Moving a "nano reef" across America

cracker · Mar 20, 2019

Do you have time to acquire the tank You want? that would be cool !

Brad Miller · Mar 20, 2019

Welcome !
Good luck with the move...i decided to never move again just so I don’t have to do what you’re doing now

ngoodermuth · Mar 20, 2019

Welcome to R2R! Someone mentioned 4-days... eek. That would make me nervous without aeration and some sort of ammonia control... I think if it was me, personally, I would just sell my livestock and start fresh at the new place OR if you know someone that could hold them for you until you get settled in and then overnight them?

I wouldn't want to be in your shoes, but wish you the best of luck and hope you start a build thread to keep us updated on your move and the "new" setup. Your tank is lovely!

Ruben's Reef · Mar 20, 2019

!!! Welcome to R2R !!! I wish you the best for your trip.

Johniejumbo · Mar 20, 2019

I’ve moved a small tank several times. A good sized cooler for the livestock and another for the rocks works well and can serve as temporary housing for a few days. Use an air stone in both coolers the whole time. Keep Prime and an ammonia test kit handy. The coolers will prevent drastic temp change. I used cheap igloos and drilled a hole for the airline.

cracker · Mar 20, 2019

Best wished for You on the long move . As stated above ,trying to take live stock with ,adds a big complication.
I envy You in a way if I was younger . A road trip cross country ,with Your furred 4 pawed friend sounds fun !

Sod Buster · Mar 20, 2019

Thank you for your service and welcome here on R2R. I'm 2 hours away from Ft. Drum, 15 miles west of Oswego. If you need to adjust something before you hop on the Thruway, shoot me a pm if you need anything. I went to college in Wyoming, that is a ride. Good luck and good you are thinking over your plan with a month for adjustment.

ccombs · Mar 20, 2019

First off-thank you for your service.

Secondly, I bet an F-35 could get them there quick for ya!

sfin52 · Mar 20, 2019

Welcome to r2r. Thank you for the service form a Chair Force. My brother was stationed there a while back.

I agree let the moving company move it. But they are bad. Broke my brothers very nice table and dresser.

KrisReef · Mar 20, 2019

Welcome to Reef2Reef.
What part of Cali are you moving to? There might be folks or a LFS on here that are close to your destination who could hold your coral and fish until you get your tank set up. Put it all in the mail before you leave and drive across America with your dog, stop and smell the roses, or check out LFS on the way and your stuff will be here when you arrive, 4 or 5 or 10 days later. You never know whom you might meet on the drive!

I've done the rush stuff, and imo it's not worth the battle.

Jami · Mar 21, 2019

Good luck and thank you for your service!
I moved about 5 miles, 2 years ago, and this was my biggest source of stress! I broke things down into large-ish Rubbermaid containers, and even utilized a few ice chests for thermal control. Bought some cheap battery opp pumps with air stones, some of which I already had in case of power outages, and utilized them for flow and movement, until I got things “put back together.” The rest of my family thought I was being a little obsessive and crazy, but that’s just who we are, right?!
I felt victorious, when nothing died, and it was all back together! Although, I have to admit, it took me several more days than I initially planned, because really when you move, you just reach that place where you’re in survival mode! And, the fish and corals survived!
BEST WISHES ON YOUR MOVE!

cracker · Mar 21, 2019

Good idea !

Hitman · Mar 21, 2019

Welcome to R2R!!!

SPR1968 · Mar 21, 2019

Garin fisher said:
This is the tank I’m unfortunately going to have to tear down

Looks great and welcome to R2R!

RStanley · Mar 21, 2019

We are moving 1800 miles with our 2 tanks. Crating my tanks myself for the movers to move and having my livestock held by an awesome local vendor to ship to me when I get set up on the other end. All live rock will be in an igloo cooler wrapped in microbacter soaked paper and bagged. Hoping to keep loss at a minimum.

RStanley · Mar 21, 2019

We are moving 1800 miles with our 2 tanks. Crating my tanks myself for the movers to move and having my livestock held by an awesome local vendor to ship to me when I get set up on the other end. All live rock will be in an igloo cooler wrapped in microbacter soaked paper and bagged. Hoping to keep loss at a minimum.

Garin fisher · Mar 21, 2019

I’m actually thinking instead of the 5 gallon jugs a plastic tote? The fish may be more comfortable in that and I’d be able to move a lot more live stock I think. I have many tanks, one I’m defiantly getting rid of (fish only tank) only has a chromis and a juvi yellow and blue hippo tang

I’d really only take the gyre, possibly the LED box and the anemone, next I have my really young purple tang that hasn’t met either of my other tangs, the four clowns, a good amount of euphyllia and zoas a little acans and another black widow and a rainbow nem.

Lastly I have a small 7 gallon aio that I can probably take with a pair of clowns I’m trying to breed and the mother black widow

Seamore2001 · Mar 21, 2019

Welcome to R2R!

I did the sort of thing you're describing about 15 years ago, moving from New England to the South (2 day trip). I sold / gave away nearly all of my corals, fish, rock and associated livestock from my 150g and only kept a 12g. The fish and corals I brought with me for the 12g went in a couple of 5g buckets 2/3rds full. I used plug-in aerators of the sort you get from a bait shop that run on two D-cell batteries - those aerators run for a surprisingly long time. Like you, I moved mid-summer, so didn't need a heater - I was more concerned about overheating my fish and coral. Moving two kids, a dog, cats and a household of goods, I was dog tired by the time I arrived and didn't set the tank up till the next morning - nevertheless everything survived.

I would recommend you go with your plan for the 5g buckets. Don't feed your fish during the move - you want to make sure no waste builds up in the water and poisons your livestock during the trip. I'd keep the corals and the fish in separate buckets - if a coral goes south during the trip, you don't want it poisoning the fish.

Even if you use the A/C socket in your car, I'd recommend buying some of those cheap bait-bucket aerators as a back-up in case there's a problem. Drill a hole in the lid of the buckets to pass the air hose through - this will keep water from splashing, fish from jumping and help to hold heat in. Plus, the darkness will keep your fish calm.

I second (or third) the previous suggestions about just getting a 20g temporary tank - let the moving company handle the larger one and just use the 20g like you would a quarantine tank while you set up your main display. The only other recommendation I might suggest is, if you have the room in your vehicle, to bring an extra 5g bucket of saltwater in case disaster strikes during the drive, so that you can do an emergency top-off / water change.

Good luck with your trip!

Salty Lemon · Mar 21, 2019

Good luck with your move. Welcome to R2R! You will love it here.

Garin fisher · Mar 21, 2019

Seamore2001 said:
Welcome to R2R!

I did the sort of thing you're describing about 15 years ago, moving from New England to the South (2 day trip). I sold / gave away nearly all of my corals, fish, rock and associated livestock from my 150g and only kept a 12g. The fish and corals I brought with me for the 12g went in a couple of 5g buckets 2/3rds full. I used plug-in aerators of the sort you get from a bait shop that run on two D-cell batteries - those aerators run for a surprisingly long time. Like you, I moved mid-summer, so didn't need a heater - I was more concerned about overheating my fish and coral. Moving two kids, a dog, cats and a household of goods, I was dog tired by the time I arrived and didn't set the tank up till the next morning - nevertheless everything survived.

I would recommend you go with your plan for the 5g buckets. Don't feed your fish during the move - you want to make sure no waste builds up in the water and poisons your livestock during the trip. I'd keep the corals and the fish in separate buckets - if a coral goes south during the trip, you don't want it poisoning the fish.

Even if you use the A/C socket in your car, I'd recommend buying some of those cheap bait-bucket aerators as a back-up in case there's a problem. Drill a hole in the lid of the buckets to pass the air hose through - this will keep water from splashing, fish from jumping and help to hold heat in. Plus, the darkness will keep your fish calm.

I second (or third) the previous suggestions about just getting a 20g temporary tank - let the moving company handle the larger one and just use the 20g like you would a quarantine tank while you set up your main display. The only other recommendation I might suggest is, if you have the room in your vehicle, to bring an extra 5g bucket of saltwater in case disaster strikes during the drive, so that you can do an emergency top-off / water change.

Good luck with your trip!