sure to wash the sand well before using it. To wash the sand place 5 pounds or so at a time in a 5 gallon bucket. Use a garden hose at full flow to agitate the sand. The finer grains of sand will overflow the top of the bucket, leaving the larger grains behind. Continue to agitate the water until it runs clear. I would not use "live" sand as it can contain more dead than live organisms and has the potential to start a new cycle (and cost more to purchase since you are paying for water). Try to reuse as much clean water from the old system as possible to lessen the shock of new water chemistry on your livestock. Once the water from the old tank starts to get murky from stirred up detritus, don't reuse that water. Have plenty of new premade and preheated saltwater on hand to make up for the lost water. I would plan on pre-making 50% of your display tank's volume and have it ready for use. 5 gallon buckets with lids are your best friend for a tank move. Anything larger becomes very heavy to move, although for longer moves ice chests work well at maintaining water temperatures. You can use bubble wrap to help keep your rock with corals attached from being smashed against the sides of the buckets during transport. Start by filling three buckets 1/3 with water from the tank and then add the rock from the system to one of the buckets. Continue filling buckets first with water, then rock until you have removed all the rock. Save a couple of half full buckets of clean water from the tank for the fish. Once all the rock has been removed, the fish should be easy to catch. Some fish will burrow into the sand to hide so if you come up short on your fish count you may need to sift through the sand to find the missing fish. Once you have everything back at your home and the tank in place, first set up your rock. Try to minimize the amount of time the rock is out of the water. If aquascaping the rock takes you awhile, pour some of the saltwater from the old set-up on the rock to keep it wet. Once the rock is set fill the tank with all the old water and whatever new water is necessary. You can just dump the fish directly from the buckets into the new tank to prevent injuring the fish or adding stress to the fish by netting them. Then start circulating the water, get the heaters running and the rest of the equipment. Tank moves take much longer than one would first suspect. Plan on a very long day. Best of luck and keep us posted with your results!

This is awesome information! You should definitely post this as a thread and request it to be made into a sticky!!

dymaxiun · 04/18/2015, 10:06 AM

A bullet list format will be great. Broken down into 1. Prep, 2. Move, 3. arrival, and 4. Setup

tcermd · 04/19/2015, 11:08 AM

Do I have to clean the rubbermaids with RODI, or do you just mean rinse out with reg water

tcermd · 04/19/2015, 11:21 AM

Is it inappropriate to forward pic's of the aquarium I am looking to purchase and get your expert opinion on the setup and price?

dymaxiun · 04/19/2015, 11:46 AM

No, and it's encouraged.

ShesEasy · 04/19/2015, 11:48 AM

Man some people put alot of effort into a move

Moved my 180 2.5hrs up Island in some Styrofoam boxes and garbagecans

Never had a problem.....heaters....generators....powerheads....damn guys relax

tcermd · 04/20/2015, 08:06 PM

http://myrtlebeach.craigslist.org/fo...56.html...here is the setup I am looking at. I am not familiar with the make nor the owner. I would appreciate your opinions.

tcermd · 04/20/2015, 08:08 PM

http://myrtlebeach.craigslist.org/for/4893198856.html
here is the correct link

04/14/2015, 08:36 PM	#1
tcermd Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2015 Location: North Myrtle Beach Posts: 53	transporting a complete reef setup Thinking of buying a 125 gallon from a friend and it is an active tank, it has 200lbs of live rock with significant coral but only one tang. Do i remove as much water as possible and leave everything in tank or do I have to remove all of it and transport tank empty to prevent damage or stress fractures? it will be in truck for 30 minutes at maximum. 49inches long by 21 inches

04/14/2015, 08:51 PM	#3
skeeter_ca Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Yucaipa, CA Posts: 1,007	30 minutes will most likely turn into two hours but it should still be ok. __________________ skeeter - It is easier to ask for forgiveness than premission. My motto to my wife. Current Tank Info: 75rr,6"dsb,refugium,auto top-off & semi-auto water changer, OM squirt. 4 MJs 1200, Started on 03/03/06

04/15/2015, 06:05 AM	#6
kmbyrnes Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2013 Location: Mesa AZ Posts: 2,055	Empty. __________________ 125g Mixed Reef 5/26/2015; 350 Butterfly Dominated FOWLR 11/26/2015 - 11/17/20217 & 07/31/18 to ??? ; 100g Mixed Reef 11/16/2013 to 06/16/2017 Current Tank Info: Too small

04/16/2015, 05:16 PM	#10
dymaxiun Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Simi Valley, CA Posts: 2,245	30min turns into, 1hr, 1hr turns into 2, 3hrs turn into a long day. Just be prepared to spend extra time, and give up your day to ensure this gets the attention it needs. As many others have said...1. Empty 2. Rubbermaid containers or lots of buckets 3. Small circulation pumps ready to go at our destination. 4. Patience, don't rush it. 5. Reserves of patience. __________________ 180g DT - Now.. Wet w/ Frags.... Back in the hobby after 6 years void of saltwater....

04/17/2015, 12:12 PM	#13
SaltieG Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Mentor on the Lake, Ohio Posts: 745	Im going to be moving my fully stocked 90 reef in a couple months to a new house and my plan is to get a large rubbermaid container or a used cheap tank. Im going to have the container ready at the new house so I can just bring all the rock/fish/coral straight over and that all can sit there while I transport the main tank/equipment. Its just too much of a hassle to worry about keeping everything in multiple buckets while I get the main tank going again. I am planning on leaving my sandbed in the tank with just enough water to cover it. The tank is less than a year old so im not too worried about the sand having too much gunk built up inside of it. Im also going to have a good 60-70 gallons of fresh saltwater on hand at the new house just incase my water gets fouled up or I have an ammonia spike somewhere along the line. __________________ 125 Reef.

04/14/2015, 08:42 PM	#2
MoneyGone Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Oklahoma City Posts: 199	Take everything out into Rubbermaid tubs or buckets and move the tank empty.

04/14/2015, 11:52 PM	#5
CHizer Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: New Tampa Posts: 193	I'd not move the tank with anything in it. I guess the sand if you're careful.

04/15/2015, 06:06 AM	#7
julie180 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Raymore, MO Posts: 2,556	empty

04/16/2015, 09:33 AM	#8
tcermd Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2015 Location: North Myrtle Beach Posts: 53	If it does turn in to 2 hours transit, do I need to have heater and power head going?

04/16/2015, 09:42 PM	#11
thegrun Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Garden Grove, Ca Posts: 17,023	A tank move is a lot more work than most people think. I would not reuse the sand, it will contain a lot of trapped detritus that if released could start a new cycle, killing off all your livestock. Start fresh with dry sand. Be sure to wash the sand well before using it. To wash the sand place 5 pounds or so at a time in a 5 gallon bucket. Use a garden hose at full flow to agitate the sand. The finer grains of sand will overflow the top of the bucket, leaving the larger grains behind. Continue to agitate the water until it runs clear. I would not use "live" sand as it can contain more dead than live organisms and has the potential to start a new cycle (and cost more to purchase since you are paying for water). Try to reuse as much clean water from the old system as possible to lessen the shock of new water chemistry on your livestock. Once the water from the old tank starts to get murky from stirred up detritus, don't reuse that water. Have plenty of new premade and preheated saltwater on hand to make up for the lost water. I would plan on pre-making 50% of your display tank's volume and have it ready for use. 5 gallon buckets with lids are your best friend for a tank move. Anything larger becomes very heavy to move, although for longer moves ice chests work well at maintaining water temperatures. You can use bubble wrap to help keep your rock with corals attached from being smashed against the sides of the buckets during transport. Start by filling three buckets 1/3 with water from the tank and then add the rock from the system to one of the buckets. Continue filling buckets first with water, then rock until you have removed all the rock. Save a couple of half full buckets of clean water from the tank for the fish. Once all the rock has been removed, the fish should be easy to catch. Some fish will burrow into the sand to hide so if you come up short on your fish count you may need to sift through the sand to find the missing fish. Once you have everything back at your home and the tank in place, first set up your rock. Try to minimize the amount of time the rock is out of the water. If aquascaping the rock takes you awhile, pour some of the saltwater from the old set-up on the rock to keep it wet. Once the rock is set fill the tank with all the old water and whatever new water is necessary. You can just dump the fish directly from the buckets into the new tank to prevent injuring the fish or adding stress to the fish by netting them. Then start circulating the water, get the heaters running and the rest of the equipment. Tank moves take much longer than one would first suspect. Plan on a very long day. Best of luck and keep us posted with your results!

04/17/2015, 08:19 AM	#12
tzylak Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2014 Location: Oceanside, CA Posts: 457	All mentioned above are good options. I removed most rocks to lighten the load but left enough water to cover whatever remained, including the fish. -Not disturbing the bottom made for a quick recovery from the move with minimal stress to all creatures. I purchased a 4x8 foot panel of 1" insulation foam at Home Depot and cut it to closely fit the INSIDE of the tank to eliminate splashing during transport. I placed a plastic foil on top of the water as a moisture/contaminant barrier, then the foam plate, then wedged vertical columns of foam between the flat plate and the top rim of the tank to keep the flat plate down and stable. Yes, it is a day-long process, brace yourself with patience to do it slowly and RIGHT. Get 3 or four guys to help you in the process. -You will need some muscle. Good luck!!

04/17/2015, 12:56 PM	#14
igot2gats Deeeetroit Basketball! Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Grand Rapids, MI Posts: 1,063	Don't forget to clean the Rubbermaid bins out before you use them as well. __________________ Jeff Stop being lazy, and use the search function. Seriously. Current Tank Info: 75g DT / 20g sump / 20g QT - Eheim 1250, Tunze Osmolator 3155, GHL Profilux 3, 2 Tunze 6095, Tunze Wavebox, Aqua Illumination Hydra LEDs

04/17/2015, 07:53 PM	#15
tcermd Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2015 Location: North Myrtle Beach Posts: 53	thanks to all. All of a sudden I think I will offer less to purchase this than I previously planned now that I know the time committment. I new setup sounds a little more appealing

04/18/2015, 07:37 AM	#17
tcermd Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2015 Location: North Myrtle Beach Posts: 53	thanks

04/18/2015, 10:06 AM	#19
dymaxiun Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Simi Valley, CA Posts: 2,245	A bullet list format will be great. Broken down into 1. Prep, 2. Move, 3. arrival, and 4. Setup __________________ 180g DT - Now.. Wet w/ Frags.... Back in the hobby after 6 years void of saltwater....

04/19/2015, 11:08 AM	#20
tcermd Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2015 Location: North Myrtle Beach Posts: 53	Do I have to clean the rubbermaids with RODI, or do you just mean rinse out with reg water

04/19/2015, 11:21 AM	#21
tcermd Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2015 Location: North Myrtle Beach Posts: 53	Is it inappropriate to forward pic's of the aquarium I am looking to purchase and get your expert opinion on the setup and price?

04/19/2015, 11:46 AM	#22
dymaxiun Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Simi Valley, CA Posts: 2,245	No, and it's encouraged. __________________ 180g DT - Now.. Wet w/ Frags.... Back in the hobby after 6 years void of saltwater....

04/19/2015, 11:48 AM	#23
ShesEasy Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2015 Location: Canada Posts: 378	Man some people put alot of effort into a move Moved my 180 2.5hrs up Island in some Styrofoam boxes and garbagecans Never had a problem.....heaters....generators....powerheads....damn guys relax

04/20/2015, 08:06 PM	#24
tcermd Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2015 Location: North Myrtle Beach Posts: 53	http://myrtlebeach.craigslist.org/fo...56.html...here is the setup I am looking at. I am not familiar with the make nor the owner. I would appreciate your opinions.

04/20/2015, 08:08 PM	#25
tcermd Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2015 Location: North Myrtle Beach Posts: 53	http://myrtlebeach.craigslist.org/for/4893198856.html here is the correct link