Moving a Tank - tell me your experience

[linda lee]

Moving a tank on Thursday:

125 gals
100 lbs = LR
80 lbs = LS
9 fish
some coral frags
supporting equipment (skimmer, filter, lights, etc.)

=======================================================
Anyone have any hints on what to do or what not to do? What are some pitfalls we can avoid?

Cons:
Reef Experience (1-10 Scale) = 0.1
Clues = 0

Pros:
#1 Gotta truck and a dolly
#2 Transport distance = -10 miles

Any tips would be appreciated!!!!

~Linda

 

[xyzpdq0121]

Ummm lets see....

1. Save as much water as you can.

2. You are going to need lots of rubbermade containers.

3. Put the fish in a rubbermade container.

4. Go to a LFS (like petland alph) and buy some fish bags to bag the corals.

5. Pull all the rock and put in a rubbermade container

6. put as much sand as you can in a 5 gal bucket or two

7.Disconnect all the hardware and load it up...

8. drive quickly and set back up in reverse order.

Best advice I can give.

 

[linda lee]

Xyzpdq0121;53208 wrote: 4. Go to a LFS (like petland alph) and buy some fish bags to bag the corals.

Most of what you said is pretty much common sense and what we thought we would do. Just thought maybe someone might have some "I wish I had not done THAT" ....... or "I wish I had done THIS" tips they could share. Maybe I'm trying to make it more difficult than it actually will be.

Thanks!

Curious about the fish bags, though. Why not just Ziplocs ... are they not sterile?

~LL

 

[wbholwell]

Yeah, I would definitely replace the sand bed. There's no telling what you'll stir up in the old sand bed, and it could result in a toxic spike. If you like, save some of the top layer of the old sandbed, and use it to "seed" your new sandbed. I would also get the tank running and test the water before returning any livestock to it.

 

[sj miller guy]

Time for me to chime in! I moved mine about ten miles back in December and I thought it was going to suck...but it was a piece of cake.

First off I had some new water mixing at my new house while i was breaking down the old tank.

I pulled all the rock out that did not have anything of great value attached to it and put it in a large cooler with some water in it....not even much at all.

I bagged all corals, inverts, and fish in bags i got from my LFS. Just bag them up in water just like you get when you buy them. I placed them in a cooler and closed the lid so the light wouldn't stress them out. I drained about 50% of my water and tossed it.

This is where people might not agree with me but I left the sand in my 55g and moved it with the sand in the tank.

Oh yeah, I also pulled all equipment (heater, protein skimmer, etc.) and cleaned it and put it in the truck.

Then when I got to the new house I set up the tank and stand, filled with water I had saved and new water. Then I hooked up all the equipment (heater being the first thing) and got the whole thing running.

Once the tank got close to temp (within about 3 degrees) I added all rock and coral. Meanwhile the fish are still bagged up and in the cooler.

Then I floated the fish and inverts for about 20 minutes once the temp was up to spec and released them.

Piece of cake really and only took me a couple of hours with no losses what so ever.

 

[sj miller guy]

Linda Lee;53211 wrote: . Maybe I'm trying to make it more difficult than it actually will be.

Thanks!

Curious about the fish bags, though. Why not just Ziplocs ... are they not sterile?

~LL

You are making it harder than it needs to be...I did the same thing:thumbs:

Why not ziplocs? Well most LFS's will give you bags and rubber bands for free, you just need to ask:fish:

 

[wbholwell]

SJ, I actually did the same thing as you back in December. I moved the sandbed, but I was careful not to disturb it very much. Linda won't be able to do that with her 125, however. Also, I put all fish and coral in a cooler and put a HOB filter and heater in the cooler once I got to my place. Lost nothing.

 

[cameron]

Fishy from itsfishybusiness helped me move a 90 gallon from Macon to Alpharetta for a great price. I would hire him again just for the extra helping hand and he brings everything you need as well as doing most of the work.

If you go it alone...

1. Create a ton of extra RO/DI mixed salt water before hand and have it heated. At least 50% of the volume of the tank.

2. Get a garbage can or big container (rubbermaid is best since it won't have chemical dyes in it) for the live rock

3. Go to CostCo or Sams and buy a ton of double zip bags

4. Syphon about half the water into the garbage can or container

5. Bag the corals.

6. Move the live rock into the container and cover it

7. Bag the fish

8. If you are keeping the substrate and can move it with the aquarium do so but leave about an inch+ of water on top of it. If you can't move the substrate this way, throw as much as you need into a bucket with water from the tank over it.

9. Break everything down and move to the new location

10. Set everything back up and use the new water. It is a good idea to acclimate the fish and inverts at least a little before throwing them in.

11. I had some Amquel+ on hand in case the ammonia got out of control. For the next week or so keep plenty of mixed water on hand for quick water changes if necessary.

I did the above and didn't really lose anything.

 

[frewl]

You would be surprised how easily a ziplock bag filled with water will open itself up. The simpler it is the better. The failure rate on a rubber band is much less then the zipper on a ziplock. But then I'm also a bit paranoid.

 

[wbholwell]

Cameron;53220 wrote:
2. Get a garbage can or big container (rubbermaid is best since it won't have chemical dyes in it) for the live rock

Is there a way you can tell if a garbage can has chemical dyes in it? I just bought one (not rubbermaid) for water mixing.

 

[cameron]

I have never had a double zip fail and I use them for some pretty outrageous things.

 

[cameron]

wbholwell;53223 wrote: Is there a way you can tell if a garbage can has chemical dyes in it? I just bought one (not rubbermaid) for water mixing.

Not that I know of. I have read horror stories of people buying knock off cans from Lowes and HomeDepot only to have their water turn odd colors.

 

[wbholwell]

Well, it's been sitting in my garage for 2 weeks with water (fresh) and a PH in it, just in case. I haven't noticed any discoloration of water (I've changed it once.) I hate to risk my livestock, though. WWCD? (that's "what would Cameron do?")

 

[wolfie]

All I can is to bag everything in a bag by itself. Corals, invert and other stuff that you are taking out of the tank. Keep each corals in a bag by itself, Keep the snails in the bay of their own. Crabs and other mean stuff should be put 1 in each bag.

Keep as much water as you can. Also it may be a good idea to change out your sand if you have it over 3 years, else just make sure you clearn the sand good with salt and water.

good luck on the move

 

[cameron]

I personally wouldn't risk my livestock on a trash can. I think you will be fine (at least 99% sure), but a $20 trash can even at 1 in 1000 seems like a bad bet. Problem is cans aren't food grade and don't need to be so they can pretty much use whatever they want to make them. Rubbermaid has a long history of quality plastic which is why I strongly recommend their stuff versus the knock offs. Who knows what is in the plastic and dyes used to make this stuff and no telling how well it will hold up over time.

Wolfie makes a good point on the bags. Snails and such can live in one bag. Crabs in another bag for short periods but be careful with them as they can canibalize each other in short order. No reason not to bag every coral and fish seperately.

 

[saltwater junky]

Keep That Filter In Water So The Bacteria Does Not Die Off,also I Waited A Good Three To 4 Hours Till All My Parameters Were Good And I Drove Over 200 Miles With A 75 And Did Not Lose One Fish Yet And That Was Almost A Year Ago

 

[jjw]

Yeah, I got a knock off trash can from Walmart when I first set up my tank, but the transh can has an air freshner's smell inside all over it, I suspect they must have treated the plastics. So I dumped all the RO/DI water stored in it and returned the can.

 

[linda lee]

dawgdude;53230 wrote: My advice is to go buy Stability and Prime. The SECOND you get the new tank set up, dose 1 1/2 times prime and does a bunch of stability. I had a system at work where the nitrites were outta control and fish were dying left and right. I dosed alot of prime and stability and an hour later it was perfect again. Stability is some crazy stuff and works well. I did this when I moved my tank and lost nothign and everything even looked happier.

We always have Stability and Prime on hand. Recommended by Pets Unlimited when we had a disaster in our FW tank and sought their help. Our two oscars were actually lying horizontal on the gravel and we thought they were goners ... I credit that stuff for helping to pull them through.

I don't know if this is a senstivie issue or not, but is there a reason P.U. is not one of our sponsors? I like that LFS, but I'm wondering if there's a reason I shouldn't....? They should be in their new digs this week.

 

[cameron]

dawgdude;53274 wrote: Here is how I moved:
-I bagged all my fish and corals individually
-I had a few big rubbermaids in the back of my truck and put a bunch of water and lr in that.
-I took the sand out reused about 10% of it.
-I set the tank back up with new sand and did a 25% water change and dosed Prime and Stability
-Let the tank run for 5 hours until it tested out ok and water was clear.
-Put the corals in first and then the fish because it would have stressed the fish if I had my arm in there a bunch right after moving.

Get the corals out first, then the rock, then the fish. If you try to get fish out first, it will take A LOT longer in most cases. Much easier to get the fish when there is nowhere to hide. Also, you can just float the corals in the new tank for 15-20 minutes before they go right in. You might want to take this time to dip them, but the night I moved I was rushing... or rather Stevhan from itsfishybusiness was rushing around getting live rock and stuff setup.

 

[purplegorilla]

Buy one of the Voltage Converter (best buy) so you can run the power head and air pump off the truck. I had to drive like 50 miles so I wanted circulation both for the corals, and air for the fish. Some extension cords and long air line with air stones...

I just did this about 2 months ago. Only had 1 fish died which really surprised me because that was the first time I did it.

As for the sand, I collected in 5 gallon buckets as much as I can..However prior to putting it back. I rinsed it several times (I should have rinsed it with RO/DI water instead of tap water, but I didn't).

After 2-3 days, I did a 30% water change and another 2-3 days again for insurance.