Planning ahead- Moving

Draco

Active Member
Hi all,

In a few months, I am planning on moving from my 2nd floor apt to a 2nd floor Condo. I am planning ahead on how I can move my tank.

I have a 9 gal cube (yes, you are probably laughing at me if you've moved a bigger tank!)
has a heater, filter and pump.
about 10 lbs of LR
lots of LS

Handful of snails and crabs
1 emerald crab
2 clowns
1 randall goby (I had a randal shrimp, but I haven't seen it in months)
2 Peppermint shrimps

lots of zoas that has attached to several rocks at once, which means it'll be hard to take the rocks apart without ripping them apart
and other corals that I can take apart.

My goby and shrimps are going to be hard to catch.

What would be the best way to move this tank? Put the rocks in a bucket with the corals, drain the water down to sustain the crabs/shrimps and fish? other suggestions?

It's going to have to be light enough and easy enough for a wimpy girl like me to carry up and down the stairs without help!
 

DaveK

Well-Known Member
... easy enough for a wimpy girl like me to carry up and down the stairs without help!

The very best way for you do this is get a boyfriend or similar person to move it for you under your direction. (grin, just teasing)

Actually, your going to have it easy. Get a few of 5 gal buckets to hold water into. Also get some shipping containers or coolers and heavy plastic bags for moving livestock.

At the new location, use one bucket and mix up 5 gal of new water, which will be used to make up for any water lost in the move. Also have enough new, clean, sand to replace your sandbed.

Drain about 1/2 the tank water into one bucket. Then remove the live rock. If the rock has a coral or similar stuff growing on it, bag it up with some water. If not, you can just bag it up, just so it will stay damp.

Net out all the other livestock and bag that up with some water. Drain the remaining water into the other bucket. Discard the sand bed.

Tear the tank down and box up the equipment. Be careful here, you don't want to have anything get broken.

Load everything into your vechile and drive to the new location.

Position the tank. Install the in tank equipment. Add the new sand. Fill it part way up with one of the buckets of water. Add your live rock back. Add you other livestock back. Fill the tank with the other bucket of old water. Top off the tank with the newly mixed water. Install the lighting. Plug it all in and turn it on.

Your all set to go now. Keep an eye on thinks, sometimes tanks moves will go throug a mini cycle. Use any new water not used for the move for your first water change.
 

PSU4ME

JoePa lives on!!!
Staff member
PREMIUM
+1 to Dave's advice. A 9 gallon should move easily. Or head down to super fitness and grab one of those meatheads that pick things up and puts them down :)
 

Draco

Active Member
I think I will have to get a meat-head boyfriend who can pick things up and put them down. Any volunteers??? lol.

You made it seem so easy, Dave. Easier said than done, huh? I will have to get some buckets. I am most nervous about moving the tank, than everything thing else!
 

DaveK

Well-Known Member
It's really not too bad, since it's a small tank. Plan your move and allow plenty of time and do it on a day with that's the only thing you are goign to do. Do not try and do this on the day your moving everything else.
 

Draco

Active Member
I have a feeling it'd be on the day when I move everything else. I have to see how it all plans out!
 

Mayja

Social Media Moderator
RS STAFF
Just be thankful you don't have to move a 90 display + 30 sump! That's what I'm going to be doing next month. :willis:
 

Snid

Active Member
Out of curiosity... Would saving some of the old sand bed and mixing it in with the new sand bed help keep beneficial bacteria in the system? Or is it best to start the sand bed fresh in this case. I ask because I am just at the beginning of my tank and in my case, having live sand mixed with non-living was the way I went to help speed up the cycling process.
 

Draco

Active Member
Out of curiosity... Would saving some of the old sand bed and mixing it in with the new sand bed help keep beneficial bacteria in the system? Or is it best to start the sand bed fresh in this case. I ask because I am just at the beginning of my tank and in my case, having live sand mixed with non-living was the way I went to help speed up the cycling process.


that's a good question! I'd be interested in knowing the answer too.

With me, I want a deeper sand-bed, so adding more sand during the move would be a great opportunity.
 
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