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Moving end of March any tips?

bmhair03

bmhair03

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I will be moving in the next week .I have moved my tank before with mixed results.
So I figured who better to ask for advice from then the BAR membership.
Should I do a complete tear down? I'm only moving a couple of blocks.
Most corals are epoxied (LPS,Zoas,etc ) Rocks aren't secured to each other,stacked.Its a 29 gal plexi.
Bags or Tupperware?
All advice is appreciated.Thanks.
 
I've moved my reef twice (and will have to again eventually). For me, I used a cooler and buckets to move stuff. Some corals like zoas can actually be transported "dry" wrapped damp in breathable material like a paper towel. I was on the road for a while, and although overkill, I did use a small heater and pump to circulate the cooler. Do not recycle the sand. Get new sand. Pre mix a bunch of water (assume 100% water change, not that you will do it, but it is good to have on hand). Assume you will not be able to set up right away and have stuff ready to keep your bucket/cooler going for a day or so.

Do not use bags. Use quality soup/deli containers (not the cheapo ones since the lids can pop off)
 
Thanks. As for the sand ,I used a product called Garfs Grunge.more like gravel, should it be replaced just like sand?
I didnt replaced my sand on a move before ,Troubles!!!!
Is it possible to polish a tank in 1 day!!?????
 
I would never reuse any sort of substrate (sand/mud etc). When I move, I'll remove all the live stock I can. Then remove all the rock above the sand. Then vacuum out all the substrate (taking care to not stir it up). Then remove the base rock.

Substrate has lots of good stuff in it, but it releases a bunch of bad stuff when you stir it.

I'm sure you can polish a tank in 1 day...but plan on two. Easier to fall back on a plan than having to make one up on the fly.
 
Thanks again.I guess its time to look into finding some sand.
Time will be flexible,about 4 days,but keeping my 2yr old out of all those buckets and tanks will be the challange.
Any suggestions on a substrate?(No bare bottom .My wife requests sand,so I put sand. 0:) )
 
I jsut get the dry stuff. Medium grain size. The sugar grain is pretty but gets sturred up and the coarse seems to trap stuff to easily.
 
I cut some eggcrates to the inside dimensions of a 5g bucket. Drill some PVC for legs and zip tie those to the eggcrates.

Place corals on the bottom of the bucket, then the eggcate, then another layer of corals, and then another eggcrate and more corals. Get 3 layers of corals in one bucket for the move.
 
Ibn said:
I cut some eggcrates to the inside dimensions of a 5g bucket. Drill some PVC for legs and zip tie those to the eggcrates.

Place corals on the bottom of the bucket, then the eggcate, then another layer of corals, and then another eggcrate and more corals. Get 3 layers of corals in one bucket for the move.
Click to expand...
That is a good idea Eric, I never thought about that.
i reuse my sand, but I wash it before I reuse it. I save about a 2 cups worth of sand from the top layer put that into a container by itself, then but the remaining sand in it's own buckets and rinse with a hose at the new location.
 
Got the idea from this:

http://reefbuilders.com/2010/03/08/coral-frag-caddy-holds-frags-reef-shows/

You can cut the eggcrate to any shape of your containers, but everyone should have a bucket of salt or two around that they can use.
 
Tumbleweed ,When you rines your sand ,do you go untill the water runs clear?
Im only moving 2 blocks or so .If i drain the tank down and remove all the rock etc..
And tried my best to not distrub the substrate?
It is only about 1 1/2yrs old and just started working .
I transport it on a piece of wood anyways,not to stress the seams.
It would probaly only weight 50lbs.
$50 in sand could be a ATO.Being a renter I dont have the spare area to make and store salt mix so
I have to buy natural seawater and borrow some containers etc...Im not cheap just have to be mindful not to
waste it.But if not changing the sand will cost me more in the end then I would rather skip the saddness. :)
This is going to suck either way :( The only good thing about renting is paying $42 for utilities no matter how many tanks I have. :)
 
I'd leave the sand in the bottom of the tank, dont disturb and move as is. Then just add water and let the tank run. I'd add Carbon and some filer floss...lots of filter floss and get the sediment out of the water. Once the water clears, vacuum the debris that sits on the top of the sand. Then add the rest of the livestock.

I've done this for a number of small tanks - for larger tanks, I remove all the sand and I rinse it in the old tank water before replacing. If I cant rinse all the sand, then I do rinse under the hose before replacing.

...However, you want to keep as much good saltwater as possible - so, only rinse with the stuff that is pulled from the tank last (since it will likely be dirty).

-Kyle
 
Yes rinse it until it runs clear. I recommend rinsing the sand no matter how big or small the tank is when it is moved after the sand 6 months old. It is just safer IMO
 
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