Moving a Reef Tank
 

Moving across town. 70g reef, live rock, a few fish and corals. Live sand
bed. I've moved tanks in the past with no live sand and plenty of rock and
re-established them without a noticeable cycling. Just put everything back
in the tank and it was ok. With the sand bed (and all the poisons that lurk
in the lower layers, as I understand it), can I do the same thing or do I
need to find a temporary home for the fish and corals?

Tommy

Moving a Reef Tank
 

Though I have limited experience, I recently moved my 75 gal tank a 5
hour drive away. I have fish, a few corals and an anemone.

I put all inhabitants in bags supplied by LFS.

I brought the bags back to LFS and they filled them with O2 for me.

They also provided styrofoam lined boxes.

I put live rock in buckets full of water.

In new location I had water ready.

I removed all water to just above the sand line

Moved the tank(extremely heavy with sand and water get a friend or 2).

Disassemble last and reassemble first.

I lost no livestock. Not sure if this is the best plan, or even a good
plan, but it worked for me. 2 months in the new place and all are still ok.



hawgdawg wrote:
Moving across town. 70g reef, live rock, a few fish and corals. Live sand
bed. I've moved tanks in the past with no live sand and plenty of rock and
re-established them without a noticeable cycling. Just put everything back
in the tank and it was ok. With the sand bed (and all the poisons that lurk
in the lower layers, as I understand it), can I do the same thing or do I
need to find a temporary home for the fish and corals?

Tommy

Moving a Reef Tank
 

I once moved a 100 Gallon tank. I suggest getting a few 35 gallon
garbage cans so you can keep as much of your original water as
possible. DO NOT move the tank with anything in it. This can weaken
the seams and cause a leak when you get it moved.

On Nov 13, 2:05 pm, "hawgdawg" wrote:
Moving across town. 70g reef, live rock, a few fish and corals. Live sand
bed. I've moved tanks in the past with no live sand and plenty of rock and
re-established them without a noticeable cycling. Just put everything back
in the tank and it was ok. With the sand bed (and all the poisons that lurk
in the lower layers, as I understand it), can I do the same thing or do I
need to find a temporary home for the fish and corals?

Tommy

Moving a Reef Tank
 

Curious about your answer. If a tank can support the water and all of
the rock and sand when it's displayed, why can it not when being moved.
Another forum recommended that I move it with just the sand in it, and
enough water to cover said sand. I was able to do that with no problem.

Also, what is the purpose of keeping the original water. I was able to
transport about half of the water and replaced about half when I got
here. But it seems that it's just like any other water change. I was
under the impression that most of the bacteria that is needed is in the
rock/sand/other filtration, very little of it in the water.

wrote:
I once moved a 100 Gallon tank. I suggest getting a few 35 gallon
garbage cans so you can keep as much of your original water as
possible. DO NOT move the tank with anything in it. This can weaken
the seams and cause a leak when you get it moved.

On Nov 13, 2:05 pm, "hawgdawg" wrote:

Moving across town. 70g reef, live rock, a few fish and corals. Live sand
bed. I've moved tanks in the past with no live sand and plenty of rock and
re-established them without a noticeable cycling. Just put everything back
in the tank and it was ok. With the sand bed (and all the poisons that lurk
in the lower layers, as I understand it), can I do the same thing or do I
need to find a temporary home for the fish and corals?

Tommy

Moving a Reef Tank
 

Curious about your answer. If a tank can support the water and all of the
rock and sand when it's displayed, why can it not when being moved.
Another forum recommended that I move it with just the sand in it, and
enough water to cover said sand. I was able to do that with no problem.

So you assume that everyone's tank can handle it. Dangerous assumption!

Also, what is the purpose of keeping the original water.

This is might get a little too complicated for you. More original water
means more bio load when you set up.

I was able to transport about half of the water and replaced about half
when I got here. But it seems that it's just like any other water change.
I was under the impression that most of the bacteria that is needed is in
the rock/sand/other filtration, very little of it in the water.

Bad assumption. This is why your bioload is not as high as mine with no
water changes.

Moving a Reef Tank
 

Well, I assume the OP did water changes regularly, like 99.9% of reefers
out there. Dangerous assumption.

Also, I note that the majority of tanks can handle holding water and
sand as that's what they are made for. My glass doesn't sit directly on
my stand so the braces which I carried it by are supporting it all the
time. The stand just distributes the weight to the braces. Now I could
see a danger in twisting or something, but that could be eliminated by
carrying it on a piece of plywood. Or are you a Dr. of physics,
chemistry, wit and rhetoric?

The theory behind covering the sand is to keep the bacteria undisturbed
as possible. So that's why I did it....as I said in my initial
discussion, no idea if it was the right thing to do, but it worked for me.

And further, good doctor, I was actually trying to learn, which you are
incapable of helping with. I really wanted to know the answers. The
only reason I got into an argument with you, is because from the first
post you did here, you were a complete prick. Your name is booger for
god's sake, how much do you really want people to believe you. I have
no intention of ruining this guy's post by bickering back and forth with
you again, there is absolutely nothing more you can convince me of,
other than that you get further down the evolutionary chart with every
post. You are at imbecile now. We're working on idiot . I guarantee
that nothing you can muster will ever be too complicated for me. I
promise good doctor that my professionally measured intelligence far
exceeds yours.

bo0ger1 wrote:
Curious about your answer. If a tank can support the water and all of the
rock and sand when it's displayed, why can it not when being moved.
Another forum recommended that I move it with just the sand in it, and
enough water to cover said sand. I was able to do that with no problem.


So you assume that everyone's tank can handle it. Dangerous assumption!


Also, what is the purpose of keeping the original water.


This is might get a little too complicated for you. More original water
means more bio load when you set up.


I was able to transport about half of the water and replaced about half
when I got here. But it seems that it's just like any other water change.
I was under the impression that most of the bacteria that is needed is in
the rock/sand/other filtration, very little of it in the water.


Bad assumption. This is why your bioload is not as high as mine with no
water changes.

Moving a Reef Tank
 

Also, I note that the majority of tanks can handle holding water and sand
as that's what they are made for.

Majority is 50% How do you know his is in the majority?

The theory behind covering the sand is to keep the bacteria undisturbed as
possible.

Why do you think it is necessary to keep the bacteria undisturbed?

So that's why I did it....as I said in my initial discussion, no idea if it
was the right thing to do, but it worked for me.

So you assume it will work for everyone?

And further, good doctor, I was actually trying to learn, which you are
incapable of helping with.

You're correct here. I am incapable of helping you learn. You have to
learn on your own by taking in information.

I really wanted to know the answers. The only reason I got into an
argument with you, is because from the first post you did here, you were a
complete prick.

No. You did it because you are a TROLL.

Your name is booger for god's sake, how much do you really want people to
believe you.

Your name is Pat. I don't believe what you write, not because of your name,
but because what you write makes you sound like an idiot.

I promise good doctor that my professionally measured intelligence far
exceeds yours.

You already illustrated in the last thread the exact opposite Pat. Do you
want to do it again?

Have you taken your pill today?

Moving a Reef Tank
 

* Pat wrote, On 11/13/2006 6:06 PM:
Curious about your answer. If a tank can support the water and all of
the rock and sand when it's displayed, why can it not when being moved.

When it's on its stand, it's level and steady. The rock/water/sand is extremely
heavy, it's impossible to keep the tank level and stress on joints equal if you
try to move it when it's full, even with a guy on each end or corner. If you
even CAN lift it when it's full. Ya might get a little wet, too.
Not meaning to state the obvious, but hey you asked and that's my opinion. :)

Another forum recommended that I move it with just the sand in it, and
enough water to cover said sand. I was able to do that with no problem.

That's what I did. Then put some newspaper on top the sand where you add the
water and pour really slow so all the crud doesn't get stirred up.
I moved a 50-gal. tank 200-some miles in winter in Montana using 5-gal. buckets
once, it ended up being a 4 hour drive. I only took enough water to move the
animals and keep the substrate wet, but everything lived, amazingly enough.

Also, what is the purpose of keeping the original water. I was able to
transport about half of the water and replaced about half when I got
here. But it seems that it's just like any other water change. I was
under the impression that most of the bacteria that is needed is in the
rock/sand/other filtration, very little of it in the water.

Your fish are used to whatever the chemistry of their water is. It makes it
easier on them if they don't get a 100% water change as well as being caught and
put in bags and sloshed around.

Cindy

Moving a Reef Tank
 

Cindy wrote:
* Pat wrote, On 11/13/2006 6:06 PM:

Curious about your answer. If a tank can support the water and all of
the rock and sand when it's displayed, why can it not when being moved.


When it's on its stand, it's level and steady. The rock/water/sand is
extremely heavy, it's impossible to keep the tank level and stress on
joints equal if you try to move it when it's full, even with a guy on
each end or corner. If you even CAN lift it when it's full. Ya might
get a little wet, too.
Not meaning to state the obvious, but hey you asked and that's my
opinion. :)
Right, I understand that. Not saying move it full, that's a
catastrophically bad idea.


Another forum recommended that I move it with just the sand in it,
and enough water to cover said sand. I was able to do that with no
problem.

That's what I did. Then put some newspaper on top the sand where you
add the water and pour really slow so all the crud doesn't get stirred up.
I moved a 50-gal. tank 200-some miles in winter in Montana using
5-gal. buckets once, it ended up being a 4 hour drive. I only took
enough water to move the animals and keep the substrate wet, but
everything lived, amazingly enough.
Ya, that's what I did too. I never would think about moving it
FULL...But I think the guy was saying, don't even do the sand and just
enough water to keep it wet.


Also, what is the purpose of keeping the original water. I was able
to transport about half of the water and replaced about half when I
got here. But it seems that it's just like any other water change. I
was under the impression that most of the bacteria that is needed is
in the rock/sand/other filtration, very little of it in the water.


Your fish are used to whatever the chemistry of their water is. It
makes it easier on them if they don't get a 100% water change as well as
being caught and put in bags and sloshed around.

But a 50% water change is not completely out of the realm. I mean I
obviously had some of the water. turned out to be about half. Mine
lived too, glad yours did. I only post on this topic because of the
immense pain it was to sort out something as simple as moving a tank.
Too many opinions. I took one line of advice, and it worked, so take
that as you will.

Cindy

Moving a Reef Tank
 

Too many opinions. I took one line of advice, and it worked, so take that
as you will.


Wow!! I think you are learning. You took one line of advice and it worked.
So that must mean that their are other lines of advice that also work NOT
just the advice you used.

Do you see where I'm going with this Pat or should I keep going?