Moving 180 gallon setup across country. HELP!

iReefer12 · Jun 8, 2016

I'm moving across country from Indianapolis to Colorado, about 18 hours, but by the time you factor in fuel stops and rest it could be closer to 24 hours in the bag.

My tank is 180 Gallons. Have about 25 fish in there. It's been setup for about 4 years.

Going to try and find someone in Indy to hold my corals for me for a short time until I can get my tank all fully setup again, and then plan a trip to pick them up once the tank is settled and ready for corals again.

Questions-

1) Planning on packing the fish into shipping bags and then into insulated boxes. - To fill the bags with o2, can I use this o2 in a can product? Is it safe for the fish? http://www.mypilotstore.com/MyPilotStore/sep/8543?gclid=CKn6x9apmM0CFQQbaQodJNMIJg

When I close on the house, I plan on setting up a 300gallon Rubbermaid holding tank in the garage, buying some temporary live rock, so the fish can go into the holding tank and it gives me time to set up the display without rushing everything.

2) ANY RECOMMENDATIONS for live rock that has minimal cycle time? I may have a week between setting up this holding tank and arriving with the fish to add.

How does my plan sound, and does anyone have any other recommendations?

Thanks for any advice.

jsker · Jun 8, 2016

It there the option of shipping the live stock to a LFS and have them hold it while you setup? If not buy one of these http://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/pr...oam-stock-tanks-100-gal-capacity?cm_vc=-10005 and throw everything in there
Can the LFS in Indy pack the fish?
I used to throw everything in a coolers and drop it on a moving truck for what ever time the moving company would take and I would fly with the live stock.

redfishbluefish · Jun 8, 2016

That's a rough move! The move alone is stressful enough, and now throw in fish! Here's my suggestion......Do you have a friend in the Indianapolis area where you could set up a stock tank (150 - 200 gallons) and put all your fish and maybe half the rock in that tank (with heat, powerheads and lights) for maybe a month. That would give you the time to focus on the move...and now leisurely taking the tank and equipment to Colorado and setting everything up. When ready, go get the fish from that friend.

mcarroll · Jun 8, 2016

I really think selling and starting fresh would be better options - for you and the livestock!

Big moves are so prone to disaster that it's not funny. There's planning and there's Murphy's Law....and you're up against about 24 hours of driving stress PLUS unloading stress at the end (how many hours?) PLUS now you have a reef to set up stress.

NO WAY sez me.

I know you spent oodles of time and money getting this baby rolling, but it's much better to leave it happy and living, in Indianapolis.

Get what $ you can out of selling it, but mostly make sure it's in good hands before you go!!!

iReefer12 · Jun 8, 2016

Well I will look to see if someone here can hold my corals until everything is settled in the new place. Fish is harder to do that with, I don't trust anyone other than myself with my fish, it's also a larger burden to put on someone.

That's why I plan to set up the stock tank in Colorado try to have it filled, heated, and some live rock in already so when I arrive after the journey, can put my protein skimmer in there, add whatever live rock I brought with me, then all I have to do is float the bags and release.

The Rubbermaid 300 gallon is the one I was going to go with

iReefer12 · Jun 8, 2016

Then can make a second trip for additional furniture and the tank and equipment.

p7willm · Jun 8, 2016

My heart goes out to you. Good luck.

mcarroll · Jun 8, 2016

I definitely wish you good luck....

I'd still consider selling out in Indy and buying back in once you're settled in CO.

Save yourself....

buying the stock tanks
worrying about your fish AND your coral while you travel
the whole second trip
all the extra stress on top of moving

Your CO tank will be even better, I swear!

oceanlife83 · Jun 11, 2016

You could always buy the battery operated aerator to help hold fish through the ride.

bblumberg · Jun 11, 2016

iReefer12 said:
I'm moving across country from Indianapolis to Colorado, about 18 hours, but by the time you factor in fuel stops and rest it could be closer to 24 hours in the bag.

My tank is 180 Gallons. Have about 25 fish in there. It's been setup for about 4 years.

Going to try and find someone in Indy to hold my corals for me for a short time until I can get my tank all fully setup again, and then plan a trip to pick them up once the tank is settled and ready for corals again.

Questions-

1) Planning on packing the fish into shipping bags and then into insulated boxes. - To fill the bags with o2, can I use this o2 in a can product? Is it safe for the fish? http://www.mypilotstore.com/MyPilotStore/sep/8543?gclid=CKn6x9apmM0CFQQbaQodJNMIJg

When I close on the house, I plan on setting up a 300gallon Rubbermaid holding tank in the garage, buying some temporary live rock, so the fish can go into the holding tank and it gives me time to set up the display without rushing everything.

2) ANY RECOMMENDATIONS for live rock that has minimal cycle time? I may have a week between setting up this holding tank and arriving with the fish to add.

How does my plan sound, and does anyone have any other recommendations?

Thanks for any advice.

OK, let's start with a couple of assumptions. First, you are going to drive the moving truck, or if not THE moving truck, a truck of some sort. Second, that you don't want to take the financial losses associated with disposing of your tank, rock and livestock and then reacquiring this in the future. Third, that you would like this to be as easy as possible, i.e., not too much taking down and setting up temporary tanks, etc.

Here is one possibility:
Get yourself some (5-6) 55 G barrels that can be used for water storage. These should not cost all that much - say 30-40 each.
Drain your tank into these, filling up each one about half to 2/3 of the way.
Put fish into one or more, live rock into another, etc. (of course, I am assuming that you can borrow or rent appropriate dolly to move barrels with water (about 250-300 lbs or so).
Get a small inverter that plugs into the cigarette lighter, or power the inverter from a 12V deep discharge battery (or tap into the electrical system of the truck) to power air pumps that will keep fish happy and live rock alive.
Empty and break down your tank and equipment, load up everything and move.
At your destination, you can either go with your holding tank plan and set up display slowly as you noted above OR
You can put the existing live rock into the re-established tank with some existing water and some newly made water and scape it at your leisure OR
You can be quick about the setup and get it done in few days while the fish stay in the barrels with aerators or in your Rubbermaid.

I have been thinking about this a lot because I am contemplating a move about 12 hours away and have 5 established tanks to deal with (24, 75, 150G reef, 90, 120G FW). There is no way that I am going to sell or give away all of the livestock and live rock - it would take thousands to re-establish what I have going this route. I have moved fish up and down CA with no losses (other than cracking a tank) and don't think that the problems are insurmountable. Moving existing water together with the livestock will go a long way toward keeping the livestock happy while using larger volumes and aerating, rather than going the bag and box route will minimize stress. Of course, I am assuming that you will make this move at a time of year when the temperatures inside the truck will not be too hot or cold....

Good luck!

iReefer12 · Jun 15, 2016

@bblumberg

That's a good suggestion!

My major concern is ammonia build up.

Do you think ammonia would build up a lot in those barrels in the 20 hour journey?

Should I place live rock in the bottom of each barrel?

bblumberg · Jun 15, 2016

Ammonia buildup would depend largely on fish load since fish excrete nitrogenous waste (from amino acid breakdown) about 80-90% as ammonia into the water via their gills (so more fish = more ammonia to deal with). If you were to divide the live rock up among the barrels holding the fish, that should keep any buildup to a minimum as long as there is decent water mixing in the barrels.

Although this is a big job, I think that it can be done with little to no loss of corals or fish, particularly if you have the Rubbermaid running in Colorado by the time you arrive. In that scenario, you can simply do standard acclimation of fish while mixing the new water into the existing water ( I would definitely measure ammonia levels upon arrival). Of course, as mcarroll says, Murphy is always lurking, but it would take a colossal failure to kill your fish and corals and I think the probability of this is low if you are careful, methodical and plan it out.

Good luck!

bobman · Jun 15, 2016

If it were me I would just get a few rubbermaid garbage cans (you will need them at your new place anyway most likely) add some live rock to each and dont stack them in a can with fish. Add a battery powered air bubbler. Then carry a bottle of microbacter 7 and add a little to each can. That sould hold them for an easy 24-48 hours. Only other issue is heat in the back of a moving truck so I would carry a cooler with frozen water bottles just in case.

bblumberg · Jun 15, 2016

Rubbermaid Brute container will work well, but cost more than double what you can get the 55 G barrels for. If OP happens to be near one of the many sources of the barrels for pick up, the cost could be as low as 10-15 each (check Ebay), compared with ~$100 for 55G Brute plus lid....