big move planned, need advice

[marc6]

I have a 4x2x2 120gallon glass reef tank with a 30gal long sump. I live just north of Pittsburgh PA and am moving to Cleveland Ohio (~1 1/2 hr drive) at the end of June. My reef has been set up and running for ~5yrs and is jam packed with SPS, LPS, polyps, other softies and 2 clams, 4 small fish. I have probably ~150-200lbs live rock and ~3-4inch sand bed. I have had almost no problems or deaths since the tank was set up and I am concerned for the upcoming move.

Any advice is welcome, specifically though I have a few questions:

1. Do I take and reuse as much of the tank water as I can transport or just make new?

2. What should I do about the deep sand bed? discard it, take it? what will happen when the deep sand bed is distrubed mixing all the deeper anaerobic bacteria and toxins?

I am even considering setting up another temporary tank at the new house thinking maybe this will ease the transport stress.?

thank you very much
marc

 

[DreamerTheresa]

Ew.

We moved across town a year ago. So nothing as nutty as across states.

We kept about half the water, left half the sand in the tank, and about half an inch of water.

We only lost one fish in the move, our royal gramma couldn't handle the stress. We didn't have any coral at the time.

Good luck!

 

[GIJOE007]

I would save as much water from your system as possible. I would save all your sand and like Dreamer mentioned, leave it in the tank with just enuff water to cover it. Hope you dont have alot of stairs to go up and down!!! Introducing new water after a move will only increase the stress on your inhabitants.

Buy lots of rubber maid storage containers and best of luck on your move

 

[jade76]

"Prime" is your new best friend.

 

[mojojason]

I recently moved from Baltimore to Johnstown PA about a 3.5 hour drive. I have a 75 gallon mixed reef. I moved most of the water using 6 gallon water containers. The rest I put in with the corals and fish that I transported in Rubbermaid storage bins. I left the sand in the tank with about an 1/4 inch of water. We were lucky and didn’t lose any fish in the move.