Transporting Reef Contents 2 1/2 hrs - How To?

[Ortho Bill]

Transporting Reef Contents 2 1/2 hrs - How To?
Transporting Reef Contents 2 1/2 hrs- How To?

I will be picking up approximately 8-10 corals and 6 fish along with 75-100lbs. of LR soon. It's a 2 1/2 hr drive each way. What would be the best way to accomplish this so as to not have any losses? These items have been donated and I want to be sure to take excellent care of them. I'm concerned about oxigenation and water temp etc. over the 2 1/2 hr drive back home to Philly.

Thanks, Bill

 

[billsreef]

[moved]

 

[musty baby]

You won't have to worry about oxygenation for the corals or live rock. Will you be transporting the live rock in water? The fish should be ok over that time period for oxygen as well, as long as you have them packaged right (big bags, lots of air inside)

2.5 hours isn't that long to have corals in baggies. What I would do is just gather up some friends' picnic coolers, the big igloo or coleman ones, and just stick them in there. What I've done in the past on cold days is thrown a 2liter bottle of hot water into the cooler before heading off to get my stuff, that way the inside of the cooler is even warm when you get there (rather than the 14 degrees F max that the interior of my car heats to with a plugged heater core)

 

[musty baby]

...and you could bet that I would be able to afford an unplugged heater core if it weren't for this hobby...

 

[CAT]

I've moved my tank and fuge 5 times in 6 years. the last move was 1200 miles and 3 days driving. could say i've has some practice :rolleye1:

i put all rock, corals and fish into rubbermaid totes. i like the regular ones with a flat lids, they are stiffer (don't bow out with the weight) than the grey ones with blue lids. everything is under water. i move the tank with the sandbed intact and just about an inch of water covering it. i use battery operated airstones for longer trips but you're probably just fine if you put powerheads and heaters in each bucket when you get to your destination. You'll be amazed at how long it will take you to get the rockwork set up the way you want it.

if everything is under water, there should be no die-off for such a short trip. just remember to have plenty of new s.w. on hand before you make the move- you'll be surprised at how much you use, especially when you see how grungy the water gets when you start moving rocks.

good luck

 

[Pete1399]

Ditto on the rubbermaids. That is the best way to move a tank!

 

[bill37]

Make sure you have extra extra saltwater made. You will use it.

 

[tgreene]

As cold as it's been, (and with as many frag swaps as I've attended lately), my method has been to use a softside 6-pack cooler placed inside of a slightly larger Igloo cooler, with an old towel as a cushion between the individual Ziplock bags.

It may seem like overkill, but when you're hanging out for hours at a time, and then going from place to place, before ever making it back home, you need all of the insulation you can get, and it hasn't failed me yet!

 

[musty baby]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8724049#post8724049 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Pete1399
Ditto on the rubbermaids. That is the best way to move a tank!

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8747124#post8747124 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by bill37
Make sure you have extra extra saltwater made. You will use it.

I had a large rubbermaid break in my car once, putting 15 gallons of saltwater on my leather and floorpans (it was in the back of a blazer with the seats folded down)

...and he's not moving his tank he's moving some livestock.

 

[firebirdbandit]

I've also done a 3 day trip. All the fish were in bags though. rock was in a rubbermaid container with an air pump. The breathable kind by Kordon. They worked great as I lost nothing in that long trip. 2.5 hours is an easy trip and they would be fine in reg bags. In fact as long as you are careful you can keep fish in corals in a reg plastic bag for 24 hours or less. You should have no problem.