House Flooded. Need ideas to move livestock.

[Gator2019]

I live in a condo on the bottom story. The people above me broke a pipe in the wall and flooded my house and ruined my flooring. This was a few weeks ago and I have people coming out to lay tile on Monday. I’m trying to figure out what is the best way to store everything. Because it’s tile and they say it will take 2 days to lay it and I need a day or so to let it dry, it will likely be 4-5 days outside of the tank.
It’s a 120gallon tank with:
Tomini Tang
3 clown fish
Cardinal
Fox face
Wrasse
A few damsels
Dragonet
And then 15-20 corals probably ranging from frag plugs to 6-8” toadstools.

I plan on using plastic totes to store all the water, rock, livestock, ect. Would I be best to put a few fish, Coral and rocks in each bin so that there will less fighting in a smaller spot and places to hide, or should I do a bin of just rocks, one of just fish and one of just corals and so on. Also, do I need to get the sand out of the tank to keep it heated for the bacteria and pods? Should I dip the macroalgae into the dragonet bin every few hours to give him more pods? That’s just a few of the problems I have thought about and would love help on.

Side note, I live in Florida, so would it be okay to put the tank outside while all this is happening?

 

[Katrina71]

I personally had a bad experience with using a tote. I would only use glass.

 

[Wonderboy]

I would use 30 or 55G brute trash cans with lids to prevent jumping, with large screened hole for dim lighting to keep stress low. Enough cans to save most of the water with >25% WC when putting it back up. I agree to leaving the sand in the tank, disturb it as little as possible; I think the bacteria will be fine in shade outside in FL. I agree to putting some rocks combined with segregated specimens and corals, for reduced stress again. Leave the macro in with the dragonet. Oh yeah, airstones at least in each container. I don't think anything will be bothered without light for this time period.

 

[BestMomEver]

Go fetch a 40 gallon tank from petco or PetSmart or somewhere. I think petco sells tanks for $1.00/gallon. Get a cheap HOB filter and some pvc pipe so fish can hide. For 5 days they should be fine. You might want to do a small water change half way through. The only other option I can think of is to find a friend or LFS that can house them for you for a few days.

As for sand and rock, put in a heater and a power head to keep water moving. The frags need to go in their own bucket with a power head and heater. Maybe a clip on light.

You can also buy big Tupperware containers from Walmart for your fish and corals. They’re about $10 each. Just make sure you keep the water moving and warm. The only advantages to buying an aquarium is you will have it for quarantine or whatever.

Good luck!

 

[Flippers4pups]

I personally had a bad experience with using a tote. I would only use glass.

I've used totes in a emergency before years ago when our apartment building caught on fire and had to move everything quickly.

Rock and fish in one big tote and another for corals. Had to keep everything in them for three days.

Heaters and power heads in both and lights over the coral tote. Worked.

 

[Katrina71]

Mine has serious fumes and I lost some fish. I only trust glass now. Just me.

 

[laverda]

Go fetch a 40 gallon tank from petco or PetSmart or somewhere. I think petco sells tanks for $1.00/gallon. Get a cheap HOB filter and some pvc pipe so fish can hide. For 5 days they should be fine. You might want to do a small water change half way through. The only other option I can think of is to find a friend or LFS that can house them for you for a few days.

As for sand and rock, put in a heater and a power head to keep water moving. The frags need to go in their own bucket with a power head and heater. Maybe a clip on light.

You can also buy big Tupperware containers from Walmart for your fish and corals. They’re about $10 each. Just make sure you keep the water moving and warm. The only advantages to buying an aquarium is you will have it for quarantine or whatever.

Good luck!

I would not do it this way as you will have no biological filtration and ammonia will quickly spike!

 

[Flippers4pups]

Mine has serious fumes and I lost some fish. I only trust glass now. Just me.

I bought some from Lowe's some years ago that had serious fumes too. Stunk bad, but they were very cheap.

The ones I used years ago were Rubbermaid ones and didn't stink.

So your right, be careful in using totes.

 

[laverda]

I live in a condo on the bottom story. The people above me broke a pipe in the wall and flooded my house and ruined my flooring. This was a few weeks ago and I have people coming out to lay tile on Monday. I’m trying to figure out what is the best way to store everything. Because it’s tile and they say it will take 2 days to lay it and I need a day or so to let it dry, it will likely be 4-5 days outside of the tank.
It’s a 120gallon tank with:
Tomini Tang
3 clown fish
Cardinal
Fox face
Wrasse
A few damsels
Dragonet
And then 15-20 corals probably ranging from frag plugs to 6-8” toadstools.

I plan on using plastic totes to store all the water, rock, livestock, ect. Would I be best to put a few fish, Coral and rocks in each bin so that there will less fighting in a smaller spot and places to hide, or should I do a bin of just rocks, one of just fish and one of just corals and so on. Also, do I need to get the sand out of the tank to keep it heated for the bacteria and pods? Should I dip the macroalgae into the dragonet bin every few hours to give him more pods? That’s just a few of the problems I have thought about and would love help on.

Side note, I live in Florida, so would it be okay to put the tank outside while all this is happening?

Your plan to divide rock, corals and fish evenly to tubs is the best bet. Add circulation and heat to each tub.

 

[Wonderboy]

From my understanding and practices, Rubbermaid plastics are food/reef safe.

 

[Flippers4pups]

From my understanding and practices, Rubbermaid plastics are food/reef safe.

High-density polypropylene is best. Rubbermaid ones are made of this, as well as the brute cans.

The cheap Chinese ones I wouldn't trust.

 

[davocean]

I keep brute trash cans as they do not leach anything harmful, and I use them for WC's as well as holding bins or to transfer.

Those and furniture dollys from Home depot/lowes for about $15-20 make it easy to pump water into brutes, pump back into tank.

Outside could be if temps are stable and close to tank temps, brutes on carts are easy to move around as needed.

Good luck

 

[Gator2019]

I bought some from Lowe's some years ago that had serious fumes too. Stunk bad, but they were very cheap.

The ones I used years ago were Rubbermaid ones and didn't stink.

So your right, be careful in using totes.

Thank you everyone for the information and I plan to follow it to a T. The only thing I can’t really do is the glass tanks. I have extra 40s and a 120gallon laying around, but all of my house flooring has to be done, so no where inside can have anything on it. That means I would have to put glass tanks outside for a week. Doing the Rubbermaid totes I can move them around the house where they already finish, keeping the water at a more stable temperature. Or at least that is what I thought would keep it more stable.

 

[Gator2019]

Thank you everyone for the information and I plan to follow it to a T. The only thing I can’t really do is the glass tanks. I have extra 40s and a 120gallon laying around, but all of my house flooring has to be done, so no where inside can have anything on it. That means I would have to put glass tanks outside for a week. Doing the Rubbermaid totes I can move them around the house where they already finish, keeping the water at a more stable temperature. Or at least that is what I thought would keep it more stable.

One last thing I want to add is while my place flooded, they also noticed the balcony’s are damaged and said I am not allowed to go out on my back porch or store things outside.

 

[tripdad]

If you have a quality LFS in your area don't be afraid to ask them for help. If they do maintenance they are used to temp storing things.

 

[BestMomEver]

I would not do it this way as you will have no biological filtration and ammonia will quickly spike!

Yea.... that’s why I suggested water changes. And you can put a filter pad from the HOB filter into your sump for 24 hours or so to jump start the good stuff.

 

[Captain Quint]

Your plan to divide rock, corals and fish evenly to tubs is the best bet. Add circulation and heat to each tub.

I agree that it is good to distribute into different containers.

Airstone(s) in the container(s) the fishes would be in would certainly not be a bad idea as well. Bads things happen with several fishes in a smaller area without a bit of help.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Rubbermaid tub, with a heater, light and small power head added