have 2 questions...

[Anthony357]

two questions i have for you guys, one being, i was just wondering the different ways that people do to do water changes on 55g and larger tanks? what is the easiest method that everybody thinks? because this is an ongoing task everybody has to do, just was wondering how everybody else does it??

and also, when it comes time for moving this thing, its going to be hard, any techniques as to how the best way to move a 55g tank would be???

[Bifferwine]

I do 10% water changes on my 300 gallon system, which is 30 gallons per water change.

I make up the water ahead of time in a 30 gallon rubbermaid trash can. I usually make it up to a week ahead of time, and I have a powerhead running in it to keep it circulating. Before I do the water change, I make sure the salinity and pH are spot on. I don't use a heater in the trash can, and the water is usually within 5 degrees of my tank water anyways. But for people who don't live in a climate like Arizona, it's best to have a heater as well as a powerhead running to keep the temp in the right range also.

Then I have a submersible pump hooked up to vinyl tubing that I put in the tank. The vinyl tubing goes to the sink, and I turn the pump on, and that pumps water from my tank to the sink. When I get to the correct level, I move the pump into the new water and the vinyl tubing into the tank, and that moves the new water into the tank.

For a 30 gallon water change using a pump, it takes me less than 15 minutes to do the whole thing.

Oh, and I turn off all the powerheads and the return pump before the water change too, so they don't run dry.

Moving a 55 gallon tank is easy. If you are even mildly strong, you can move it all by yourself. I can't lift my 55 gallon tank by myself and be stable, but I have an exhusband, a friend's husband, and my current fiance that have all moved my 55 gallon up and down stairs all by themselves. They just put it under one arm and moved it. Two people will be able to move it with no problem. Hell, it only took two people to carry my 240.

[Anthony357]

yea, the glass itself is ok to do for just me, but i was wondering do you think its best to remove everything in the tank and store it separately, ie rocks, fish, anemones, sand...?

[UnderwaterWorld]

I would remove everything except the sand and enough water to keep it submerged, that's just me.

[Bifferwine]

Ohh I didn't realize it had stuff in it. Sorry.

Buy yourself a few styrofoam coolers from Walmart and you'll want to move your live rock and animals into the coolers. Try to save as much of the water as possible, and the styrofoam will keep them insulated so the temp doesn't change too drastically. Your sand will be fine in the bottom of the tank, but I wouldn't try to move it with anything but the sand still in it.

[Ironman]

I agree with biff, get all rock out of the tank at a minimum, I usually leave my fish in the tank with alittle water left in the tank, I feel netting fish is as stressful as moving the tank around with them in it, but if you are going to be moving it alot or shaking it up I would remove the fish as well. you want as little weight in the tank as possible, these tanks are held together with silicone so you dont want to much stress on the joints.
as for water changes, The more often you are willing to change water the better your reef will be, you just need to adjust the amount of water you change on how often you change it. I think I would try to change 20 gallons a month, so maybe change 10 gallons every other week. Like biff said a 30 gallon brute trash can from lowes is nice and sturdy, and you can even buy a roller cart made for it so you can wheel it around if you need to. good luck

[Reefgyrl]

When I moved my 55 a year ago I left the sand in it and was very careful not to slosh it around. I went to wally world and bought some totes for the live rock and corals. I set it up the next day and everything was fine except for my six line wrasse. It was in the winter too. I put the totes in my small bathroom and shut the door to keep everything warm. Like everyone said, make sure you keep enough water on your sand to keep the sand bed alive.
Good Luck.

[Doc]

for water changes, I fill a 5 gallon bucket with RO water and dump in my salt. I have done so many changes over the years, I just know how much salt to add with a plastic cup I keep in my salt bucket. I swirl the salt around in the bucket for a minute or so with my hand and leave it there as I drain out the same amount from the tank using a siphon into a different 5 gallon bucket. I use Oceanic salt, which instantly dissolves so I don't have to wait for it to mix forever. I take out the old and dump in the new. Takes about 5 minutes for my 90 gallon. I usually add a touch of Alk just to make sure it stays about 12.0. I also add a touch of calcium to keep my levels about 550.

As for moving the tank, move the fish in one tub, rocks, wet, but not full of water, in a second tub and the corals (submerged) in a third. If you put a rock in with the fish, it can toss around in the tub and hurt the fish. Keep about an inch of water in the bottom of the tank, covering the sand you need to keep in there. Once I move the tank, I put a heater and powerhead in the tub with the fish to make sure they keep warm and oxygenated. With the sand and inch of water left in the tank means two people to move it. Good luck.

-Doc

[fatman]

I would love to see the arms on the guys that move one of my tanks with the sand still in it and wet to boot. My tanks all have at least 400 pounds of sand in them and that is dry weight. It would be nice to know how much sand is in the tank before making suggestions. He might have a 6 inch deep sand bed. However a 55 gallon tank empty only weighs 78 pounds if it is an AGA tank. That is probably about an average weight for all mass produced tanks. If it is a shallow sand bed it really will not matter much if it is disturbed so why worry about leaving it in the tank. Even a shallow bed is usually at least 60 to 90 pounds or more of sand weight when dry. It could just be that I am old because I no longer abuse my back when there is no good reason to do so, like I did when younger. I do not know if the stress of catching the fish in containers, never nets, would be any more stressful then leaving them in a tank with just a littlewater, but I know water is heavy, and adds up at about 30 pounds per inch of depth in a 55 gallon tank. Tank, sand and some water, plus try not to slosh and stress thefish. Not with my back, thank you. I buy foam shipping containers cheaply from LFS 's, and use them a lot. I move all tanks empty.

[Reefgyrl]

Yes, I must say it was not fun moving my 55 with the sand, but we were able to back up to the front door and only had to move it about 12 feet to the van. Luckily at the time I only had about 3 inches of sand.