Moving tank...advice needed.

SilverShark · 06/05/2006, 12:20 PM

The time has come to move house and with that I have the problem of moving my 4ft tank and need advice from others who have moved tanks before and whats the best way of going about it.
Unfortunately no-one can hold my livestock so it all has to be moved and re-set up within the same day.
My LFS will be kindly donating some bags to hold the fish in and some containers to transport the tank water in but what is the best way of keeping the live rock moist through transit?

It's going to be a hard task and I don't want to risk loosing any of my livestock or liverock

fsuraven · 06/05/2006, 12:58 PM

When I moved with the tank(3 times), I purchased 5 gallon buckets for the live stuff also battery operated airators for fish and corals. For the live rock I got some of those big plastic storage bins and put like half full of LR and to top of rock with tank water. Gets heavy though! Also I thought it would be good to save as much water as I could, more five gallon buckets. One move was an eight hour drive, have had no deaths in any move yet! Still have a 5 gallon bucket of aragonite sitting here! Good luck.

corals b 4 bills · 06/05/2006, 01:19 PM

When I up graded my tank from a 46 bowfront to a 155 (10 feet away it took me ALL DAY! I put everyone in 20 gallon rubbermade type containers with a powerhead just above the waterline for oxygen and a cheap heater in each, then moving all the water, sand, rock, AND setting up the equiptment. TWO days later when the water checked o.k. and it cleared up I put everything from corals to fish in bags to aclimate. BIG JOB.

SilverShark · 06/05/2006, 02:09 PM

thanks for the info guys. Storage bin full of live rock and water is a great idea, but if I can't get hold of them do you think wrapping the live rock in damp newspaper would be ok? The distance they will be in transit is only 30 miles.

delor · 06/05/2006, 02:42 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by SilverShark
thanks for the info guys. Storage bin full of live rock and water is a great idea, but if I can't get hold of them do you think wrapping the live rock in damp newspaper would be ok? The distance they will be in transit is only 30 miles.

Wet rags (saltwater) would be better than newspaper. You might have some die off, but nothing huge. I would still wait until you check your water before adding the livestock (including corals) back in...

Holmie_D_Klown · 06/05/2006, 03:28 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by SilverShark
thanks for the info guys. Storage bin full of live rock and water is a great idea, but if I can't get hold of them do you think wrapping the live rock in damp newspaper would be ok? The distance they will be in transit is only 30 miles.

I moved my 120g two weeks ago. Find some large food-grade plastic trashcans and transport the live rock in the water. Use smaller 5 gal buckets and transport the smaller live rock in that. Much better than newspaper. I tried newspaper before this move and my tank cycled and I was finding newspaper in the aquarium for months.

SilverShark · 06/05/2006, 03:32 PM

thanks for the info guys. Will transport the live rock in some food-safe trashcans. Hope all goes well

palestine · 06/05/2006, 03:47 PM

Hi, I only had to move 5 miles but I used new trashcans. When i got to the location, I put powerheads and heaters in each can and then started moving everything back in tank. 12 hours later I checked the water parameters and then put all the livestock back in. Good luck.

SilverShark · 06/05/2006, 03:54 PM

for the fish should I put them in sealed buckets rather than bagging them up? what do you all think?

moogoomoogoo · 06/06/2006, 10:04 AM

I moved my fish in large coolers with a hole drilled in the top to place an airline from a battery powered air pump. I never bag the fish. Don't use Styrofoam coolers- the water is too heavy. Between coolers and large Rubbermaid containers and trash cans I was able to keep most of the water saving a lot of time at the new destination.

reefgeek84 · 06/06/2006, 10:09 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by moogoomoogoo
I moved my fish in large coolers with a hole drilled in the top to place an airline from a battery powered air pump. I never bag the fish. Don't use Styrofoam coolers- the water is too heavy. Between coolers and large Rubbermaid containers and trash cans I was able to keep most of the water saving a lot of time at the new destination.

Coolers are the best to move fish and keep the water. No need to drill holes....Our fish are bagged for more then 24 hours when shipped over here from across the globe. the water moving around from being driven will create some good water movement and keep sufficent air in the water.

godoggo · 06/06/2006, 10:58 AM

I just moved a 150 reef tank, loaded up large plastic tubs with as much rock as I could carry, put in the back of my expedition, then used my mag pump and long tubing to pump the tubs almost full with water. Used two for all the livestock - four more for rock - and transported almost all the water. Just pumped out same way upon arrival. With more volume in each container, the system stays more stable -

good luck!

06/05/2006, 12:20 PM	#1
SilverShark Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: England, UK Posts: 778	Moving tank...advice needed. The time has come to move house and with that I have the problem of moving my 4ft tank and need advice from others who have moved tanks before and whats the best way of going about it. Unfortunately no-one can hold my livestock so it all has to be moved and re-set up within the same day. My LFS will be kindly donating some bags to hold the fish in and some containers to transport the tank water in but what is the best way of keeping the live rock moist through transit? It's going to be a hard task and I don't want to risk loosing any of my livestock or liverock

06/05/2006, 01:19 PM	#3
corals b 4 bills Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: San Francisco Bay Area (Belmont). Posts: 2,381	When I up graded my tank from a 46 bowfront to a 155 (10 feet away it took me ALL DAY! I put everyone in 20 gallon rubbermade type containers with a powerhead just above the waterline for oxygen and a cheap heater in each, then moving all the water, sand, rock, AND setting up the equiptment. TWO days later when the water checked o.k. and it cleared up I put everything from corals to fish in bags to aclimate. BIG JOB. __________________ Reefkeeper - (ref-ke-per) n: Individual obsessed with placing disturbing amounts of electricity and seawater in close proximity for the purpose of maintaining live coral reef organisms. Current Tank Info: 29 gallon Bio Cube, HQI 150 watt Nanotuner~Vortech MP10W ES~Arctica Chiller~AC II~Tunze Osmolator ATO~ Tunze 9002 skimmer W/In Tank Cup~ Korallin Reactor W/PH Monitor~ Korallin Denitrator~APC Back-up~Phosban/Carbon Reactor.

06/06/2006, 10:04 AM	#10
moogoomoogoo Premium Member Join Date: Oct 2003 Posts: 581	I moved my fish in large coolers with a hole drilled in the top to place an airline from a battery powered air pump. I never bag the fish. Don't use Styrofoam coolers- the water is too heavy. Between coolers and large Rubbermaid containers and trash cans I was able to keep most of the water saving a lot of time at the new destination. __________________ If all you have is a hammer, then everything looks like a nail

06/05/2006, 12:58 PM	#2
fsuraven Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Tampa, FL Posts: 43	When I moved with the tank(3 times), I purchased 5 gallon buckets for the live stuff also battery operated airators for fish and corals. For the live rock I got some of those big plastic storage bins and put like half full of LR and to top of rock with tank water. Gets heavy though! Also I thought it would be good to save as much water as I could, more five gallon buckets. One move was an eight hour drive, have had no deaths in any move yet! Still have a 5 gallon bucket of aragonite sitting here! Good luck.

06/05/2006, 02:09 PM	#4
SilverShark Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: England, UK Posts: 778	thanks for the info guys. Storage bin full of live rock and water is a great idea, but if I can't get hold of them do you think wrapping the live rock in damp newspaper would be ok? The distance they will be in transit is only 30 miles.

06/05/2006, 03:32 PM	#7
SilverShark Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: England, UK Posts: 778	thanks for the info guys. Will transport the live rock in some food-safe trashcans. Hope all goes well

06/05/2006, 03:47 PM	#8
palestine Registered Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: tampa Posts: 10	Hi, I only had to move 5 miles but I used new trashcans. When i got to the location, I put powerheads and heaters in each can and then started moving everything back in tank. 12 hours later I checked the water parameters and then put all the livestock back in. Good luck.

06/05/2006, 03:54 PM	#9
SilverShark Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: England, UK Posts: 778	for the fish should I put them in sealed buckets rather than bagging them up? what do you all think?

06/06/2006, 10:58 AM	#12
godoggo Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Weld CO Posts: 198	I just moved a 150 reef tank, loaded up large plastic tubs with as much rock as I could carry, put in the back of my expedition, then used my mag pump and long tubing to pump the tubs almost full with water. Used two for all the livestock - four more for rock - and transported almost all the water. Just pumped out same way upon arrival. With more volume in each container, the system stays more stable - good luck!