buying a established tank moving question

ternetzi · 02/17/2006, 09:44 AM

i have a chance to buy a 55 gallon tank set up and running already its fowlr tank about 60lbs of live rock and only 2 clowns how can i move it to my house with out causing a "re-cycle" or whats the best way of doing this?

MBuck · 02/17/2006, 09:57 AM

I used rubbermaid totes from Walmart when I got most of my stuff. I use a couple big ones for the LR, just add enough water that they aren't sitting in the air, put your LR in it, and fill till it's over the LR, may have to use a couple, as they will get heavy quick.

I used a smaller shallow one for corals, and inverts, same thing, just enough water to cover them, and keep them wet.

I would then use something small for the fish, like a large tupperware container, add some water from the tank and add fish.

Do this as quickly as possible, leave your car or truck running, and put all livestock inside your vehicle, if you have room for LR do the same. It is cold in Ohio right now!!

Take as much remaining water as you can, depending on the sand bed, I would leave it in the tank, with a little water over it, and get it all loaded.

Head for home!

Set-up aqaurium, get heaters on, and have a good portion of
saltwater ready, preferabbly from the day before, heated to temp.

I would use a siphon hose, with a pump attached to add about 1/2 of the tank water to the aquarium, this will help to keep the sand bed stable, and not create a storm, just point your hose towards the side of the tank, up on the wall, away from the sand bed.....you will get a little bit of a storm, but not much...

then add your LR, then finish filling with prepared water, this should help bring temp back up, if it has dropped considerably, wait until it is at temp, then acclimate your fish, corals and inverts in to the the new set-up...

I drove over an hour, on a fairly cold day in January, and brought all of the above home, but my tank was already set-up here, and I did not have a cycle, and did not lose a fish or coral from the trip.

I also floated my fish in their tupperware container inside of my fresh make-up water, this kept their water at temp, while I got the LR etc, in the tank.

Good Luck! Hope this helps!! You may also want to take a good look at the set-up now, so you know approximately where to put powerheads, etc, when you get home!!

BenH98 · 02/17/2006, 12:03 PM

Good advice...

Ti · 02/17/2006, 04:35 PM

I used 5g buckets and a truck

02/17/2006, 09:44 AM	#1
ternetzi Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: ohio Posts: 36	buying a established tank moving question i have a chance to buy a 55 gallon tank set up and running already its fowlr tank about 60lbs of live rock and only 2 clowns how can i move it to my house with out causing a "re-cycle" or whats the best way of doing this?

02/17/2006, 09:57 AM	#2
MBuck Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Shelby, Ohio Posts: 452	I used rubbermaid totes from Walmart when I got most of my stuff. I use a couple big ones for the LR, just add enough water that they aren't sitting in the air, put your LR in it, and fill till it's over the LR, may have to use a couple, as they will get heavy quick. I used a smaller shallow one for corals, and inverts, same thing, just enough water to cover them, and keep them wet. I would then use something small for the fish, like a large tupperware container, add some water from the tank and add fish. Do this as quickly as possible, leave your car or truck running, and put all livestock inside your vehicle, if you have room for LR do the same. It is cold in Ohio right now!! Take as much remaining water as you can, depending on the sand bed, I would leave it in the tank, with a little water over it, and get it all loaded. Head for home! Set-up aqaurium, get heaters on, and have a good portion of saltwater ready, preferabbly from the day before, heated to temp. I would use a siphon hose, with a pump attached to add about 1/2 of the tank water to the aquarium, this will help to keep the sand bed stable, and not create a storm, just point your hose towards the side of the tank, up on the wall, away from the sand bed.....you will get a little bit of a storm, but not much... then add your LR, then finish filling with prepared water, this should help bring temp back up, if it has dropped considerably, wait until it is at temp, then acclimate your fish, corals and inverts in to the the new set-up... I drove over an hour, on a fairly cold day in January, and brought all of the above home, but my tank was already set-up here, and I did not have a cycle, and did not lose a fish or coral from the trip. I also floated my fish in their tupperware container inside of my fresh make-up water, this kept their water at temp, while I got the LR etc, in the tank. Good Luck! Hope this helps!! You may also want to take a good look at the set-up now, so you know approximately where to put powerheads, etc, when you get home!! __________________ Marie Do not dwell on the past, improve the future!! ~ M. Current Tank Info: 180g Reef, mated pair B/W percs, 3- pajama cardinals, long-spined urchin, yellow tang, six-line wrasse, hermits, snails, 2 Chromis, LP Angel, Foxface, 2- Royal Grammas, LMB, Sailfin Tang, pink damsel.

02/17/2006, 12:03 PM	#3
BenH98 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Sacramento, CA Posts: 515	Good advice... __________________ Go KINGS!!! Current Tank Info: 29 Gallon

02/17/2006, 04:35 PM	#4
Ti Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Bay Area Posts: 7,927	I used 5g buckets and a truck __________________ Hair algae is my Macro algae.