who has moved to a new house with their tank?

Capt_Cully

Capt_Cully

Active member
Nothing yet, but aggressively marketing our house. Heres my question:

How can you close on your current home, then go close on the new house, THEN move ALL of your stuff, least of which would be a 285gallon salt water system, in one day???

How is this done?????

I'm going to be starting a different system at the new house (if we ever get one), but, with no access to new home and no way to move everything in one day.....I'm resigned to think that I might have to completely dismantle my system, sell off my corals, and have my fish babysat at ABC reefs until a new system is in order.
 
Or u can ask alot of biddies to help u. I helped my buddy move a 96g display wih corals and fish 120g crypit tank pack to rim wih largw live rock 90gsump that wer all tied into one system. With 2 other people tear down and moved before dinner time.
 
I'm not sure I could afford beers for all the people it would take.

But seriously, how is this accomplished. I've seen a few people that have changed houses. I mean, you can't close on the new house until you get the cash from the old house. If you're busy closing, how do all parties expect to get into the new houses with all of their stuff in one day? I don't have enough gullible friends to pull off a M.A.S.H style bug-out exit.
 
Every time I've moved it's been done all in one day. Largest move was the 125g setup though. In case it's helpful, here's how I've always done it.

#1 - gather a group of people in charge of actually moving everything else. :thumbsup:
#2 - know where the tank is going and have new sand on hand if desired
#3 - have a lot of SW mixed and moveable or have an LFS bring out water to the new house (some reuse the old water instead but I never do)
- I started draining water as soon as I got up on moving day
- fish and coral went into fish bags grabbed very cheaply at LFS and then were placed inside styro coolers to avoid temperature change
- live rock went into styro coolers w/ wet newspaper on top (other's have since pointed out the ink may not be the best thing to expose it to but I've never had issue with it)
- complete the draining of the tank and remove as much of the nasty sand on the bottom as possible
- Gather up all equipment, coolers full of fish/rock, etc and get mobile
- At the new place get at least the display set up with sand, rock and water (used the words "at least" because PVC plumbing to sump,etc can always be done secondary.)
- Immediate goal is to get the display and all parameters up to par so you can put the fish, coral, etc back in. I've found that the first attempt at aquascaping can sometimes take so long that by the time you're done, temperature and everything are good to go. lol
- After getting the livestock into the display, it's probably time to either help with the other household stuff or call it a day depending what time it is. :)

You can always run the display for a few days without sump/plumbing so that gives you time to get all of that squared away and time for things to cure before use.

Obviously there's ways to tweak the process, that's just what has worked for me quite a few times.
 
Mel that's the logistics of HOW to move the tank, which I have done when we moved in here. But we came from an appartment and had it for a few days after we closed on the house.

But, how do you have TIME to close on 2 houses AND move everything, tank included. There is no window after closing. New owners want you OUT so they can get in. I mean, perhaps I'm asking a more general question a out buying, selling, and movingg regardless of possessions.

Help me understand the process of going from house to house and lawyer to lawyer.

Thanks
 
Ah. I closed a few days before moving into my house. Wasn't aware the buyers of your house were going to want you out the same day you close or even that the sellers of the new one would be out the day they close on sale. If so, good luck. I'd sell and start over.
 
I moved my 2 year old 75g reef with me and one other buddy. I just used rubbermaid bins I bought cheaply @ homedepot. I bought two 40g bins and put all the rock and corals (as much as I could) in to one. and then I put the rest of the rock and a few select pieces and all the fish in to the other. I was only moving about 30 minutes away, so I just threw the lids on and put them in to the back of my buddies truck. We then could lift the bins right out of the truck and on to my porch. Then I reassembled the tank in my new living room. By the way, as I had the corals out under the actual sunlight. TALK ABOUT POLYP EXTENSION!!!!!! WOW was it amazing!
 
I got lucky and the guy we bought our house from gave me access a week early so I could refinish the wood floors. maybe work out a deal between your buyers or the seller. otherwise have Tim empty the large in wall tank to fill it with your stuff. could offer him "rent".
 
You should be able to negotiate when you can move into the new house, and when you can get out of the old one.
 
moving to our second house

moving to our second house

we owned two homes for a month and a half.

legal paperwork was done one day (gawd it's a long process and I'll never forget it!) and the actual moving of our possessions was done by myself with assistance from family and friends on another day (actually over the course of 3 days with very little sleep).
RC friends were key in helping me dismantle the old aquarium.

my big mistakes
*not hiring movers for furniture etc.
*not getting the new aquarium up and running immediately

I regret losing livestock in that move. Some of it was (literally) irreplaceable.
 
I've heard horror stories about people being packed and ready to move on closing day and the deal falls apart. That would #1, be detrimental to a reef tank, and #2 be a HUGE PITA if all of our stuff was moved into another home a few days prior to closing. The odds are slim, but I have that kind of luck.

I really have a sneaking suspicion my 180 is going to be taken down. Colonies fragged or sold whole. Fishes babysat at ABC along with Todd's Torch. LR cooked free of mojanos. A lot of hardware for sale. Tank, stand, and canopy will be sold to finance new tank. If we get the house we want, new tank will be a Marineland DD 200, not cheap, with new lighting, not cheap.
 
Jmo

Jmo

it would be more expensive (but far easier and more rewarding) to start with a clean slate. All you need is a frag of each of your current corals. This would be the time to get rid of Majano and anything else you don't want in the new display.

See chrisqueenz DD DT in person ;)
 
That is my line of thinking G. Sell the colonies or BIG frags at very reasonable prices, with a dossier of who has what, with the intention of getting a frag back at some point. (For example, yes Brandon, you will get my stylo.....). And, per my Italian upbringing, the day that I ask for such a favor may never come. This is because the new system will, out of necessity, be a lower demand system, more tolerant system.....for now.
 
I understand :)

Still...... I've done softies in the past. They're alright. I think the most awesome reef display(s) can be done with softies. Lots of big swaying softies with lots of fishes. Yummy.

You've got to see a DD set up as a reef aquarium. Chris has a really nice one. Pix don't do it justice. The front to back depth is killer.
 
I saw one at ARC, I think....

I really want to get down to 2 halides and T5's for energy saving purposes. I also think I'm going back to an under tank sump. With a 4x3 footprint, it should allow room for reactors and refugium, smaller return pump. Vortec has already been purchased. I've stashed a few big softies in my basement and my TT will be the centerpiece. I have learned through the many ups and downs that some of my SPS (some really nice ones) are very tolerant of less than optimal water conditions. Ultimately, I'd like to shoot for a nice truly mixed reef. The full blown SPS dominated system is just too hard to stay consistent with, due to my hours, a baby, and the wife wanting another one. Not to mention another house to do over.

If I can get my fish through it, I'll be happy.
 
Wow, that's a tight timeline. I closed and moved my tank 2 weeks later. And I thought that was stressful. Well... it was stressful.

I'm not sure that it's possible to move the tank in that tight of a time frame without involving some type of staging tank. Something like moving the livestock to a staging system a week before the move, then moving the emptied system on the day of your move. I don't envy that kind of effort.
 
You could look in to some of the nicer storage units. Some around here at least have 220 power available and are heated/AC and are designed with small buisness in mind.. It would involve 2 moves, but you could move at your leisure by slowly moving the system in to the unit and then in to the new house when you are ready.
 
Negotiate the overlap between the houses. The three days mentioned is aggressive, but doable and a reasonable request. If need be see who has room to house your sensitive pieces (abc, friends, etc). I don't mind Trying to clear out a frag tank for a couple weeks to help out. And get rid of those mojavos!
 
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