Hey guys i will be moving from upstate ny to north Carolina in the next few weeks. I have a fairly new tank its a red sea reefer 350 that is sps only and a few fish. Corals are all frags pretty much. I just wanted to write out my plan and maybe get some ideas. I was hoping to use a large van to be able to keep the temperature cooler on the drive however uhaul, penske ect will not let me rent a van for this drive. The next option is a 10' box truck. Space isnt really my issue because i dont have much other stuff to move. My plan is to fill 2 brute trashcans with my rock and cover the rock with tank water. Probably only keeping about 50%. Bagging the fish and frags in fish bags. Then putting them in a cooler which will go in the cabin. Equipment will go in sumps and my buckets that i have here. I do not have sand. Will the rock trashcans be fine in the back hot? I thought the bacteria is much more hardy than my fish/coral. It is a 14ish hour drive with stops probably 15 or 16. I will have a little help setting it up as soon as I arrive. Any help is appreciated as i am pretty stressed out about this and would like to save as many of my corals as possible.
Moving tank 700 miles.
- Thread starter troywawrz
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CrayHawk
Active Member
I moved last year. I sold about 90% of my livestock prior to the move to mitigate the risk. I would do it again too - I’ve heard too many stories about folks losing quite a bit during moves. That is an option too.
I might make a post about it in local. Im in Watertown, ny. Its pretty isolated so my concern is most people around here dont keep sps. None of the lfs even stock coral. I just got pretty much all of it too which is the hardest part.
vetteguy53081
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Start some ice packs and wrap them in newspaper for the drive ti keep livestock cool.
Also grab a couple battery operated air pumps with airstone on eBay For added oxygen during drive
Also grab a couple battery operated air pumps with airstone on eBay For added oxygen during drive
So keep the rock and water airated? That was another question I had. I thought just the bacteria would be fine without it for some reason. Thanks for the input ill order a couple of those tomorrow. I even thought about just getting the battery backup for my mp40 because its on the shopping list anyway
vetteguy53081
Well known Member and monster tank lover
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Rock Pool Reef Keepers
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My Tank Thread
My Aquarium Showcase
17 hours not bad but extra assurance/insurance
DSEKULA
Well-Known Member
Looking at your build thread i might consider selling the coral if the stock list is current, it doesn't look like your very stocked for the hassle and sps is generally the worst for transportation. I'd sell coral, place a sponge sheet in the tank few weeks ahead of time. put the fish in a disposable cooler with an air stone and heater powered on the car outlet with the sponge in the cooler (that way the good tank bacteria travels with them along with the rocks) and toss the rocks in a brute with a battery air pump.(poke hole in cooler for gas exchange if you put a lid on make sure they can breath). When you get to the new place take the cooler in plug it in and res assured they will be fine untill you get the new tank set up. Then you can set up the tank rocks etc at your leisure.
DSEKULA
Well-Known Member
Another thought is that if you have a local friend with a reef you could have them hold the coral for you untill the new tank was sps ready and then ship. Ive done that kind of stuff I have a 60gal frag tank connected to my dt but I'm about three hours away from you. The issue I see is that the way shipping is right now it would likely be cheaper to buy the coral again later.
mitch91175
2500 Club Member
Package and ship the coral to your new address overnight
Yeah the livestock list is current for the fish. However i bought a battlebox from battlecorals and a few montis from wwc. Not a huge stocking still but a good little investment. I got the airstones and fish bags. I have a styrophoam container from wwc but ill be buying another one for extra room. With the move being such short notice I think ill just have to hope for the best.
mitch91175
2500 Club Member
You can also take the coral to your LFS and ask them to bag them for you for the trip. You should be fine with that amount of coral though.
