Moving my tank

[JordanB8810]

Just wanted to get some opinions on moving my tank. I have to move it about 4 hours. It's a 55g reef with a 30g sump. Here's the plan so far...

I have two rubbermaid containers that I can't remember the exact size of. They are somewhere in the neighborhood of 30 and 50 gallons. These containers are going to be filled with water and LR. I am a little worried about how sturdy the rubbermaids are. I'd hate for rock and water to come crashing out of the bottom.

I am going to get bags and styrofoam insulated boxes for corals and fish. Most of my corals are still on plugs that I haven't secured down because I knew I would have to move soon. I think if I bag everything individually, place in the boxes, and put an icepack inside I will be fine.

For the tank, after I drain water and remove live rock I was going to leave a small amount of water and the sand bed in the tank. I was going to keep all my CUC in the tank and put a large black trash bag over the top. The only thing I don't like about this is everything is going in the back of a U-Haul, and its going to get very hot back there. I thought about putting ice in a gallon zip lock and floating that in the tank. This might cause too large of a temp swing though. Thoughts on this?

The stand, sump, and plumbing should be easy enough. Everything breaks down pretty easily.

If anyone has experience moving their own tanks or sees flaws with my ideas please let me know. Nothing is more important to me than all my livestock making it through a move. I have moved plently of tanks, but never this far. Thanks.

 

[Dream2aReef]

Rubbermaids, bags, and styrofoam containers are all good, I'm just not sure about the ice packs? You have no control over the temps. when using something like that. When we moved we didn't move as far it only took us maybe 15-20mins to drive not 4 hours like yourself so, I'm not sure what to tell you about controling the temps in the back of a U-Haul.

 

[JordanB8810]

I have always used ice packs in the styrofoam boxes. As long as the fish are in bags and the ice pack isn't directly on the bags it is fine. The way I make ice packs is just with a gallon zip lock bag full of ice. I'm am concerned with the ice packs just floating in the tank though, but I am positive all my CUC would die in the back of a U-Haul most likely getting in between 110-120 degrees.

 

[1st timer]

I would just bag them as well, at least as many as possible. Maybe you could attach ice pack to a stryrofoam piece and float it in tank.

 

[arentspowell]

Where is your four hour move to? I'm actually about to have to do the same exact thing and move from Tallahasse, to Tampa. If you need some help let me know I've moved a tank before and its not to fun.

When I move im doing the same thing, but instead of keeping the sand I dont like mine so I'm keeping all the rocks and water and starting fresh with sand.

 

[thegrun]

The two big concerns with moving a tank is temperature and the sand. Unless you are absolutely sure the water temperature is going to rise, I would wait until an hour into the trip and then add ice if needed. Find a way to keep all the containers in the shade (plywood cover?), that will help. If your sand bed is more than an inch deep, it will place a lot of strain on the bottom of the tank when you lift it. I have always removed my sand before moving, but that creates its own set of issues with stirring up years of accumulated detritus if you reuse the sand. I’ve cleaned and reused sand, but it takes a lot of work.

 

[MattAndKim]

If you really do absolutely prioritize your livestock, rent a large van in order to control climate in the vehicle. You're only moving four hours, but more sensitive livestock will be killed by temperature extremes in this period. It could get very, very hot in the back of a U-Haul in the summer in NF.

I moved a fully-stocked mixed 75g 9 hours with one loss. I essentially rebuilt the tank in a rubbermaid in my truck, and had flow, heating, lighting, and air running off of an RV inverter. If you really want to do everything you can to ensure the livestock survives, try to replicate tank conditions as closely as feasible in the vehicle. I think for four hours, a heater and a small powerhead and airlift would suffice in a vehicle with AC.