Picking up established set-up this weekend

[thbrewst]

Scheduled to pick-up an established set-up I am buying this weekend. It is a bit nerve racking given all of the moving pieces involved. Got to tear it all down at his place including the livestock and live rock. Then have to move it all out (hopfully without flooding his floors). Drive it all to my place and then unload it all and get it ready to start setting back up again.

It is a 175 gal bowfront with stand and canopy, 160+ lbs of rock, 9 fish, all supporting materials. There is also a 2nd drilled tank and stand that is not currently set-up.

Any tips for the move? My main concerns (I think) are keeping the livestock alive and healthy, not damaging the tank, stand, lights and properly getting everything back together at my place. I almost wish there were no fish so I could take my time with the set-up. This is my first time doing a tank this elaborate so I'm concerned about missing something (or flooding my room :doh: )

BTW, he has a bunch of stuff that I am not going to be able to use so I'll likely have it all up for sale in the next couple of weeks.

 

[eandrews]

Good Luck with everything!

I've done several... the key is to have plenty of storage and pumps. Set everything into something with water flow even if you have to go buy 4-5 powerheads, it will help ease the stress levels.


I've done a couple with major loss and some with minimal but you will have some loss no matter..

 

[jdabs]

What are the fish that you will be relocating? How long is the time from picking them up to having them back in the tank going to be? Probably would be easier without the fish, but it's been done.

 

[markl]

Ive done it a few times with no problems.I just bring something to keep as much water as possible.You can buy a few brute trash cans and return them when your done.

 

[gmpolan]

eandrews;559499 wrote:

i've done several... The key is to have plenty of storage and pumps. Set everything into something with water flow even if you have to go buy 4-5 powerheads, it will help ease the stress levels.


I've done a couple with major loss and some with minimal but you will have some loss no matter..

+1....

 

[porpoiseaquatics]

As noted above...keys are flow and temp. They can't get to hot nor to cold. I moved a setup from Detroit MI to Atlanta in March 2005 and it snowed the day we got here! No losses. Tank was the last thing packed and the first thing unpacked. Fish were kept in 5 gallon buckets with heaters and powerheads. We even spent 2 nights in hotels on the way (got to Atlanta to late to move in). It can be done. Just pack everything very well, make more than one trip if necessary and you'll do fine.

 

[gnashty]

I would try to rehome or sell the fish or have a LFS foster them for a couple days - dont rush the set up....you only get to do it once, might as well get it done right

 

[thbrewst]

Well, I'm in process. Have all of the fish and LR at my house now in various plastic bins.

Getting the rest tomorrow and will start the (hopefully) quick build-out.

 

[hackman72]

I would recommend at this point to make some fresh saltwater in a rubbermaid and give each piece of liverock a good swirl to help rid surface crud off of it. If you're going to reuse the sand, take some out to use to seed the sytem and rinse all the old sand well...very well. I always rinse with a garden hose and add "prime" when it's done.