SPS exposure to air during tank move

[cdamiano]

I'm planning on moving my existing 90Gal. tank to make way for a 180Gal that I am setting up. I was considering draining the existing 90 down to as low as I can go while still providing enough water for the fish, and then get a few people to help move it a few feet over to make room for the new tank. Then I can add the water back in to the 90 and setup the new tank without the pressure of having to move everything to the new tank on the same day.

My question is this.......while I have the water drained down in the old tank during the move, many of my SPS corals (numerous Acropora, Montipora, and other SPS species) will be exposed to the air. How long can they be exposed during the move without causing any serious stress to them? I'm thinking that they might be exposed for about 30 minutes. I know that I have seen pictures of corals in the wild exposed at low tide but I don't know how much of this my small slice of reef can handle.

I've seen some pictures from Joe at AMW doing water changes there and many of the corals were exposed during the water change. Joe - maybe you can chime in on this.

Thanks!

 

[Monkeyfish]

30 minutes shouldn't be a problem. Just to be on the safe side you should occasionally spray or gently splash the exposed corals with some tank water every 10 minutes or so to keep them moist.

 

[greggnyce]

Some corals are exposed in tidal areas for hours so if it is a short time they should be ok.

 

[jpitch]

What kind of manpower are you going to have to move the 90g while it's partially drained? Do you realize the massive weight it's going to still have even if you drained more than half out? Good luck to you!

 

[MIKE NY]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12730935#post12730935 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Monkeyfish
30 minutes shouldn't be a problem. Just to be on the safe side you should occasionally spray or gently splash the exposed corals with some tank water every 10 minutes or so to keep them moist.

x 2

 

[cdamiano]

Thanks for the replies. Not 100% sure if I'm going to go this route yet, but I know someone who did it this way successfully with a 75G. Still planning out all my options. Let me know if anyone else has moved a tank of this size after partially draining it and how you did it.
Thanks!

 

[fishome25]

One thing to keep in mind is that after they are exposed to the air of low tide they are flushed with lots of fresh seawater. they coral will expell mucus to keep themselves moist. remember that all that goo will be in your tank. I would blast them with some water flow to dislodge it and run carbon.

 

[bigsink]

Chris, I will be more than happy to help if I am avialable!

 

[pyro383]

1gal of water = 8.5lbs

 

[cdamiano]

Thanks again for the information everyone and thanks John for the offer to help. When I'm ready to do the move I might take you up on that offer.

 

[nate82]

i drained a 15g down to about 1/3 and did it that way it works pretty well.. i would definitely take everything out and bag it though.. i mean why not? better safe then sorry.. and yeah not only do you have to worry about you holding all the weight but the bottom glass usually has the added support of the stand... just be careful

 

[cthedaytrader]

I would be carefull with that, I have moved tanks before and have always just put the corals in buckets for the move and I never lost anything.

However, this weekend I did a water change and took out too much water and had to make an extra batch of salt water, and my tubs birdnest was exposed to the air, longer than 30 minutes though, probably around an hour, but I sprayed it with tank water a few times. Well, it died from the exposure point up.

I am sure some corals can take it, but not all corals are from low tidal zones.

Heres a pic of it with the flash:

Good luck with what ever you decide to do.

 

[Muscle Reefer]

I would get wet a paper towel with your water and cover the corals for the time being.

 

[Justjoe]

Chris,
Years back I moved a 50 gal tank from one room to another by myself, I drained it down with a couple of inches of water for the fish, put one end of the stand on my skateboard and picked up the other end and wheeled it all into another room, refilled and all is fine. I had some new water available for any problems that may have come up and used some of it as a water change.

With the lights off, most sps will be fine for easily a 1/2hr, a spray bottle with some tank water would be good to have.

There will be lots of mucus, so be sure to flush out your corals after the move, and a water change will also be good to do.