Moving house

gareth.hubbarde · 05/12/2019, 12:41 AM

I will be moving house at some point in the future and wanted advice about how to move the tank. Do I keep as much water as possible in old salt buckets etc? How do I move the fish, should they go in a container, the rock will go in a container. I'll keep the sand in and probably a bit of water, as much as is reasonably manageable to lift. Would it be advisable to have a small tank ready to fill with water to house the fish until big tank is ready again? How do other people do it? My tank is 300l (80g).
Thank you for your help.

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speedo2wet · 05/12/2019, 05:47 AM

Congrats, id get those brute cans with the wheels in the bottom and use one for all your rock and corals- Fish can go in buckets.
All you need is a pump in the live rock container and the fish will be fine. If your setting up the same tank right away- I’d make sure to rinse the sand at this point and then the set up with fresh salt water.

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gareth.hubbarde · 05/12/2019, 05:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by speedo2wet

Congrats, id get those brute cans with the wheels in the bottom and use one for all your rock and corals- Fish can go in buckets.
All you need is a pump in the live rock container and the fish will be fine. If your setting up the same tank right away- I’d make sure to rinse the sand at this point and then the set up with fresh salt water.

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Thanks for the reply, why would I use fresh salt water, wouldn't it be better to use my existing water? How long will fish be OK for in a bucket? These are things I am not sure of.

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j.falk · 05/12/2019, 06:05 AM

Old or new water won't make a difference. New water would be like doing a water change.

Your main post doesn't say anything about how far you are moving...what your time frame for moving is, etc...

Fish are fine in a bucket/plastic tub if you put an air stone in them for oxygen and a heater to maintain the temperature.

My preference on moving has always been to get rid of the livestock on hand...move to the new location...and then restart the tank and buy new livestock at my leisure. Much easier on the nerves.

speedo2wet · 05/12/2019, 06:13 AM

Old vs new water might be a debatable subject but from others I’ve heard it’s better to use fresh water because the move will begin a new cycle since the tank has been stirred. Now if you have pristine water then maybe reuse it but if you have elevated parameters from the start and reuse the water along with the move creating more elevated parameters, you will eventually do a water change as soon as the tanks back up and running.
But in the end, go with what makes you feel more at ease.

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gareth.hubbarde · 05/12/2019, 06:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by j.falk

Old or new water won't make a difference. New water would be like doing a water change.

Your main post doesn't say anything about how far you are moving...what your time frame for moving is, etc...

Fish are fine in a bucket/plastic tub if you put an air stone in them for oxygen and a heater to maintain the temperature.

My preference on moving has always been to get rid of the livestock on hand...move to the new location...and then restart the tank and buy new livestock at my leisure. Much easier on the nerves.

Won't be long move, same town so only a short drive. Looked at wheeled containers, good prices and 160 litre capacity. Perfect for the rock and water. Then barrels for the rest of the water, will get a large bucket for the fish, then as soon as in put air stone and heater in there. Few hours then to refill the tank, get it up to temp etc. That's the plan I think.

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speedo2wet · 05/12/2019, 06:16 AM

Good plan- let us know how it goes.

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billdogg · 05/12/2019, 06:17 AM

Moving old water is a fool's errand. All you need is just enough to keep the fish and other livestock happy, and by the time you get everything moved and set up, the water they will be transported in will be well on it's way to being toxic anyway. It is also very heavy!

To make the move you will need buckets with lids for the livestock, buckets or other containers for the rocks that can be kept from drying out by covering it with old towels or even newspaper that have be wetted in tank water, and, if the tank has been set up for more than a year or so, I'd use new sand. Save a cup or two of the old sand to seed the new. Although you can reuse the old sand, it will need to be thoroughly cleaned to remove the gunk that will have accumulated in it. Once you start the tank move, you will be committed to that task until it is completed. I've moved as many as 3 tanks at the same time. Start early, work until it's done. It will be a long day.

gareth.hubbarde · 05/12/2019, 06:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by billdogg

Moving old water is a fool's errand. All you need is just enough to keep the fish and other livestock happy, and by the time you get everything moved and set up, the water they will be transported in will be well on it's way to being toxic anyway. It is also very heavy!

To make the move you will need buckets with lids for the livestock, buckets or other containers for the rocks that can be kept from drying out by covering it with old towels or even newspaper that have be wetted in tank water, and, if the tank has been set up for more than a year or so, I'd use new sand. Save a cup or two of the old sand to seed the new. Although you can reuse the old sand, it will need to be thoroughly cleaned to remove the gunk that will have accumulated in it. Once you start the tank move, you will be committed to that task until it is completed. I've moved as many as 3 tanks at the same time. Start early, work until it's done. It will be a long day.

As I have to buy the water in barrels either way will be heavy lol. Takes 11 barrels to fill the tank up. Of course I will have to move other stuff to lol. Unfortunately I can't just concentrate on the tank. The sand on this tank hasn't been there long, it's only been running for 2 months and that sand was brand new. I might use my old 94l tank almost like a quarantine tank, quickly put new saltwater in there for the fish. Whilst I work on the bigger tank over few days. Might be less stress than doing everything at once.

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05/12/2019, 12:41 AM	#1
gareth.hubbarde Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2017 Posts: 719	Moving house I will be moving house at some point in the future and wanted advice about how to move the tank. Do I keep as much water as possible in old salt buckets etc? How do I move the fish, should they go in a container, the rock will go in a container. I'll keep the sand in and probably a bit of water, as much as is reasonably manageable to lift. Would it be advisable to have a small tank ready to fill with water to house the fish until big tank is ready again? How do other people do it? My tank is 300l (80g). Thank you for your help. Sent from my CLT-L09 using Tapatalk

05/12/2019, 06:17 AM	#8
billdogg Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Grove City, Ohio Posts: 10,806	Moving old water is a fool's errand. All you need is just enough to keep the fish and other livestock happy, and by the time you get everything moved and set up, the water they will be transported in will be well on it's way to being toxic anyway. It is also very heavy! To make the move you will need buckets with lids for the livestock, buckets or other containers for the rocks that can be kept from drying out by covering it with old towels or even newspaper that have be wetted in tank water, and, if the tank has been set up for more than a year or so, I'd use new sand. Save a cup or two of the old sand to seed the new. Although you can reuse the old sand, it will need to be thoroughly cleaned to remove the gunk that will have accumulated in it. Once you start the tank move, you will be committed to that task until it is completed. I've moved as many as 3 tanks at the same time. Start early, work until it's done. It will be a long day. __________________ I'll try to be nice if you try to be smarter! I can't help that I grow older, but you can't make me grow up! Current Tank Info: 120 mixed reef with 40b sump, RO 150 skimmer, AI Sol Blue x 2, and a 60g Frag Tank with 100g rubbermaid sump. 2 x Kessil A360w lights, BM curve 5 skimmer

05/12/2019, 05:47 AM	#2
speedo2wet Sharks!!!! Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Apopka, Florida Posts: 478	Congrats, id get those brute cans with the wheels in the bottom and use one for all your rock and corals- Fish can go in buckets. All you need is a pump in the live rock container and the fish will be fine. If your setting up the same tank right away- I’d make sure to rinse the sand at this point and then the set up with fresh salt water. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

05/12/2019, 06:05 AM	#4
j.falk Registered Member Join Date: May 2017 Posts: 632	Old or new water won't make a difference. New water would be like doing a water change. Your main post doesn't say anything about how far you are moving...what your time frame for moving is, etc... Fish are fine in a bucket/plastic tub if you put an air stone in them for oxygen and a heater to maintain the temperature. My preference on moving has always been to get rid of the livestock on hand...move to the new location...and then restart the tank and buy new livestock at my leisure. Much easier on the nerves.

05/12/2019, 06:13 AM	#5
speedo2wet Sharks!!!! Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Apopka, Florida Posts: 478	Old vs new water might be a debatable subject but from others I’ve heard it’s better to use fresh water because the move will begin a new cycle since the tank has been stirred. Now if you have pristine water then maybe reuse it but if you have elevated parameters from the start and reuse the water along with the move creating more elevated parameters, you will eventually do a water change as soon as the tanks back up and running. But in the end, go with what makes you feel more at ease. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

05/12/2019, 06:16 AM	#7
speedo2wet Sharks!!!! Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Apopka, Florida Posts: 478	Good plan- let us know how it goes. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk