magnus1 Posted March 27, 2005 Report Share Posted March 27, 2005 Hi, My friend is moving house & has fairly large reef tank (with fish). What is the safest way to move it? Thanks. Michelle Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lduncan Posted March 27, 2005 Report Share Posted March 27, 2005 Buy another tank. (I'm serious). It took me 3 days to move my 6 foot tank 15 min down the road. It is not a fun experience. I bought a 4'x2' tank to use as a "holding" tank while I moved the other tank. What size tank are they moving? Layton Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
magnus1 Posted March 27, 2005 Author Report Share Posted March 27, 2005 Really? Buggar. I'm not sure they could afford another tank. I think its 4-5 feet. We purchased a 5 foot tank a few months ago & transferred about 50-60% of the established water in it in big rubbish bins (along with the fish) to make the move easier on the fish. But they were tropical & I'd imagine live corals etc. would be more sensitive to change. Hmm... any other suggestions? Thanks. Michelle Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brianemone Posted March 27, 2005 Report Share Posted March 27, 2005 its really the same idea but youve got all the coral as well which are often alot more sensative than fish. another tank as lduncan said would make it alot easier but its still doable without one. trick is to keep as much as you can of the water and to keep the rocks damp/wet and o do it all as fast as you can. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duke Posted March 27, 2005 Report Share Posted March 27, 2005 yes please... I'm moving late Nov..... so I'm rather interested. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lduncan Posted March 27, 2005 Report Share Posted March 27, 2005 Personally, I'd be more worried about the fish than the corals. Despite what people say corals are very hardy, even acros move no problems. Fish are more difficult, they tend to get white spot just after a big move. I'd be trying to keep at least 50% of the tank water. It really depends on how many corals you have, I had at least 40 - 50 pieces plus 20 or so fish. I would not have even considered moving it without a temporary tank setup and running at the new location. Layton Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lduncan Posted March 27, 2005 Report Share Posted March 27, 2005 Also it's expensive to move tanks. Cost me about $1000 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caryl Posted March 27, 2005 Report Share Posted March 27, 2005 Do you have someone you could borrow a tank from? Or a friendly lfs with a sapre to borrow, or hire? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jetskisteve Posted March 27, 2005 Report Share Posted March 27, 2005 Do what I'm doing.... sell as much as poss out of the tank b4 the move Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fay Posted March 27, 2005 Report Share Posted March 27, 2005 When we upgraded into the same spot we used large chilly bins and bought large plastic bins with lids from plastic shop. chillly bins can be expensive but we already had five maybe you could borrow some. We used the bath also Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drifty Posted March 27, 2005 Report Share Posted March 27, 2005 i moved my tank twice in the last 6 months, only about 10 fish and soft corals only though. I brought 6 50l rubbish bins and 10 20 plastic buckets with lids and got a few poly bins from the local fish store. Let just say the second time i moved was a lot easier than the first and went a lot smoother Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
magnus1 Posted March 27, 2005 Author Report Share Posted March 27, 2005 Thanks for all the advice everyone. lduncan: How do you mean it was expensive to move? What were the costs? Also, when you used a 2nd tank, did you use all new water or use 50% of old water? What was the order, i.e. move water, then corals, finally fish? Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lduncan Posted March 27, 2005 Report Share Posted March 27, 2005 $600+ tank and about $300 in salt poly boxes and bags plus three days of hands in saltwater, burns from halide bulbs, and a sting from a fire coral. I lost two fish (flame angel, and a green chromis) and a couple of corals started rtn'ing, but managed to save part of them. Never again!! I started by filling the 2nd tank half full of new water. Then moved the live rock along with some of the existing tank water into it. Then the corals, then the fish. The I moved the main tank, setup lights sump skimmer etc. and filled it half full with new water. Then moved the rock corals and fish from the second tank into the main tank, transferring all of the water with them. Layton Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pies Posted March 27, 2005 Report Share Posted March 27, 2005 Details about my move are somewhere on this site. It cost me a fortune, my mates labour bills required a BBQ and much beer. Also lost 2 fish (pixy hawkfish, 6line wrasse) and numerous corals including helofungi, several acropora, montipora and some other small frags that were litteraly lost. NEVER again. Pie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dan_from_nz Posted March 28, 2005 Report Share Posted March 28, 2005 Boy so many never agains I think next time I move I will upgrade at the same time just to justify the hassel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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