moving an existing 130g tank
- Thread starter area
- Start date
stuccodude
New member
a 35 plus gallon trash container and 20 buckets, good luck
Clown-N-Around
New member
We just did a topic about moving tanks at our April meeting. It is referrenced in this thread.
Here are my presentation notes:
Moving Your Aquarium
Questions to consider as you begin planning the move:
A) How far (time, distance, through what conditions/weather)?
B) Same/different tank?
C) Same/different sand bed?
General Guidelines
Things to have on hand:
- A tarp or plastic to minimize drips on carpet or hardwood
- Towels
- Gloves (use them!)
- Superglue and epoxy
- Plastic cups and plastic scraper for moving sand
- Plastic bags and rubber bands
- Styrofoam pieces for floats
- Buckets/containers
- Heaters/pumps
- Lots of water at the correct salinity/temperature (expect to “loose†at least half of your old water, but try to save as much as possible for a smoother transition). Have enough to fill the tank, sump, etc. plus a water change if needed.
- Plenty of RMRC members!
Prepare the future home:
- Setup new tank in location if possible
- Cycle new tank if possible
- Plan electrical and plumbing in advance
Provide a safe interim home:
- Highly recommended, especially if a new, cycled setup is not ready (a move always goes slower than you want it to)
- Rubbermaid containers or kid’s pool with pumps and heaters
- Use existing tank water if possible to reduce stress
- If more than a couple days, consider a light source
Safe transport:
- Protect corals from touching/breaking: individually bag if necessary
- Use insulated containers if going outside on hot/cold day
- Package fish separately from rocks and corals (can combine a few fish in a salt bucket)
- Limit live rock time out of water or temperature extremes
- Have enclosed vehicles (heat or A/C) for livestock
- Have blankets on hand for transporting glass
- Plan vehicle space for the tank and the stand
If moving the sand bed:
- Drain off as much detritus and foul water as possible
- Watch closely for any ill effects from sand bed chemicals (be prepared to do a large water change if needed)
- Run carbon and/or other chemical absorbers
- Aquascape before filling the tank with water
The heavy lifting:
- Move glass tanks ONLY if empty
- For lateral moves, rolling on PVC is a great back-saver
- Sand, rocks and water are heavy! Use appropriate sized containers based on the strength of your helpers
- Watch the bulkheads on Reef Ready tanks
Here are my presentation notes:
Moving Your Aquarium
Questions to consider as you begin planning the move:
A) How far (time, distance, through what conditions/weather)?
B) Same/different tank?
C) Same/different sand bed?
General Guidelines
Things to have on hand:
- A tarp or plastic to minimize drips on carpet or hardwood
- Towels
- Gloves (use them!)
- Superglue and epoxy
- Plastic cups and plastic scraper for moving sand
- Plastic bags and rubber bands
- Styrofoam pieces for floats
- Buckets/containers
- Heaters/pumps
- Lots of water at the correct salinity/temperature (expect to “loose†at least half of your old water, but try to save as much as possible for a smoother transition). Have enough to fill the tank, sump, etc. plus a water change if needed.
- Plenty of RMRC members!
Prepare the future home:
- Setup new tank in location if possible
- Cycle new tank if possible
- Plan electrical and plumbing in advance
Provide a safe interim home:
- Highly recommended, especially if a new, cycled setup is not ready (a move always goes slower than you want it to)
- Rubbermaid containers or kid’s pool with pumps and heaters
- Use existing tank water if possible to reduce stress
- If more than a couple days, consider a light source
Safe transport:
- Protect corals from touching/breaking: individually bag if necessary
- Use insulated containers if going outside on hot/cold day
- Package fish separately from rocks and corals (can combine a few fish in a salt bucket)
- Limit live rock time out of water or temperature extremes
- Have enclosed vehicles (heat or A/C) for livestock
- Have blankets on hand for transporting glass
- Plan vehicle space for the tank and the stand
If moving the sand bed:
- Drain off as much detritus and foul water as possible
- Watch closely for any ill effects from sand bed chemicals (be prepared to do a large water change if needed)
- Run carbon and/or other chemical absorbers
- Aquascape before filling the tank with water
The heavy lifting:
- Move glass tanks ONLY if empty
- For lateral moves, rolling on PVC is a great back-saver
- Sand, rocks and water are heavy! Use appropriate sized containers based on the strength of your helpers
- Watch the bulkheads on Reef Ready tanks
Last edited:
Clown-N-Around
New member
Basic procedure would be
1) Prepare the new location with a safe interim home for the livestock (rubbermaids, kiddie pool, or similar with heater and circulation pump in each) and plenty of extra water (correct salinity and temperature).
2) Move the livestock into the interim holding tanks. During transport, protect them from temperature changes, make sure they have plenty of air, protect corals from touching each other, and keep fish separate from rocks and corals.
3) Set up the tank at the new location.
4) Add the livestock.
5) Watch carefully and do a water change if anything looks unhappy.
1) Prepare the new location with a safe interim home for the livestock (rubbermaids, kiddie pool, or similar with heater and circulation pump in each) and plenty of extra water (correct salinity and temperature).
2) Move the livestock into the interim holding tanks. During transport, protect them from temperature changes, make sure they have plenty of air, protect corals from touching each other, and keep fish separate from rocks and corals.
3) Set up the tank at the new location.
4) Add the livestock.
5) Watch carefully and do a water change if anything looks unhappy.
Similar threads
