Moving, need help.

[Allmost]

Hello,

So I will be moving at the end of the month and just can't decide how to move the reef ....

1. Take it in one shot, and hope for the best. Bag up all coral, place in styrofoam box. Put rocks with water in Rubbermaid 40 gallon. Drain rest of water and remove plumbing. Move to new place and set up the reef, fill up with new water, rocks and water the rocks were in and unbag corals and all fish.

2. Move indirectly. Set up temp. Large 150 gallon Rubbermaid at parents basement with new salt water, take all corals and rocks over before the move. On moving day take the tank and sump and ...., set up in new place and cycle with new water and rocks, add corals and fish after cycle.

3. Sell all live stock and start over.

I am going to hire movers ... So I am sure they can take Rubbermaid bins full of water and rocks ... Might be able to move most of the water ... But my worry is setting up the system there and how long it would take ... I guess I have at least 24 hours before corals and fish getting stressed in bag.


So what would you do. Or how did you move your reef tank ?

New place will have dedicated fish room. So I'd have to also drill the wall behind the tank to pass the tubes going to the room, right behind where DT would go. :bounce2:

 

[anbosu]

I would go with a temporary setup. If you have the space and time it will be the lowest stress on you and your animals.

 

[wrxreefer823]

I'm going through the same thing, as I'll be moving in a month or two. Granted, my tank is a lot smaller (25g cube), it's something I've been thinking hard about. In my case, I plan on setting up a temporary tank at the new place, and stick all the rock/coral, and fish in. I don't plan on keeping any sand. I'll then break down the system, move it and just set it back up with new saltwater and sand, and add the live stock back into it. In your case with a much larger system, I'd stick with option 2 or 3. As painful as it may be, a fresh start may be the easiest (and most costly). Good luck!

 

[Reefmedic79]

As someone who has moved 3 different tanks from 40-300g using method #1. I suggest method #2, if you've got the means and space.

 

[Hodge1995]

I opted to sell livestock and start over when I moved mine, The next best would be a temp setup.

 

[Ranger Daryl]

I've done both of these in the last year. I moved and had to set my tank up at my grandmothers while we waited to close. Then three months later I moved into my new house. Both times I broke everything down and set it back up in the same day. Then last week I was looking at breaking my tank down to install wood flooring. This time I set up a 100 gallon rubbermaid stock tank a sump, skimmer, and lighting. I was able to let everything stabilize from the move while I set up a new tank thanks to my awesome wife who allowed me to buy it. So far everything has settled alot better than a all in the same day move.

 

[Allmost]

thanks guys for helping me decide will start setting up a temporarily tank.


I have AEFW too ... so would be a good time for dipping and getting rid of the pests.

 

[danil]

I've done all three ways get mentioned here... and can say with confident selling livestock and start over was the less stressful and rewarding way.

 

[Donkeykong]

I have moved many tanks and have always had good success with option one. A few tips, walk thru the entire thing several times, even get a fellow reefer over and lay out your plan to them. A second set of eyes and ears will sometimes pick up the small details that you are looking past. Only take the water needed to transport livestock and rock, new water to fill the rest. If at all possible dedicate one day to nothing but the tank move. Test several times in the following weeks and have spare water mixed and ready to go just incase you see any spikes.

 

[Allmost]

question for everyone.

when moving, do you remove all the pipes from the tank ? my tank is drilled at the bottom, should I leave plumbing in, and just when moving make sure to sit the tank on its back instead of its bottom ?

this way Id have to do less when I get there in order to set back up. but there is the risk of the pipes getting hit and breaking bottom glass ?

pics of the tank so u guys can feel bad for me lol


here is the tank






yu can see the stand in these pics. the ply wood is under the sump, and nothng under stand.

 

[Donkeykong]

I would remove all pipes, take this time to clean them all out. This will also force you to double check all the connection to ensure there will be no leaks when you start it back up again.

 

[anbosu]

I have left the bulkheads but even that is risky - I would definitely remove anything hard plumbed.

 

[Ranger Daryl]

I removed everything and soaked it in vinegar for a spring cleaning of sorts. I chose not to get rid of my livestock as time was of the essence. Plus, there are some corals that I have had since the beginning and I could not bear to get rid of them.

 

[Allmost]

thanks guys, so this is what I did ... I basically rented a large tank [one of the displays] at an LFS to store the corals and fish ...

this week, I took the tank down, removed all corals and bagged them up, and placed them in styrofoam boxes which I got from LFS .... let me tell you .... moving large SPS colonies in bags does NOT work ... doesnt matter how many bags I put around it, it would still puncture through and ... I learned that best way is to place them in a bucket, and secure them with styrofoam. I learned that too late and broke many of my pieces ...
all fish went in a coleman, with a hole in the lid, with a battery operated air pump connected to it.

moved them all to the LFS. when I got there, many corals were sticking out of water and were half dry .. I moved them fast to their tanks ... they slimed but seemed okay overall.

I then washed the tanks, with vinegar, and stores the Live rock in a Brute can, with tank water, power head and a heater. I must have forgot about a couple of fish, as they died in the bucket and now it smells like death .... doing 50% water change daily to combat it.

I will move the tanks to new place tomorrow, set up and fill up and start cycling with the same LR. after 10 days, I will bring the corals over, and fish will be added slower ...

I will post pictures of the new set up once up.

thanks for all your help. moving a tank is not an easy tank, specially when full of SPS. I sure did learn alot from it.

I feel like this was the best option besides selling all corals, as moving the tank while having corals and fish in containers would have been WAY too stressfull for me and on the live stock.

wish me luck on the rest of the move.