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Man thank you so much for all the advice on moving the tank! I'll take everything in consideration and take pics once my adventure is over and everything settles! Thanx again!How much time do you have to plan this out?
First considerations:
Once you have planned out your vehicle and purchased your moving tubs (I use these ones: https://www.rona.ca/en/storage-box-...g7nxq26nkwpVtGRQmkQhl_2Nt3ndvWbBoCs-MQAvD_BwE I imagine they are sold everywhere. They are low cost and very durable - unlike the clear bins which tend to crack easily).
- You need a vehicle. A minivan would work quite well for this much livestock. The tank might fit in a van, but you may need a truck.
- The tank and hardware can easily be transported dry, so I am not going to bother talking about them much.
- Sand/substrate; are you going to keep your existing, or buy new?
- Containers for moving livestock - get more than you will need (you may be able to return the unused containers). The last think you want is to not have enough on moving day.
- Get some air bubblers. You may not be able to use your original tank until the next day, due to the substrate dust. So the easiest way around this is to just add bubblers (and maybe heaters) to tubs until the next morning.
- Get a strong utility pump (mag 9 would be my choice) and a garden hose long enough to go from the tank to the vehicle. On this note, get a few spring clamps too...
- Helpers to move the tank.
- Buckets, you will probably need a few. These will be useful for moving the hardware and such.
- Encrusted colonies will likely break off the rock during transit
- Time of year, and the heat/cold weather outside.
- You are going to lose water, so make sure you have extra (i.e. fresh saltwater) on hand.
You will need separate tubs for fish, loose coral, encrusted coral and live rock. If you have corals on plugs, a piece of egg crate at the bottom of one of the bins/tubs could be very useful. Or you could make a grid out of egg crate to help them from mashing into each other during the drive (this would lower breakage).
This is going to be a long day, make sure you have a pot of coffee at the source and a case of beer at the destination
Here we go:
This is the basics of moving a tank! Do your planning and read up on your substrate options and you will do fine. If I missed anything critical, please chime in!
- Rinse all your tubs/bins before use. Rinse the pump and rinse out the hose.
- Run the hose from your tank to your moving vehicle.
- Connect the utility pump and put it inside the tank - use spring clamp to hold in place.
- Shut down the system, it's go time!
- Put the first tub into the vehicle and use another spring clamp to hold the other end of the hose. Note, a second person and an open window between you will be very useful here. I have done it alone before, but it is a lot of back and forth. Watch the pump side more, you don't want to suck anything up that is alive.
- Fill the tub about 2/3, the put another tub down and repeat. Partially fill a few tubs (depending on the vehicle and how well you can reach them).
- By this point, you should have figure out which bins are for what. Plan on the last bin to be for fish, as they will be the last thing you catch (aside from a few snails and crabs). As the water level drops in the main tank, start pulling out rocks and corals in whatever way makes the most sense. Ideally you want to keep the water as clear as possible throughout this process; both for the fishes well being and visibility.
- Carry on until you have filled your bins and caught your fish.
- Once you have the water drained to the sand level, check for snails and crabs and whatever other sand critters you may have.
- Scoop the sand into a bucket or two (I find a dustpan works well for this).
- Pack everything else into the moving vehicle(s?) and hit the road. Just driving around should be enough splish-splashing to keep the oxygen at acceptable levels.
- Once you are at your destination, set the main tank back up. Don't worry about the sump until near the end.
- Get some bubblers into the tubs with livestock.
- Rinse your sand (this may be controversial, but these are generic instructions so they may not apply to every situation to the T). Whether new substrate or your existing, rinsing the sand will keep the dust down and flush out any potential toxins.
- Add the sand - either add the sand before or after you add the bulk of the water back. I have always done it first, but I'm not sure it will matter.
- Hook the hose and utility pump back up - in reverse.
- You could add your freshly made saltwater at this point, or afterwards. I would do it first, just so there is clean water in the tank right away.
- Start adding water back. Draining the water tubs first, then the liverock tubs, then the livestock tubs.
- Add the liverock back as the tubs drain.
- Depending on how well the substrate settles, you may or may not want to hold off until morning to add the livestock. I usually wait.
- If you are waiting, the tubs I linked to are perfectly fine holding tanks for a couple days. Just make sure you have a bubbler running in them and add a heater if needed. Just drain the water low enough to carry them indoors and not get you soaked in the process, add enough water back to make everything comfortable.
- Set the rest of the tank up accordingly.
It also may not be practical to haul all that water, so if you can have enough water in reserve at the destination in advance, it might be easier.
There are other considerations to do after, like making new saltwater asap. A water change in a couple days may be in order; the corals will likely slime up and could release bio-warefare into the tank. Carbon might also be wise to run for a couple days. I would also wait a day or two before turning the lights back on.
Nice AT-AT, btw!
How much time do you have to plan this out?
First considerations:
Once you have planned out your vehicle and purchased your moving tubs (I use these ones: https://www.rona.ca/en/storage-box-...g7nxq26nkwpVtGRQmkQhl_2Nt3ndvWbBoCs-MQAvD_BwE I imagine they are sold everywhere. They are low cost and very durable - unlike the clear bins which tend to crack easily).
- You need a vehicle. A minivan would work quite well for this much livestock. The tank might fit in a van, but you may need a truck.
- The tank and hardware can easily be transported dry, so I am not going to bother talking about them much.
- Sand/substrate; are you going to keep your existing, or buy new?
- Containers for moving livestock - get more than you will need (you may be able to return the unused containers). The last think you want is to not have enough on moving day.
- Get some air bubblers. You may not be able to use your original tank until the next day, due to the substrate dust. So the easiest way around this is to just add bubblers (and maybe heaters) to tubs until the next morning.
- Get a strong utility pump (mag 9 would be my choice) and a garden hose long enough to go from the tank to the vehicle. On this note, get a few spring clamps too...
- Helpers to move the tank.
- Buckets, you will probably need a few. These will be useful for moving the hardware and such.
- Encrusted colonies will likely break off the rock during transit
- Time of year, and the heat/cold weather outside.
- You are going to lose water, so make sure you have extra (i.e. fresh saltwater) on hand.
You will need separate tubs for fish, loose coral, encrusted coral and live rock. If you have corals on plugs, a piece of egg crate at the bottom of one of the bins/tubs could be very useful. Or you could make a grid out of egg crate to help them from mashing into each other during the drive (this would lower breakage).
This is going to be a long day, make sure you have a pot of coffee at the source and a case of beer at the destination
Here we go:
This is the basics of moving a tank! Do your planning and read up on your substrate options and you will do fine. If I missed anything critical, please chime in!
- Rinse all your tubs/bins before use. Rinse the pump and rinse out the hose.
- Run the hose from your tank to your moving vehicle.
- Connect the utility pump and put it inside the tank - use spring clamp to hold in place.
- Shut down the system, it's go time!
- Put the first tub into the vehicle and use another spring clamp to hold the other end of the hose. Note, a second person and an open window between you will be very useful here. I have done it alone before, but it is a lot of back and forth. Watch the pump side more, you don't want to suck anything up that is alive.
- Fill the tub about 2/3, the put another tub down and repeat. Partially fill a few tubs (depending on the vehicle and how well you can reach them).
- By this point, you should have figure out which bins are for what. Plan on the last bin to be for fish, as they will be the last thing you catch (aside from a few snails and crabs). As the water level drops in the main tank, start pulling out rocks and corals in whatever way makes the most sense. Ideally you want to keep the water as clear as possible throughout this process; both for the fishes well being and visibility.
- Carry on until you have filled your bins and caught your fish.
- Once you have the water drained to the sand level, check for snails and crabs and whatever other sand critters you may have.
- Scoop the sand into a bucket or two (I find a dustpan works well for this).
- Pack everything else into the moving vehicle(s?) and hit the road. Just driving around should be enough splish-splashing to keep the oxygen at acceptable levels.
- Once you are at your destination, set the main tank back up. Don't worry about the sump until near the end.
- Get some bubblers into the tubs with livestock.
- Rinse your sand (this may be controversial, but these are generic instructions so they may not apply to every situation to the T). Whether new substrate or your existing, rinsing the sand will keep the dust down and flush out any potential toxins.
- Add the sand - either add the sand before or after you add the bulk of the water back. I have always done it first, but I'm not sure it will matter.
- Hook the hose and utility pump back up - in reverse.
- You could add your freshly made saltwater at this point, or afterwards. I would do it first, just so there is clean water in the tank right away.
- Start adding water back. Draining the water tubs first, then the liverock tubs, then the livestock tubs.
- Add the liverock back as the tubs drain.
- Depending on how well the substrate settles, you may or may not want to hold off until morning to add the livestock. I usually wait.
- If you are waiting, the tubs I linked to are perfectly fine holding tanks for a couple days. Just make sure you have a bubbler running in them and add a heater if needed. Just drain the water low enough to carry them indoors and not get you soaked in the process, add enough water back to make everything comfortable.
- Set the rest of the tank up accordingly.
It also may not be practical to haul all that water, so if you can have enough water in reserve at the destination in advance, it might be easier.
There are other considerations to do after, like making new saltwater asap. A water change in a couple days may be in order; the corals will likely slime up and could release bio-warefare into the tank. Carbon might also be wise to run for a couple days. I would also wait a day or two before turning the lights back on.
Nice AT-AT, btw!
Why search for it when you have actual nice people that is willing to give you guidance on how to do stuff after all isn't what this forum is all about? The thing is if you're not doing research and not know if there is 20+ threads regarding moving tanks why put your 2 say in things that doesn't concern you?Being 1ppm rude....there are probably 20+ moving threads written in the last 3mos you need to search for and read.
Its deja vu over and over again reinventing the wheel
.
Wait Wait Wait you mean I dont have to use my old water in the new house? I can mix new salt water and I wont need to cycle the tank again?There has been some great advice given. I agree with about 99% of it. The only way any of my moves have really differed is that I never reuse any old water. Why would you want to? There is absolutely nothing in it that is worthwhile, and besides, it is heavy. There's plenty of other heavy stuff to move without moving water too. Use just enough to keep things wet, and toss it once you arrive. Have enough water already made up at the new site to more than fill the tank and just go with it. If you think about it, it's nothing more than an extra large water change. Your fish and corals will love you for it.
Wait Wait Wait you mean I dont have to use my old water in the new house? I can mix new salt water and I wont need to cycle the tank again?
Why search for it when you have actual nice people that is willing to give you guidance on how to do stuff after all isn't what this forum is all about?
That's cool it's your opinion man still doesnt make sense why you have to put your 2 sense in a topic that had nothing to do with you.IMO this is reverse thinking...
When I have a question I search this forum as a DATABASE OF KNOWLEDGE yo see if I can read up on my question.
If I dont see an answer to my question then I post a question.
.
I saw it. I want one where to get please.Hold up- am I the only one who sees an AT-AT in that tank?

