Need advice on moving an aquarium.

[Adam H Sherman]

First time post here.

I'm 54 years old and have had a saltwater aquarium since the age of 12. I've had the same 125 gallon set up for years. The Maroon Clown is 23 or 24 years old, he resides with a Yellow Tang, Niger Trigger and Flame Angel. The other fish range from 18-21 years old. The oldest resident is a Torch coral which I've had about a year longer (started out the size of a soft ball) than the Maroon Clown.

It's a basic setup filtered only with a hang on skimmer and live rock. For lights I've got two 175W 14000K metal halides. I change 10 gallons per week with a preference or Red Sea salt. I haven't tested my water in over 20 years, all seems to be working.

We're moving to NM in the next year. I'm at a point where this is too large an aquarium and will downsize to 50 gallons or so.

-With this number of fish will 50ish gallons be enough?

-With fish this age should I not stress them with a long potentially problematic move (I've got someone lined up to take the 120 with understanding I get 1/3 of the live rock, coral and water)?

The plan is to set the new aquarium up over the course of a month using live rock and about 50% water from existing aquarium.

Any advice or ideas help, thanks in advance.

 

[Mjrenz]

Welcome to the forum! Your success is impressive, especially since you don't test your water. Normally everyone would jump all over you because of it but, with what I see I don't see how anyone can. Do you have any thoughts about this @Frtdrmrose7?

 

[brandon429]

Let's talk about the three thousand dollar euphyllid coral

Sawing it up/ parting it out or keeping it intact?

(If it's all one skeleton connected 5K-8K and a zoo wants it vs cutting it up)

 

[ZoWhat]

Use the search function on this website.

There are 9 quadrillion posts on the subject of moving


.

 

[brandon429]

I just kicked up a thread coincidentally showing how to move and relocate any reef without loss it's huge thread called the sand rinse thread

We specialize in not killing stuff




The worlds largest home euphyllid deserves special attention for sure. Want / job
If you want to move it all without loss we can, if you want to make frags and then trade them for a small compact car we can, all without a recycle or transfer loss the thread shows.

I think if he searched back till 1999 it'd be hard to find a matching job with particulars

No this one screams customize meh

 

[brandon429]

also why not submit that top pic to reefbuilders before we hack it


Article time

Called it

We believe your stated age range for the tank, I'm getting the general vibe the tank was not recently setup.

 

[Adam H Sherman]

Let's talk about the three thousand dollar euphyllid coral

Sawing it up/ parting it out or keeping it intact?

(If it's all one skeleton connected 5K-8K and a zoo wants it vs cutting it up)

It's about 5-8 different pieces. We live in a rural area with a well as our water source which isn't strong enough to run through an RO filter. When we lived in a city I filtered the water and there was no algae in the tank, now there's plenty; I have to clean hair algae and run a razor across the glass weekly. Unfortunately I regularly bump it causing breaks.

 

[Adam H Sherman]

also why not submit that top pic to reefbuilders before we hack it


Article time

Called it

We believe your stated age range for the tank, I'm getting the general vibe the tank was not recently setup.

The coral and Maroon Clown started life with me about 1995 or 1996 in a 45 gallon aquarium. I got married several years later with a promise from my wife that I could have a 125. Over the next couple of years I added the other fish and many other corals which did very well. A two day power outage while I was on vacation killed all the corals except for the one here. We moved into our current house in 2005 which has a well that can't push water through an RO filter. It wasn't long before the tank was covered in hair algae (still is). For 14 years I spend time every Sunday changing out two 5 gallon buckets of water, removing hair algae and cleaning glass.

 

[Adam H Sherman]

Part of my concern is that something here works, any change will be detrimental. Well water, 4 drops of Lugals and 10 gallon weekly water change with Red Sea salt. That's it, I'd hate to see it crash and burn.

The plan is to give it all to a friend or keep the fish and 1/3 of the coral and move them with me into a 50 gallon aquarium. Is 50 gallons big enough for these fish?

 

[Adam H Sherman]

Use the search function on this website.

There are 9 quadrillion posts on the subject of moving


.

Fair enough regarding moving, the second question was about a 50 gallon aquarium being adequate for these fish. Too small or ok?

 

[Salty Lemon]

First time post here.

I'm 54 years old and have had a saltwater aquarium since the age of 12. I've had the same 125 gallon set up for years. The Maroon Clown is 23 or 24 years old, he resides with a Yellow Tang, Niger Trigger and Flame Angel. The other fish range from 18-21 years old. The oldest resident is a Torch coral which I've had about a year longer (started out the size of a soft ball) than the Maroon Clown.

It's a basic setup filtered only with a hang on skimmer and live rock. For lights I've got two 175W 14000K metal halides. I change 10 gallons per week with a preference or Red Sea salt. I haven't tested my water in over 20 years, all seems to be working.

We're moving to NM in the next year. I'm at a point where this is too large an aquarium and will downsize to 50 gallons or so.

-With this number of fish will 50ish gallons be enough?

-With fish this age should I not stress them with a long potentially problematic move (I've got someone lined up to take the 120 with understanding I get 1/3 of the live rock, coral and water)?

The plan is to set the new aquarium up over the course of a month using live rock and about 50% water from existing aquarium.

Any advice or ideas help, thanks in advance.

Wow! ;Jawdrop

 

[Adam H Sherman]

Welcome to the forum! Your success is impressive, especially since you don't test your water. Normally everyone would jump all over you because of it but, with what I see I don't see how anyone can. Do you have any thoughts about this @Frtdrmrose7?

If I had issues I'd be all over testing. For whatever reason all has been stable with three water sources over two decades so I've been lucky. I think it's all about water changes. My wife jokes about 'fish Sunday'. I never take a week off of maintenance.

 

[Mjrenz]

I would think 50 gallons is enough for the fish you have, if anyone else disagrees I'd gladly be the friend who takes them and the coral off your hands

 

[Salty Lemon]

I just realized that you just joined R2R. Welcome! I hope you stick around with us. We can definitely use someone with all of your experience.

 

[Adam H Sherman]

I just realized that you just joined R2R. Welcome! I hope you stick around with us. We can definitely use someone with all of your experience.

I joined tonight! I've had a saltwater aquarium since childhood and acknowledge that with a coming move I could do more harm than good. My wife jokes that I think the fish are pets; she now acknowledges that all of them are old enough to vote and a few of them can legally order a beer. I have little to offer the group other than 'look'. Too often people miss problems with their tanks early because they don't see them when they first occur.

 

[Mjrenz]

I joined tonight! I've had a saltwater aquarium since childhood and acknowledge that with a coming move I could do more harm than good. My wife jokes that I think the fish are pets; she now acknowledges that all of them are old enough to vote and a few of them can legally order a beer. I have little to offer the group other than 'look'. Too often people miss problems with their tanks early because they don't see them when they first occur.

I would be terrified of something bad happening if I were in your shoes. You'll find some good advice here

 

[SeaJay]

The coral and Maroon Clown started life with me about 1995 or 1996 in a 45 gallon aquarium. I got married several years later with a promise from my wife that I could have a 125. Over the next couple of years I added the other fish and many other corals which did very well. A two day power outage while I was on vacation killed all the corals except for the one here. We moved into our current house in 2005 which has a well that can't push water through an RO filter. It wasn't long before the tank was covered in hair algae (still is). For 14 years I spend time every Sunday changing out two 5 gallon buckets of water, removing hair algae and cleaning glass.

A booster pump for your rodi is a cheap and easy addition. I know that wasn’t your question, but couldn’t help offering a simple solution to what has obviously been a problem for you.

 

[Adam H Sherman]

At a minimum I'm downsizing by half, possibly a 20g. As it stands I'm giving the 125 setup (possibly less the fish and 30% of the coral and live rock) to a friend because he showed interest in it two years ago. If there's another person out there qualified to take care of these animals I'd be glad to talk.

 

[Adam H Sherman]

A booster pump for your rodi is a cheap and easy addition. I know that wasn’t your question, but couldn’t help offering a simple solution to what has obviously been a problem for you.

I've thought about adding a pump and would ask that, plus new MH bulbs of the next caretaker. Odds are the next person will live in a real area with real water pressure.

 

[rkpetersen]

Welcome to R2R!

And wow, that is some tank, and some amazing history of reefkeeping. Kudos sir!

To address your question, I don't think the yellow tang or the niger trigger would be at all happy in a 50. The other two would probably be ok.

That torch! (Or Frogspawn?) It's hard to know what to say about something like that! You must have done a lot of sculpting over the years to get it to grow so magnificently.