Neptune Aquatics

How to move my reef tank?

ridgebackreefer

ridgebackreefer

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I’m moving up to Sacramento soon and that means moving my blessedly teeny tiny 5 gallon. I knew this move was coming when I got into reefing which is why I limited my tank size so much.

Current plan:
-make a ton of extra water to cart up with me so I don’t have to scramble and figure that out in the new place
-put my rocks with corals glues on into a bucket deep enough to cover them in an inch or 2 of new water (My Spec V is so narrow I worry the rock
-work might fall onto the glass during the drive)
-put fish in a bag? (Or are they going to be okay in the bucket too?
-empty tank, load, drive, unload
-replace rocks with coral
-fill with new water (or is the bucket water okay?)
-add fish
-pray

Do I need to keep the media and crushed coral wet? If so, should I put it somewhere other than the bucket or is the coral bucket okay?


What are your tips and tricks for successful moves?
 
I’d drain the tank so that just your substrate is covered with water.

Move rock into a 5 gallon bucket with water. If there is plenty of space, put fish in the same bucket. If not, put the fish in a separate 2.5 gallon bucket.

Make the drive. Fill tank with freshly mixed water, change filter media, run tank with heater for several minutes or until water reaches temperature, drop in rock and coral, drop in fish and you’re good to go. Should be a pretty easy move.
 
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luckily your entire tank fits in a bucket. When i moved from Oregon to the bay, I dumped pretty much everything in a bucket, took as little water as I could, then set up the tank when I got to my new place.
I would... move all your rocks / corals into a bucket. Put the fish in a different bucket.

A drive from the bay is only 2-3 hours so everything should still be okay =)
 
B the Nano Reefer said:
I’d drain the tank so that just your substrate is covered with water.

Move rock into a 5 gallon bucket with water. If there is plenty of space, put fish in the same bucket. If not, put the fish in a separate 2.5 gallon bucket.

Make the drive. Fill tank with freshly mixed water, change filter media, run tank with heater for several minutes or until water reaches temperature, drop in rock and coral, drop in fish and you’re good to go. Should be a pretty easy move.
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Will do!
Do I need to worry about heat loss in the bucket during travel?
 
ridgebackreefer said:
Will do!
Do I need to worry about heat loss in the bucket during travel?
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If you keep your car at room-ish or slightly warmer temp for the trip, you can probably do without. I’ve done a couple hour drives with fish and had no issues.

As @Coral reefer suggests, an air pump would be great for the fish, but for a couple hour drive, you can probably do without if you can’t get your hands on one
 
Coral/rocks in 1 5g bucket with just enough water to cover less than half full. Tight lid.

Fish/inverts/whatever you catch without stressing too much in another 5g bucket less than half full. Tight lid.

Tank almost completely drained with just a small amount of water covering the sand.

New water or water from tank in another 5g bucket if you don’t already have enough in the above 3.

I would time the tank move on a different trip than the rest of your stuff, before or after. If you just pack, go, unpack it you won’t have to worry about temperature, air, or any other life support. Sacramento from the East Bay is nothing timewise if you just go and aren’t delayed by having to deal with everything else in a move.
 
Coral reefer said:
USB or battery powered air pump for the fish
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I was debating that but like @B the Nano Reefer said I was thinking it might be okay for the 2 hours they’ll be in the bucket.
JVU said:
Coral/rocks in 1 5g bucket with just enough water to cover less than half full. Tight lid.

Fish/inverts/whatever you catch without stressing too much in another 5g bucket less than half full. Tight lid.

Tank almost completely drained with just a small amount of water covering the sand.

New water or water from tank in another 5g bucket if you don’t already have enough in the above 3.

I would time the tank move on a different trip than the rest of your stuff, before or after. If you just pack, go, unpack it you won’t have to worry about temperature, air, or any other life support. Sacramento from the East Bay is nothing timewise if you just go and aren’t delayed by having to deal with everything else in a move.
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Thanks for all the detail! I use 7gallon camping water containers for storage and mixing so it’ll be easy enough to transport new water for the tank.

Closed lids are okay oxygen wise? I know fish and coral get mailed all the time but I’m a nervous mother.

Plan is to move fish on Friday then less important things (ie. the rest of my worldly possessions) on Saturday. Fingers crossed the fish don’t throw a rager their first night alone in the new place. Can’t trust those darn clowns.
 
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ridgebackreefer said:
I was debating that but like @B the Nano Reefer said I was thinking it might be okay for the 2 hours they’ll be in the bucket.

Thanks for all the detail! I use 7gallon camping water containers for storage and mixing so it’ll be easy enough to transport new water for the tank.

Closed lids are okay oxygen wise? I know fish and coral get mailed all the time but I’m a nervous mother.

Plan is to move fish on Friday then less important things (ie. the rest of my worldly possessions) on Saturday. Fingers crossed the fish don’t throw a rager their first night alone in the new place. Can’t trust those darn clowns.
Click to expand...
Yes, closed lids are not only fine but safer (think having to slam on the breaks in traffic) for your short trip.

The key, and I’m glad you are already planning it, is to move your tank in a different trip than everything else.

I’m on my way back from a long weekend in Puerto Vallarta with friends… the partying clowns comment resonates
 
I moved 3 29Gs from Santa Barbara to Sunnyvale. I didn't use airstones but i did reoxygenate the bags halfway past SLO. I would put everything in seperate buckets with battery bubblers, crank the heat in the car to 75 and you should be ok.
 
So a month in a half ago I purchased a 50g AIO from someone that didn't have time for the tank anymore. I used an insulated Cooler to separate out the fish/inverts to keep the temps stable for longer, a Brute trashcan for the large rock and a few 5 gallon buckets for the other rocks (didn't want them all banging together as there was some corals attached to them. I did save most of the water by using 5 gallon jugs. I emptied the tank to the bottom with just a little covering the sand. Took me almost an hour in a half to get to my house from San Jose to Antioch. I quickly got the stand and tank put up, got the rocks, water and livestock put back in. Lastly, I spent another hour hooking up the equipment (I'm new to reefing and the wires were a complete mess from the move). Only casualty I had was some of the GSP on the back wall dried out and died (not a big loss). The two clowns had no problem, the Coral Banded Shrimp threw both arms but has since molted and has them back. Parameters were good in the following days.

For you, with a 5 gallon tank, I'd do the same. An insulated cooler for fish/inverts, and a bucket for your rocks. and then maybe a jug of your existing water or maybe make up some water to take a long. Shouldn't be too difficult. You should be able to carry everything yourself which is a big plus. I think JVU said it best, do the trip with just the focus on the aquarium. That way you aren't distracted with getting everything out of the vehicle or getting stuff out of your way. I think you'll be fine without an air pump for that short of a trip.
 
ridgebackreefer said:
I was debating that but like @B the Nano Reefer said I was thinking it might be okay for the 2 hours they’ll be in the bucket.

Thanks for all the detail! I use 7gallon camping water containers for storage and mixing so it’ll be easy enough to transport new water for the tank.

Closed lids are okay oxygen wise? I know fish and coral get mailed all the time but I’m a nervous mother.

Plan is to move fish on Friday then less important things (ie. the rest of my worldly possessions) on Saturday. Fingers crossed the fish don’t throw a rager their first night alone in the new place. Can’t trust those darn clowns.
Click to expand...
It MIGHT be ok for 2 hours. I’d rather spend a little money and make sure it is ok tho.
 
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