Tank move advice Please!!!

[Paleozoic_reefer]

Hello everyone!

So let me jump right into my problem...We sold our house a few weeks and just bought another house that needs about 5-6 weeks of remodeling before we can even move in. We are going to be staying with friends until the contractor is done with the new house and I’m freaking out about what to do about my tank!

I want to minimize the amount of stress in what will be essentially two moves (one to move the tank for the 4-6 week period and then again once we move in).

I’m sure my situtation isn’t unique so I’m wondering what others have done in situations like this. My tank is a well established mixed 60 gal. reef to give you all an idea of what I’m dealing with.

Any suggestions, stories, warnings, or recommended antacids will be welcomed!!
Thanks!!!

 

[nautical_nathaniel]

Recommended antacid: Store brand tums, cheaper than the name brand but does a great job!

 

[Pelagic One]

I just pinged a cousin in Hawaii who did a similar move at the beginning of the year. He told me they setup a large tub with lighting heater and hang-on-back skimmer in their friends’ garage, where they stayed for a few weeks. They were testing parameters daily and changing water, as if cycling rocks, but they had a successful move into their new home just last week. No loss of livestock.

He sounded confident in this type of move, but I’d still be nervous about moving our tanks, if we ever had to. I guess in close quarters, I would run carbon more often, or separate out certain corals or anemones.

‘Following to learn from those who’ve done this recently and/or successfully...

 

[nautical_nathaniel]

As far as the tank move is concerned, I've moved my current reef about 5 times now. It's definitely a stressful process but careful planning will help sort a lot of things out. I would have enough prepared saltwater to refill your entire tank at the new location.

Put your rocks and clean up crew in a cooler or insulated container, just make sure they can't move around too much. You can use bubble wrap to insulate the sides of your chosen container to prevent rocks and such from smashing in to one another.

Put your fish in covered buckets with a battery operated air pump. Make sure to only put a few fish per bucket that is filled a little over halfway with water. Dark buckets work very well for keeping the fish calm but will warm up quickly in the sun.

Loose corals can also go in buckets or styrofoam coolers. Be careful to not let stinging varieties touch since they will do some damage to each other if they do touch.

As far as the order of things. I would drain your tank first and use the water for fish, rock and coral containers and dispose of the rest. Leave the fish, coral, and live rock inside until you are ready to leave. Your stand should go in the car behind your tank since you will need to place it in the new place before the tank. Any livestock should never be left in the car, immediately move them inside once you get to the new place. Use the water in the containers to refill the tank and then add new water, you don't want to shock the corals and critters too much with overly clean water.

This is also a good opportunity to clean overflows, equipment, and anything else that's normally hard to reach but only try to do that if things are going smoothly, no need to add more stress to the situation especially when you can clean stuff later.

Have plenty of towels and someone to help, that will make things much less messier. Keep your hands dry since wet hands and glass don't hold on to each other very well, this includes sweat.

 

[BantyRooster97]

Brute trash cans are excellent for moving as well.... and toss the old sand

 

[Paleozoic_reefer]

This is great advice everyone! I definitely plan to document the process for future stressed-out tank owners in similar situations...and I just got word that the remodeling is going to take 6 weeks! Hopefully the fish/coral (and our friends) will survive the added time.

Please keep the suggestions coming if anyone has more advice!!