need to move tank

[skowens]

I am adding a rear hanging protien skimmer to my 55FO and don't have enough clearance. I need to move the tank out away from the wall apx. 4". I have a wooden cabinet stand and a carpeted floor. Should I remove all water and critters into another container make the move and put them back or can I remove all but about 5" or so of water, leave the fish, move the tank and replace the water. The later would seem less stressful than catching the fish and I would have some help moving the tank. Any suggestions or comments would help. Thanks, Steve

 

[skowens]

Thanks for the replys. I wish I had known more a year and a half ago when I set this thing up and I would have left more space and wouldn't be worrying about this now. Oh well, live and learn. I am going to add some compact fluorescent lights to this tank. Any experience out there with smart lites?

 

[reefhope]

Are you planning on converting to a reef tank? If not save your money and don't buy the powercompacts, you shouldn't need them. Personally I probably wouldn't spend the money on a protein skimmer if I were staying fish only. Just my 2 cents.

 

[mariner]

Thats nothing compared to what I gotta do. I'm thinking of doing my plumbed 90 gal from the downstairs to the upstairs. When I first bought it my wife wouldn't do the upstairs thing. Now that she sees how beutiful it is she says"that would look nice upstairs in the family room!" Go figure after it has become close to 2000 LBS. Women;,what should we do with you? I would love some advice on this.
-90 gal all glass tank
-100 LBS of live rock
-250 LBS of southdown
-all kind of corals and other weird things that have popped up
-skimmer,7 pumps.........
Do I need to take all of the weight out or can I leave most of the southdown in it with two people carrying it? I don't want it to crack in half ya know!

 

[Anonymous]

I would disagree with reefhope. I would suggest a skimmer just as much for FO tanks. Fish create mass quantities of dissolved nutrients that can be readily removed by skimming. Plus,the skimmer will saturate the water with oxygen. This,in turn,will help you keep a healthy stock of fish.

 

[skowens]

I am adding a skimmer and the lights are being added so that I can start adding live rock and possibly some button polyps and shroms. I am looking at a Custom Sea Life fixture that holds 2 65 watt pcs. My wife read the post about moving the tank upstairs and said to let you know that I can't complain about her because she is PERFECT! Good luck on moving upstairs! I am glad mine only has to go a few inches!!

 

[skowens]

I am adding a skimmer and the lights are being added so that I can start adding live rock and possibly some button polyps and shroms. I am looking at a Custom Sea Life fixture that holds 2 65 watt pcs. My wife read the post about moving the tank upstairs and said to let you know that I can't complain about her because she is PERFECT! Good luck on moving upstairs! I am glad mine only has to go a few inches!!

 

[skowens]

Oops, sorry about the double post there. Mariner, my wife suggested that instead of moving the tank just to leave it and start another one upstairs!!!

 

[Clownkeeper]

Hello,
Just thought that i could add a little to this thread becouse i just mad to move my 55 gallon tank out of one room to another so that new carpet could be layed.
What i done was to drain the tank about 3/4 of the way down and then had a buddy come and help me slide it from one room to the other with little problems.
Just remember when you put the water back in try not to disturb the sand bed much so your levels don't spike.. I found when readding the water in mine run it across the top of the water as if it was just circulating and you should be fine..
But as Far as moving it out 4 inches from the wall you should only have to take out maybe half.. move one end out were you need it then do the same to the other.. should only take 30 minutes or so to do..

Hope this helps ya

Troy

 

[scooterr]

IME you could move it out 4" without emptying it completly. Just have some people lift the tank up others move the stand and then set it right back down. I think it'd be ok. I moved a 55 gal across the house with 3" of CC and water. It was fine.
HTH
jeff

 

[esmithiii]

I have moved my 55 many times. Here are some tips:

They make these adhesive plastic squares that you can stick to the bottom of the stand that allow the tank to "glide" on your carpet. A reaonably strong person can lift the tank and stand one side at a time and a second person can attach the plastic squares to the bottom. You can get the plastic slides at Home Depot.