Is it time to panic????

[James Hammett]

Our Eagle reef is a 75 gallon class room reef and 90 gallon fowlr in one room and a 32 bio cube and 33 long mangrove reef in a second room. My students and I have been building these reefs for going on 2 years now. The Panic button was lightly pressed yesterday when I was made aware of a looming crisis situation for all tanks. This up coming summer (Summer of '20) 8 months from now, all science classrooms are getting new lab stations, floors, and ceilings. I have to figure out what to do with 3 established reefs and an established fowlr system during construction. if they were just doing ceilings and counters i could maybe cover them but the floors are a deal killer they have to move. I need a plan of action to move them twice next summer out then back in without losing the established systems. ( dont want to restart) I am lost and have no idea where to put them or how to manage this with out destroying the reefs...... just typing this up has me in full panic HELP!!!!

 

[JustinSmi86]

That’s a tough one. Seems a lot of coordination will need to happen. Is there a local place that may be able to help you out?

 

[maroun.c]

3 moves is definitely pushing it. I'd setup a temp holding system and move all inhabitants there tell.when everything is done. If u can move the tanks to the temp holding area and keep them rrunningthatll keep them cycled till when u move them back after all is done or else ull have to restart and move everything back from temp holding after tanks have been moved back and fully cycled.

 

[aqua_code]

I agree with a temporary holding area. As long as you get a big container with an air-stone and water circulation, everything should do fine. Just need to make sure salinity stays in check.

I've had a setup like this in my bathroom for weeks while moving.

 

[Beardo]

No need to panic, there are ways to make it work.

Last summer I had to move from northern california to southern california which included moving my 270g reef. Problem was I didn't have a house in socal yet when i moved. I set up a couple stock tanks at a relatives house, made a couple temp light hangers and was good to go. Used the power heads from the tank for water flow. Moving the livestock was the hardest part due to distance but with yours being local you would have time to move slowly.
Due to time it took to get a house and with movers breaking my tank, livestock was in the stock tanks from mid August until December 31st with minimal losses.
Just need to keep up with top offs and water changes for nutrient control.

Here are a couple pics of what I did for ideas.

 

[LARedstickreefer]

No need to panic, there are ways to make it work.

Last summer I had to move from northern california to southern california which included moving my 270g reef. Problem was I didn't have a house in socal yet when i moved. I set up a couple stock tanks at a relatives house, made a couple temp light hangers and was good to go. Used the power heads from the tank for water flow. Moving the livestock was the hardest part due to distance but with yours being local you would have time to move slowly.
Due to time it took to get a house and with movers breaking my tank, livestock was in the stock tanks from mid August until December 31st with minimal losses.
Just need to keep up with top offs and water changes for nutrient control.

Here are a couple pics of what I did for ideas.

I kinda like the setup in that first picture as a permanent display. A “look down” tank.

 

[James Hammett]

I have this 400 gallon fish farm I used to raise catfish in each year. it has a filter table that basically runs on a siphon type system. Think i could fill it half way or so. maybe even as low as 100 gallons and move rock and coral and fish into it for a few months? i could maybe do like the other poster and put my lights on the tank and use my ATO to keep it at a level? combine all three reefs in here and redistribute when the room is finished?

 

[James Hammett]

am I going to lose all my established substrate? i have 8 months to figure this out but really want a plan in place? will my tank then be (Non established) will my nems react? and Big Question Can i use this to convince my building admin and more importantly my wife that i should upgrade to a 220 or at least a 180? #letsmakelemonade

 

[Beardo]

I have this 400 gallon fish farm I used to raise catfish in each year. it has a filter table that basically runs on a siphon type system. Think i could fill it half way or so. maybe even as low as 100 gallons and move rock and coral and fish into it for a few months? i could maybe do like the other poster and put my lights on the tank and use my ATO to keep it at a level? combine all three reefs in here and redistribute when the room is finished?

Sounds like that would work great.

 

[Beardo]

am I going to lose all my established substrate? i have 8 months to figure this out but really want a plan in place? will my tank then be (Non established) will my nems react? and Big Question Can i use this to convince my building admin and more importantly my wife that i should upgrade to a 220 or at least a 180? #letsmakelemonade

If you tranfer everything in water you shouldn't have any appreciable die off of beneficial bacteria. It may set the tank back a little because of the changes but will bounce back fast.
For the substate, I would just rinse in saltwater to remove detritus.
Perfect time to upgrade.

 

[maroun.c]

I have this 400 gallon fish farm I used to raise catfish in each year. it has a filter table that basically runs on a siphon type system. Think i could fill it half way or so. maybe even as low as 100 gallons and move rock and coral and fish into it for a few months? i could maybe do like the other poster and put my lights on the tank and use my ATO to keep it at a level? combine all three reefs in here and redistribute when the room is finished?

This should work great. Some filtering media placed in the running tanks and moved to the vat as well as ur live rock should handle things fine. Be ready for water changes and have bacteria on hand ....u can have ur skimmer on a stand to help with oxygenation and filtration

 

[James Hammett]

so my live rock and the marine pure blocks?

 

[motortrendz]

What do you do with everything during the summer?

 

[Jvesche20]

No need to panic, there are ways to make it work.

Last summer I had to move from northern california to southern california which included moving my 270g reef. Problem was I didn't have a house in socal yet when i moved. I set up a couple stock tanks at a relatives house, made a couple temp light hangers and was good to go. Used the power heads from the tank for water flow. Moving the livestock was the hardest part due to distance but with yours being local you would have time to move slowly.
Due to time it took to get a house and with movers breaking my tank, livestock was in the stock tanks from mid August until December 31st with minimal losses.
Just need to keep up with top offs and water changes for nutrient control.

Here are a couple pics of what I did for ideas.

What are these bins called? Planning on upgrading from 125 to 180 and these holding bins would work perfect. Seen them before but never knew what they are called

 

[BeejReef]

Are they all separate systems or is the filtration integrated?

Are your students old enough and responsible enough to "adopt a reef" for the summer... maybe for some serious extra credit? Maybe they could take the smaller ones and the fowlr. The main reef sounds tough. With all the maintenance and construction people that will be around, any chance of draining 80% of the water, muscling tank and stand onto a pallet jack, and stashing it in the art room for a few weeks?

 

[Beardo]

What are these bins called? Planning on upgrading from 125 to 180 and these holding bins would work perfect. Seen them before but never knew what they are called

Rubbermaid Structural Foam Stock Tanks

 

[Florida Sunshine]

 

[Kellie in CA]

I've had to move my tank 4 times in the past 3 years. Although it wasn't fun, it wasn't ever as bad as I thought it would be. There have been very minimal losses. I did the giant Rubbermaid tub method with a heater and powerhead. I always toss the sand and start with new, the rocks and Marine Pure balls have transferred enough bacteria.

 

[GlassMunky]

am I going to lose all my established substrate? i have 8 months to figure this out but really want a plan in place? will my tank then be (Non established) will my nems react? and Big Question Can i use this to convince my building admin and more importantly my wife that i should upgrade to a 220 or at least a 180? #letsmakelemonade

PERFECT TIME for an upgrade as you'll have to be moving the tanks/animals anyway!! As alot of people here have said, just get a large stock tank of some kind as shown already and set it up ahead of time and you should be able to hold any livestock in there for as long as needed while the construction is finished up.

 

[James Hammett]

I coach football so am in the building 4 days a week all summer. I manage the tanks as needed.