This sounds like the perfect excuse to get the system you've always
wanted!

Last month I tore down a 180 gallon reef and moved it from Florida to
Virginia. Your move should be much easier because you have the option
of having another tank up and running at your destination. I posted
the details of my move at reefland.com he

http://www.reefland.com/forum/showthread.php?t=12150

Definitely get the other tank and get it set up as early as possible.
At the very least, move a few pieces of live rock and some sand over
to the new system....or better yet, buy a couple bags of live sand to
mix with your new DSB. You can't get the tank fully cycled, but you
can get it well on its way. A bag of nitra-zorb in that filter might
help here. Anything to get the critters over that nitrite spike that
will most certainly happen.

Getting rid of the UGF is a brilliant idea. It's a nitrate factory.
Great for fish (and algae)...icky for inverts.

Have as much pre-mixed seawater, pre-heated and aged, standing by at
the new location. You should be able to cushion the impending cycle
with daily water changes and careful monitoring. Yes, this will drag
out the cycling process, but that's the price we pay when moving an
established tank.

On moving day, move as much of the old water as possible into the new
tank. This will reduce the stress on the critters and minimize
potential salinity/chemistry mistakes.

Hope this helps!
Good luck
JJ


Phloater wrote in message ...
It looks like in a few months I maybe moving and have some questions to
ask about moving a tank.
First off, the tank is a 45 gallon reef tank with various zoolanthus
polyps, green star polyps, and a few pieces of cabbage leather coral.
There are various snails and blue/red legged crabs, emerald green crabs,
brown serpent star, yellow tang, clarki clown... Ok so you get the picture.
The filtration for the tank is a UGF (yes), and an Aqua C Remora Pro. I
have an old biowheel filter that I use for carbon but does not have the
bio wheels or any other filtration thing on them. It also is used for
additional surface movement for the tank.
I hope I covered all the bases... Now when I move I was thinking about
purchasing another 45 gallon tank and setting it up ahead of time and
doing a DSB and getting rid of the UGF all the way. Would this be a
good idea? I would hopefully set up the tank probably a week before I
was moving in and maybe take a few smaller pieces of live rock and stick
it in the tank, then move everything a week later. Is the tank going to
cycle and kill everything? I hope this is not too confusing but I want
to be on top of everything when I move so this will be as painless as
possible. Any recommendations or even directions to web sites would be
greatly appreciated!!!! T

Thanks!!!

Dave