How to relocate a complete setup?

[Actuarial Goat]

Been out of reefing for 10 years and ready to get back in. Have an opportunity to snag a complete setup; like, still running, with fish, coral, whole nine yards.

I've never tackled something like this before. Can you tear down a complete system, move it 50 miles, and put it back together while keeping the animals alive? What are the main things to consider??

 

[RobZilla04]

As long as the container used to transport can keep the temp correct (77-82F) and the water remains oxygenated yes it can be done.

 

[NikonN8]

It can be done, sure, as mentioned above. I've moved a number of systems without too much issue that way. Props for jumping straight in after being out for a while. Are you set to go with RODI? That was my biggest issue with setting up a system after moving it. Amazing how much saltwater you need sometimes.

 

[Spyderturbo007]

When I moved my tank I had a complete temporary setup already in my new house. I set up a bunch of 20g tanks and had them all ready to go. When it was time to move, all of the livestock / coral / live rock went into buckets and were transported first. I put everything into the 20g tanks I had setup and could then take my time moving the tank. Just try and keep as much of the original water as possible and use it to fill the temp tanks.

As RobZilla04 indicated, you'll need to find a way to keep things oxygenated and the correct temperature. I was lucky and move in August so temperature wasn't a concern. For oxygenation you could always pick up a battery powered air pump for the trip.

I would recommend that you have new substrate washed and standing by. Things get nasty from all the bouncing around in a vehicle. When I moved the tank, I drained it, left everything in place and even left the tank on the stand. Then I stretch wrapped the entire thing, sat it upright in the back of a pickup truck and drove it to the new house. Carried it inside, pulled off the stretch wrap, added the substrate and put everything back in the tank.

Plan for a full day and have a few friends there to help. I had way more people than I needed, but that was in case something went wrong. Most of them were standing around, but were there in case I needed them to run to the store or back to the old house.

 

[bmonroy]

I just did this myself two weeks ago. I too have been out of the hobby for 10 years. I picked a Red Sea 250 reefer full set-up.

A. Used four cleaned home depot buckets for fish and coral.
B. Used a 30 gallon filled 1/2 way up for all the live rock and current water
C. I left the live sand in the tank with 3" of water above it, it was also light enough to pick up for two people.
D. Left the sump in tacked with most of the water since it was light enough to pick up.

I tried to use most of the existing water and only had to 6 gallons of fresh salt water.

The fish were the last to be placed in the tank, roughly 7 hours later.

One week in and I have had no issues and just performed my first water change last night. This is what I did, right or wrong but worked for me. I would plan to have fresh salt water and top off water available for the final set-up.

 

[Actuarial Goat]

Thanks for the input folks.

I went to see the tank tonight, and liked what I saw well enough. I will need/want almost all new equipment over time, some things sooner than others. But the price....210 gallon AGA, stand, canopy, all equipment, and ~150lbs of live rock, $1500. I'm sure better deals have been had, but this is what I can find locally and it's a fraction of the cost to go new. So that's the draw.

The livestock is actually pretty minimal for the tank size. 2 smallish tangs, 2 clowns, and a few damsels. One chocolate chip starfish, one rock with zoa, and one small Xenia. The corals are not thriving, as the lighting is not right for them and half of it was burned out. I can fix that. I'm betting the small re-cycle that happens following the move would be pretty bearable given the light stock.

So here's my thought on how it would work:
>Go buy 6 60-gallon totes, a very long tube, and a pump that can push that length (garage to ultimate spot in the basement is at least a 50 foot distance, maybe more)
>Mix ~150 gallons new salt water in 3 of them, match salinity to existing set-up. I do have an RODI permanently plumbed in the basement.
>Prep new sand bed (rinse)
>Get help, rent a truck, take the other 3 totes with me
>Pump ~150 gallons from the existing set-up into the 3 totes
>Put the fish and coral in one of the totes; have that one running a heater and powerhead. Put the rock in another one of the totes
>Pump/siphon the remainder to a drain
>Throw out my back putting the empty tank and everything else onto the truck. My help will be useless bc they'll be teenagers
>Drive home (~55 minutes)
>Get hernia moving stand, tank, canopy down to the basement
>put prepped sand in first
>transfer animals to a QT tank, not really to QT but just to hang out while...
>pump water from the totes in the truck down to the tank
>add the pre-mixed water to top up the system; maintain temp
>get remaining equipment set-up and running
>transfer the animals
>drink

Two things occur to me: first, I can't really clean the tank (and it needs it). I'll have to do this like any other up-and-running system, after the crazy transfer day. The other thing is that it's 32 degrees outside. I could do one of the totes in the back of the minivan, and use that one tote as the transfer tote for the animals, taking advantage of the climate control. Is this necessary?

So, anyone have any glaring critiques of my plan? Am I leaving something out? Thanks again!