Moving to FL

[Luis's Nano]

I'm sure this have been discussed on here quite a few times. I've looked and it seems that everyone's situation is slightly different. So here it is. I currently live in PA and I am moving to FL. I really want to take my tank and everything inside with me. Not sure the right way to do it. Was thinking maybe a nice sized cooler with tank water and a few extra rocks to help stabilize the rocks I have now with coral grown on it. Was also thinking run a temp line in there with digital read to make sure temp is OK. Maybe a battery powered air pump with stone. It's only a 32 gallon biocube so that I'm sure makes things alot easier. I have no idea what to do with the sand. Do I put some in with the corals or separate container with the fish and airstone. Or do i just buy new sand and place it in the tank when I arrive to FL. I plan on taking at least 30 gallons of the current tank water so no major swings in parameters. Please if I am missing something let me know. I'd hate to lose everything. Thanks!

 

[Eagle_Steve]

I'm sure this have been discussed on here quite a few times. I've looked and it seems that everyone's situation is slightly different. So here it is. I currently live in PA and I am moving to FL. I really want to take my tank and everything inside with me. Not sure the right way to do it. Was thinking maybe a nice sized cooler with tank water and a few extra rocks to help stabilize the rocks I have now with coral grown on it. Was also thinking run a temp line in there with digital read to make sure temp is OK. Maybe a battery powered air pump with stone. It's only a 32 gallon biocube so that I'm sure makes things alot easier. I have no idea what to do with the sand. Do I put some in with the corals or separate container with the fish and airstone. Or do i just buy new sand and place it in the tank when I arrive to FL. I plan on taking at least 30 gallons of the current tank water so no major swings in parameters. Please if I am missing something let me know. I'd hate to lose everything. Thanks!

I collect and move a ton of stuff from S. Florida to TN at least 6 times a year. Not as far as to PA, but below is how I transport large quantities of things. This is not exactly as I do, as I use multiple coolers, but if I had to move my sons 32 biocube today, this is how I would do it.

List of things you need.

Largest cooler you can afford and fit, even if it is way more water volume than your tank. You want air space above the water. This cooler will be somewhat useless after use, as it requires holes to be drilled in the top.

Small heater to maintain temp.

Small aquarium filter/powerhead. Either is fine. I use one of the little all in one units from Petsmart that has a spray bar on it. You only need to circulate water so that it can be heated evenly.

Small air pump and air stone.

Power inverter that is bigger than the wattage of all above items. I think the largest for a cig lighter outlet is 800w or so, this may or may not be enough. If not, you may need to run some amp wire from battery to inside the vehicle for a larger inverter.

Egg crate light diffuser

Large sheet of black (course) koi pond filter material.

Bag of zip ties.



To start, you will need to drill the lid of the cooler, so that all power plugs can come out of the cooler. One hole should be fine. The air line can even go through the same hole, as the power.

You will then need to figure out at what height your water level in the cooler will be. Preferably half the height, works best.

Take the egg crate and build a frame to fit inside the cooler. The frame will need to come to just below where your max water level will be. It will also need to have sections for the pump and the heater. I always make sections to house corals of different types in each one. This protects them from each other. Same can be applied to rocks. Just build a section for the rocks to keep them separate.

Once that is done, cut the pond filter to fit snuggly into the cooler to where it will sit on top of the entire cage you just made. You want it to lay flat and cover the entire cooler. This keeps sloshing to a minimum during the trip.

After that is done, place all equipment into cooler (minus filter cut to fit), place cooler in vehicle, then begin to fill with water.

Once water is just above the cage you built, turn on all equipment. Check to make sure everything is working fine.

If all is good, place all corals into their respective sections.

Once all is placed, put the pond filter into the cooler, so it sits on top of the cage you made.

Drive to where you are going.

This method has worked very well for me and is the same method I plan to use to move 600 gallons worth of rocks and coral to FL when I move back down there in a couple of years.


Hopefully this makes sense. If not let me know and I can link some of the items and sketch out something for ya.

After water

 

[jphilip813]

I collect and move a ton of stuff from S. Florida to TN at least 6 times a year. Not as far as to PA, but below is how I transport large quantities of things. This is not exactly as I do, as I use multiple coolers, but if I had to move my sons 32 biocube today, this is how I would do it.

List of things you need.

Largest cooler you can afford and fit, even if it is way more water volume than your tank. You want air space above the water. This cooler will be somewhat useless after use, as it requires holes to be drilled in the top.

Small heater to maintain temp.

Small aquarium filter/powerhead. Either is fine. I use one of the little all in one units from Petsmart that has a spray bar on it. You only need to circulate water so that it can be heated evenly.

Small air pump and air stone.

Power inverter that is bigger than the wattage of all above items. I think the largest for a cig lighter outlet is 800w or so, this may or may not be enough. If not, you may need to run some amp wire from battery to inside the vehicle for a larger inverter.

Egg crate light diffuser

Large sheet of black (course) koi pond filter material.

Bag of zip ties.



To start, you will need to drill the lid of the cooler, so that all power plugs can come out of the cooler. One hole should be fine. The air line can even go through the same hole, as the power.

You will then need to figure out at what height your water level in the cooler will be. Preferably half the height, works best.

Take the egg crate and build a frame to fit inside the cooler. The frame will need to come to just below where your max water level will be. It will also need to have sections for the pump and the heater. I always make sections to house corals of different types in each one. This protects them from each other. Same can be applied to rocks. Just build a section for the rocks to keep them separate.

Once that is done, cut the pond filter to fit snuggly into the cooler to where it will sit on top of the entire cage you just made. You want it to lay flat and cover the entire cooler. This keeps sloshing to a minimum during the trip.

After that is done, place all equipment into cooler (minus filter cut to fit), place cooler in vehicle, then begin to fill with water.

Once water is just above the cage you built, turn on all equipment. Check to make sure everything is working fine.

If all is good, place all corals into their respective sections.

Once all is placed, put the pond filter into the cooler, so it sits on top of the cage you made.

Drive to where you are going.

This method has worked very well for me and is the same method I plan to use to move 600 gallons worth of rocks and coral to FL when I move back down there in a couple of years.


Hopefully this makes sense. If not let me know and I can link some of the items and sketch out something for ya.

After water

This is awesome...by chance, do you have a video of something like this? I moved from MD to TX in July (dead of Summer) stopped in hotel rooms all three days (interesting and fun to watch people faces as I rolled the aquarium into my room) and that was a crazy drive with fish and corals in the trunk, some corals didn't make it...Now I have to plan my move from Texas to wherever the Army is sending me next in July next year.

 

[Luis's Nano]

I collect and move a ton of stuff from S. Florida to TN at least 6 times a year. Not as far as to PA, but below is how I transport large quantities of things. This is not exactly as I do, as I use multiple coolers, but if I had to move my sons 32 biocube today, this is how I would do it.

List of things you need.

Largest cooler you can afford and fit, even if it is way more water volume than your tank. You want air space above the water. This cooler will be somewhat useless after use, as it requires holes to be drilled in the top.

Small heater to maintain temp.

Small aquarium filter/powerhead. Either is fine. I use one of the little all in one units from Petsmart that has a spray bar on it. You only need to circulate water so that it can be heated evenly.

Small air pump and air stone.

Power inverter that is bigger than the wattage of all above items. I think the largest for a cig lighter outlet is 800w or so, this may or may not be enough. If not, you may need to run some amp wire from battery to inside the vehicle for a larger inverter.

Egg crate light diffuser

Large sheet of black (course) koi pond filter material.

Bag of zip ties.



To start, you will need to drill the lid of the cooler, so that all power plugs can come out of the cooler. One hole should be fine. The air line can even go through the same hole, as the power.

You will then need to figure out at what height your water level in the cooler will be. Preferably half the height, works best.

Take the egg crate and build a frame to fit inside the cooler. The frame will need to come to just below where your max water level will be. It will also need to have sections for the pump and the heater. I always make sections to house corals of different types in each one. This protects them from each other. Same can be applied to rocks. Just build a section for the rocks to keep them separate.

Once that is done, cut the pond filter to fit snuggly into the cooler to where it will sit on top of the entire cage you just made. You want it to lay flat and cover the entire cooler. This keeps sloshing to a minimum during the trip.

After that is done, place all equipment into cooler (minus filter cut to fit), place cooler in vehicle, then begin to fill with water.

Once water is just above the cage you built, turn on all equipment. Check to make sure everything is working fine.

If all is good, place all corals into their respective sections.

Once all is placed, put the pond filter into the cooler, so it sits on top of the cage you made.

Drive to where you are going.

This method has worked very well for me and is the same method I plan to use to move 600 gallons worth of rocks and coral to FL when I move back down there in a couple of years.


Hopefully this makes sense. If not let me know and I can link some of the items and sketch out something for ya.

After water

I appreciate that!! Looks like I have a project ahead of me. Any chance you have any pics? Thank you for the detailed advice.

 

[Eagle_Steve]

This is awesome...by chance, do you have a video of something like this? I moved from MD to TX in July (dead of Summer) stopped in hotel rooms all three days (interesting and fun to watch people faces as I rolled the aquarium into my room) and that was a crazy drive with fish and corals in the trunk, some corals didn't make it...Now I have to plan my move from Texas to wherever the Army is sending me next in July next year.

I appreciate that!! Looks like I have a project ahead of me. Any chance you have any pics? Thank you for the detailed advice.

I can find some when I get home. They may not have the filter pad I am talking about in them, but I know I have some of my battery operated setups that use a lawn mover battery. Still same principle, but uses standalone battery instead of car battery.

 

[flashsmith]

Stay in PA. We're full.. lol. I want to get out!

 

[Luis's Nano]

Stay in PA. We're full.. lol. I want to get out!

Haha I know. My job is moving me down there.

 

[mindme]

A few years ago I moved from west coast to Florida. I moved all my stuff using 5 gallon buckets.

I put my rocks in water with the coral on them in the buckets, filled them with water. I also put the fish in a bucket with a single rock to be less dangerous.

I have a SUV, and it already has a converter so I could plug things directly into it. But I drilled a hole in the top of the buckets and ran air lines to all the buckets to keep the water oxygenated.

I spent about a week total in rooms, and at night I would bring the buckets into my room and plug them in. I also had some nicrew led lights, so I just put them across the top of the buckets at night for the coral. And I bought some cheap heaters to put in the buckets as well.

I didn't have any SPS corals or anything, but all my stuff lived. Was also funny when I would check into a room and they would ask if I had pets. I'm like - just fish. And they would look at me like I was crazy.

 

[jphilip813]

A few years ago I moved from west coast to Florida. I moved all my stuff using 5 gallon buckets.

I put my rocks in water with the coral on them in the buckets, filled them with water. I also put the fish in a bucket with a single rock to be less dangerous.

I have a SUV, and it already has a converter so I could plug things directly into it. But I drilled a hole in the top of the buckets and ran air lines to all the buckets to keep the water oxygenated.

I spent about a week total in rooms, and at night I would bring the buckets into my room and plug them in. I also had some nicrew led lights, so I just put them across the top of the buckets at night for the coral. And I bought some cheap heaters to put in the buckets as well.

I didn't have any SPS corals or anything, but all my stuff lived. Was also funny when I would check into a room and they would ask if I had pets. I'm like - just fish. And they would look at me like I was crazy.

I Love the expression of the faces of people when I roll an entire tank on a luggage cart...lol

 

[Luis's Nano]

So ditch the sand? It's a 3.5 year old sand bed. Should I buy new sand? Will a mini cycle start over due to new sand bed?

 

[Snoopy 67]

Yes, ditch it, not worth the hassle.
Rockwork should handle it.
Because they are so fragile it's doubtful the plate coral will not get damaged.

 

[Luis's Nano]

Yes, ditch it, not worth the hassle.
Rockwork should handle it.
Because they are so fragile it's doubtful the plate coral will not get damaged.

So can I add new sand without any issues when I get to FL and setup?

 

[vetteguy53081]

Im making similar move in a few months and plan is to take everything in 3 large coolers and I will be using a large air pump plugged into 4 way gang valve for air to each cooler and power via a plugin inverter and adding a few drops of seachem Prime halfway through the drive to reduce any ammonia
Im draoing the tops with heavy plastic for splash but with holes to allow air exchange

 

[Snoopy 67]

As long as you rinse it well.

 

[IKD]

I'm sure this have been discussed on here quite a few times. I've looked and it seems that everyone's situation is slightly different. So here it is. I currently live in PA and I am moving to FL. I really want to take my tank and everything inside with me. Not sure the right way to do it. Was thinking maybe a nice sized cooler with tank water and a few extra rocks to help stabilize the rocks I have now with coral grown on it. Was also thinking run a temp line in there with digital read to make sure temp is OK. Maybe a battery powered air pump with stone. It's only a 32 gallon biocube so that I'm sure makes things alot easier. I have no idea what to do with the sand. Do I put some in with the corals or separate container with the fish and airstone. Or do i just buy new sand and place it in the tank when I arrive to FL. I plan on taking at least 30 gallons of the current tank water so no major swings in parameters. Please if I am missing something let me know. I'd hate to lose everything. Thanks!

Are you doing it in one drive? I did the exact move 5 years ago from Maryland. I drove non stop to Orlando with a cat and 32g Biocube. Similar to others, I put fish in a 5G bucket, kept all but a few gallons of water in separate buckets to add when I arrived. I didn’t do any heaters or air stones but only had hardy LPS at the time and my car was at 73 degrees.

 

[Luis's Nano]

Are you doing it in one drive? I did the exact move 5 years ago from Maryland. I drove non stop to Orlando with a cat and 32g Biocube. Similar to others, I put fish in a 5G bucket, kept all but a few gallons of water in separate buckets to add when I arrived. I didn’t do any heaters or air stones but only had hardy LPS at the time and my car was at 73 degrees.

Yes I'm driving straight down. Last thing to pack up and first thing to unpack and set up

 

[IKD]

Yes I'm driving straight down. Last thing to pack up and first thing to unpack and set up

Sounds like a plan. Whereabouts in FL you moving? Lot better shopping down here!

 

[Luis's Nano]

Moving to Davenport. I went down in July to spouse shop and did a quick Google search and had like 12 places that offered coral within 20 miles lol. Where I am now I only have 2

 

[IKD]

Moving to Davenport. I went down in July to spouse shop and did a quick Google search and had like 12 places that offered coral within 20 miles lol. Where I am now I only have 2

Nice! I’m on the opposite side of Orlando (Oviedo). Definitely lots of shops and hobbyists here, plus Reefapalooza, Aquashella, and sometimes MACNA. Bring your tank and your wallet! Safe travels and if ever need anything, feel free to reach out.

 

[Luis's Nano]

I can not wait for these awesome shows to be somewhat close. When they come around where I live now it's a 4-6 hour drive to go to those shows.

Thanks IKD I appreciate it!!