need to move my tank...scared to death

[Anonymous]

hey all,

we are moving to a new house in about 1 month and i am really nervous about having to move my 40 gallon tank. it's not very old - 7 months - and i have no idea how to go about it. i tried several searches here on this board but can't find anything. not sure what i'm doing wrong but this new search function isn't as user friendly as our old one was. but then again, maybe it's just me.

anyway, what i need is advice on the proper way to move my tank to our new place, about 10 miles away. i don't expect anyone to write it all out here because i know there are plenty of threads with the info. but if someone could just help me find those threads and maybe share the links here, i'd be extremely grateful.

thanks, guys :wink:

 

[Carpentersreef]

I don't know the threads,coral, but my recent move gave me a great reason to double my system size! :wink:
For only a 10 mile move, take all the old water you can in order to shorten new cycle/setup time.

Mitch ( )

 

[Marcosreef]

Coral,

I think this is what you are looking for. http://www.reefs.org/library/talklog/j_ ... 01898.html

Regards, Marco

 

[Anonymous]

thanks, guys!

 

[Rob Top]

I'll be moving in two weeks. Taking a 75 gallon 50 miles. Having planned this move for 4 months I think I have some good ideas. Here are a few. I have enought 5 gallon buckets with lids from Home Depot to take almost all my water with. I'll be filling the bucket half way with rock and filling it with water. I'll be taking 15 gallons of freshlty mixed water in 3-5 gallon jugs I have. I got 100 large bags from my LFS to move the fish and coral. The sps will be rubberbanded to a piece of styrofoam to float upside down in the bag, and reduce breakage. I have a 1/2" sheet of ply wood that is 2"wider and 6" longer than the tank. 2-3 guys will lift the tank up just enough to get the plywood under. Then we will carry it by the wood. This should prevent any stress to the tank caused by the weight of the sand bed that will be moved in tank and wet.
If you are able to get a tank upgrade worked into it that would be great. I will be switching to a 220, but I need to remodle the basement befor I set it up so I have to wait a couple months.
Hope this helps

 

[SPC]

Sorry to hear of your eviction Ms coral.
Steve

 

[fishfarmer]

40 gallons NO PROBLEM! I tore mine down two months ago. My 38 gallon fit into:

2 5 gallon buckets with lid (one for base rock, one for fish)

1 large plastic cooler(polyp encrusted rocks)

2 styro shipping boxes(one carried 20lbs of live sand, the other carried corals bagged in ziplocs)

1 six pack cooler(carried my brain....coral that is :wink: I don't recommend drinking while moving it would get sloppy)

I also had a few jugs for tank water as well. Make sure you have plenty of extra water premixed for the move.

Empty boxes for pumps, heaters, etc.

It took me about 2 hours to tear my tank apart and get everything situated in the coolers. I ran an aerator for the fish and a pump it the cooler with the polyp rocks. It was a half hour trip for me. I already had a 55 waiting for me, plus a tub for some corals to stay while I aquascaped.

Coralshrimp does your tank have a deep sand bed or a bed you wish to remain intact?

A 40 gallon with 4" of sand shouldn't be too hard to lift for two people, just support it on foam in the car so it doesn't jostle. I think the biggest PITA for my move was getting the sand out of the tank(I worried too much about killing all the cool worms I found).

 

[Anonymous]

I have a 1/2" sheet of ply wood that is 2"wider and 6" longer than the tank. 2-3 guys will lift the tank up just enough to get the plywood under. Then we will carry it by the wood. This should prevent any stress to the tank caused by the weight of the sand bed that will be moved in tank and wet.

this sounds like a great idea!

 

[Anonymous]

Sorry to hear of your eviction Ms coral.
Steve

 

[Anonymous]

Coralshrimp does your tank have a deep sand bed or a bed you wish to remain intact?

A 40 gallon with 4" of sand shouldn't be too hard to lift for two people, just support it on foam in the car so it doesn't jostle. I think the biggest PITA for my move was getting the sand out of the tank(I worried too much about killing all the cool worms I found).

does the sand have to be removed from the tank? couldn't i just drain most of the water leaving only a damp sandbed and then transport it all together (the tank and sand)?

i'm worried about having to disturb the bed.

 

[Anonymous]

does the sand have to be removed from the tank? couldn't i just drain most of the water leaving only a damp sandbed and then transport it all together (the tank and sand)?

i'm worried about having to disturb the bed.

You can move it with the sand bed intact. Just drain the tank to just above the sandbed. Then you can take a piece of acrylic, glass, or some plastic bags underneath a piece of plywood and place over the bed so it will not shift during the move. The most important thing about moving a DSB is keeping the layers intact, and that will help to do that.

 

[Anonymous]

if you can-get some water mixing and ready at your new digs before you undig.read the 'hitchiker's guide to the galaxy'(DON'T PANIC!) i helped break down and move a client's 120- no big deal, just alot of work. suggestion-do some extra (but tiny) water changes close to your move and in the days following, and don't take all your water with you if you can setup the new house w/water prepped.(20% new added after you resetup will help alot with possible stresses).rubbermaid is a great company! try some 40 gallon rectangular tubs/lids for your rock(rock w/out large corals on it but with stuff like polyps-star, palythozoas, and the like should transport just fine sitting in a coupla " 's of water with some plain papertowels over 'em to keep 'em from dryin out.luck.

 

[Anonymous]

great - thanks a bunch, you guys. this really eases my fears :wink:

 

[Anonymous]

one helpful reminder-don't forget to turn the rocks around under the water in the new tank to void trapped air bubbles that will be in them as a result of their removal and transport!large trapped air pockets are not the best thing for 'em

 

[danmhippo]

Coral, Visualize your old tank at the big spacious new home.........Don't you think a 100G fits in much better?

Now go convince your hubby, and let him know the old 46G is perfect to be a sump.

 

[Anonymous]

would love to get a new tank but my car is still broken, remember?

 

[SPC]

Posted by coral:
would love to get a new tank but my car is still broken, remember?

-Thats what you get for trying to rub elbows with the big shots in Palm Springs!
Steve

 

[Anonymous]

-Thats what you get for trying to rub elbows with the big shots in Palm Springs!

lol...hey, wait a sec... 8O