Help with moving a 55 Gal Tank

cmacinnes34 · May 3, 2022

So I will be moving from California to Colorado next month and am in need of some helpful tips on how to safely move the tank. Have misc soft corals, four anemones, a wrasse and clownfish. Aside from hiring a professional, is there any methods people have used to safely move a tank? Thanks in advance.

MnFish1 · May 3, 2022

Part of it depends on how long the trip will. take.

Livestock-wise. If you can arrange to have an LFS or someone ship your fish etc overnight (like a retailer would do) - I would do that.

Moving the tank and stand could very well cost almost as much as buying a new 55 gallon tank.

If it were me - I would put my livestock at an LFS (there is one here that ships nationally) - buy a new tank/stand. You can take your rock, etc - keeping it 'damp' - You may have a cycle - depending on what other filtration you're using. Set the tank up in the new location - then - once its cycled (perhaps add some 'bottled bacteria'), etc have your livestock overnighted to you...

Again - some of these things might not work - but it is how I would do it.

This is also assuming - that its going to be a 'long trip' to get from wherever you are in CA as compared to CO. Hope this helps - good luck with the move

G Santana · May 3, 2022

I agree with having a local Fish shop shipping you your live stock, I plan a cross country move in a few years and all I can think of is who can I trust to ship me my kids lol.
Hopefully within a few yrs I can foster the trust with a LFS to help.

Good luck with your move!!!!

N1tew0lf1212 · May 3, 2022

cmacinnes34 said:
So I will be moving from California to Colorado next month and am in need of some helpful tips on how to safely move the tank. Have misc soft corals, four anemones, a wrasse and clownfish. Aside from hiring a professional, is there any methods people have used to safely move a tank? Thanks in advance.

Where at in colorado? Thats where i am located...

cmacinnes34 · May 3, 2022

N1tew0lf1212 said:
Where at in colorado? Thats where i am located...

Moving to Colorado Springs

cmacinnes34 · May 3, 2022

MnFish1 said:
Part of it depends on how long the trip will. take.

Livestock-wise. If you can arrange to have an LFS or someone ship your fish etc overnight (like a retailer would do) - I would do that.

Moving the tank and stand could very well cost almost as much as buying a new 55 gallon tank.

If it were me - I would put my livestock at an LFS (there is one here that ships nationally) - buy a new tank/stand. You can take your rock, etc - keeping it 'damp' - You may have a cycle - depending on what other filtration you're using. Set the tank up in the new location - then - once its cycled (perhaps add some 'bottled bacteria'), etc have your livestock overnighted to you...

Again - some of these things might not work - but it is how I would do it.

This is also assuming - that its going to be a 'long trip' to get from wherever you are in CA as compared to CO. Hope this helps - good luck with the move

Appreciate your input. We're driving out there and the tank is the last thing to go. Original plan was to drain the tank, bucket the livestock, and keep the drained water then drive the 16 hours there, long for us, but lots can stress in the back of a car. I may still drive the fish and coral out, but will talk with one of our local places about shipping them. We are def leaning more towards getting another tank so perhaps now is the time.

KonradTO · May 3, 2022

I am gonna do something similar next year, with the exception that:
1) my tank is only a 32g
2) I don't know yet where I will move to (my contract ends and I will move to another uni)

My plan is to make good use of the company that will move all the other stuff (motorbike, forniture, clothes etc) for moving the glass and I will use some big plastic barrels for the live rocks, connected to battery-powered airlines+bubblers and 5v powered pumps for water movement. Fish will travel inside 1g plastic jugs with ariline and filter sponges rich in bact. or in bags similarly to what is done when you get fish shipped from a shop.
This in case I move within Europe. If I get a position I really like outside EU I will make a nice "present" to my parents lol

threebuoys · May 3, 2022

I have transported fish and water in a 30 gallon plastic trash cans successfully. Definitely some risk. On the other hand, fish shipped using UPS or FedEx get tossed about quite a bit too as they move from one location to trucks, then airplanes, then trucks, then.....you get the picture. Trashcans work well for live rock also.

If you can make the trip in 16 hours, that isn't much different than getting something shipped from a vendor L.A. to the Outer Banks of North Carolina, which I've done numerous times. If you are using a rental truck or trailer, you can carry fish, water, live rock, sand, aquarium, stand (everything) in one trip. Excessive heat might be a challenge that would require you to insulate the fish container.

MnFish1 · May 3, 2022

cmacinnes34 said:
Appreciate your input. We're driving out there and the tank is the last thing to go. Original plan was to drain the tank, bucket the livestock, and keep the drained water then drive the 16 hours there, long for us, but lots can stress in the back of a car. I may still drive the fish and coral out, but will talk with one of our local places about shipping them. We are def leaning more towards getting another tank so perhaps now is the time.

I was also going to mention - transferring a tank - also can lead to damage - unless not crated properly, etc etc. I would not keep the water (well maybe part of it) - unless you're going to keep it oxygenated. etc. Good luck though!!