My reef tank is fairly new, 3months, and I am moving into a house about 2 miles down the road from where I stay at now. How would you move everything. I have 29lbs of live rock, two corals, (green mushrooms and button pollups), and the clean up crew of about 20. Also two perc. clowns. The move is very close, I am hoping that is an advantage. Thanks for all the help with everything you all have done for me. These three months have been a great learning experience and a fairly easy one thanks to the members of reef sanctuary.
Moving an aquarium
- Thread starter ronfox
- Start date
Kazzy
Active Member
Get some 5 gallon buckets and maybe a rubbermaid tub, fill them with aged saltwater and/or tank water, move everything into the containers, and drive SLOW! Also, a helpful addition to this procedure for more sensitive critters is to get a plug in-able battery and hook it up to a heater which you can put into the tub. Then the temperature won't swing as much. But from what you have said about your tank, everything seems hardy so the heater probably won't be necessary, especially since you are so close. That does make a big difference.
vdituri
Well-Known Member
Ditto! I did something similar with a 30 gallon.
Everything went into a bucket with the old saltwater.
Drained the water down to the sand line.
Moved, put everything back in and no problems except some cloudiness in the water.
Home depot has Als project buckets (orange) for like $2 or $3 each.
Hope it goes well.
Everything went into a bucket with the old saltwater.
Drained the water down to the sand line.
Moved, put everything back in and no problems except some cloudiness in the water.
Home depot has Als project buckets (orange) for like $2 or $3 each.
Hope it goes well.
random_ryan
New Member
I moved 70 miles with 4 tanks. the first tank is a 120 full reef set up. the second tank is a 96 gallon cube full reef set up . the 3rd tank is a 55 gallon full reef set up. and the the 4 tank is a 22 gallon m tank. from personal experiance. little tanks are soooooo much easyer to move. I fragged the heack out of my other systems just to move them. gave away frags ect just so they didn't die. it also didn't help my wife moved us in the dead of summer. I really really never want to do that again.:smack: :hammerhea :tears: . I learned the hard way. 5 gallon buckets and coolers. move it fast and don't play around. quick easy painless. oh also have an air pump ready to use for the fish.
Good post.
We've been looking at purchasing a house to get out of a basement apartment we are renting and there is a potential chance I may have to break down my 65g to move.
I dread this. This is my first tank that has been set up since April. I have a feeling it is probably going to be a pain in the rump.
We've been looking at purchasing a house to get out of a basement apartment we are renting and there is a potential chance I may have to break down my 65g to move.
I dread this. This is my first tank that has been set up since April. I have a feeling it is probably going to be a pain in the rump.
jrf1175
Member
I just moved a 90gal system about a month and a half ago. I was wishing I had a much smaller system at that point! Lots of buckets and tubs. Have a plan and know what you are goign to do and how you are going to do it before you start. I had lots of helping hands too...to carry buckets etc. You have a shart move and a small tank so I don't see you having many issues. Good luck!
flricordia
Active Member
I just moved a a large tank for the first time, a150gl. from a place I bought it to my home abotu 10 miles away. I put everythign except the LS into my 75 corner tank. The LS was deep and I didn't want to reuse it becuase it was 3 years old and I was afraid of hydrogen sulfide int he new tank.
I had 5 large 30gl tupperware containers sitting in the van with the heater going. It was cool when we started the move but warmed before we finished. Had 3-5gl buckets and 4 styro containers form the local reef shop in the house ready to go into action, plus some fish bags for fish and inverts.
I first shut off all power and filled the buckets with tank water, then dumped them into one of the containers in the van.
I then stated removing the LR (total of about 150lbs) into the buckets that my partner stood and filled with tank water. I placed the LR into the van containers with the water and dumped the water in the bucket into another container and this went on for abotu an hour or so, my partener filling buckets with tank water and me filling them with LR and transfering them into the van.
Then I caught the fish and inverts and put them into bags with tank water, all the time keeping from disturbing the sandbed.
When we got down to the LR sunk into the SB we worked quickly so as not to dirty the water remaining with too much LS sediment.
I then drove slowly to my house and started transfering the LR into the 1/3 full ( fresh salt water already brought to temp the night before) tank untill all the LR was in.
I also during this time pumped the tub water the LR was moved in into the tank and once it was filled I turned a couple PH on to move the tank water.
I then moved a shrimp and a couple inverts into the tank and watched their reaction then a fish and watched its reaction. After seeing they were fine I transfered the snails, inverts and fish then corals, hooked up the sump and throughout the day and next fine tuned everything.
Went pretty smooth mand didn't loose anything. Would have been able to move the 150 and set it up, have 1/3 fresh saltwater up to temp and ready but I want to clean and resilicone the tank. Just would have had to have a large rubber trash can holding the fresh salt mix and a pump to pump it into the moved and placed tank, then started the LR transfer and so on.
As you can see everything took it just fine. Pic tonight.
But it wouldn't have gone so smooth except I asked here on RS and got some good pointers on moving it. Thanks again everyone.
I had 5 large 30gl tupperware containers sitting in the van with the heater going. It was cool when we started the move but warmed before we finished. Had 3-5gl buckets and 4 styro containers form the local reef shop in the house ready to go into action, plus some fish bags for fish and inverts.
I first shut off all power and filled the buckets with tank water, then dumped them into one of the containers in the van.
I then stated removing the LR (total of about 150lbs) into the buckets that my partner stood and filled with tank water. I placed the LR into the van containers with the water and dumped the water in the bucket into another container and this went on for abotu an hour or so, my partener filling buckets with tank water and me filling them with LR and transfering them into the van.
Then I caught the fish and inverts and put them into bags with tank water, all the time keeping from disturbing the sandbed.
When we got down to the LR sunk into the SB we worked quickly so as not to dirty the water remaining with too much LS sediment.
I then drove slowly to my house and started transfering the LR into the 1/3 full ( fresh salt water already brought to temp the night before) tank untill all the LR was in.
I also during this time pumped the tub water the LR was moved in into the tank and once it was filled I turned a couple PH on to move the tank water.
I then moved a shrimp and a couple inverts into the tank and watched their reaction then a fish and watched its reaction. After seeing they were fine I transfered the snails, inverts and fish then corals, hooked up the sump and throughout the day and next fine tuned everything.
Went pretty smooth mand didn't loose anything. Would have been able to move the 150 and set it up, have 1/3 fresh saltwater up to temp and ready but I want to clean and resilicone the tank. Just would have had to have a large rubber trash can holding the fresh salt mix and a pump to pump it into the moved and placed tank, then started the LR transfer and so on.
As you can see everything took it just fine. Pic tonight.
But it wouldn't have gone so smooth except I asked here on RS and got some good pointers on moving it. Thanks again everyone.