Making A Move

[RAYRAY]

So the tank has been great. Keep my fingers crossed. I also made a little addition after seeing the photo of the month. I had to go get one of those little guys. So I did !. He is doing awesome. BUT here is the twist! I will be moving in NOVEMBER and I am lost on what to do or even how to do it.
I seen a couple threads about moving a tank. I cant see it being to big a deal since my tank is SMALL!!! I will get some plastic containers for half my water, my live rock (which is finally changing colors) and the fish and coral. I know I should keep the rock seperated right ?? And keep the fish and coral seperated right? Should I be able to keep all my sand that is ini the tank ???
I also get to set up my sump now since I will be breaking down the main tank. So I will have the 35 main tank with a 20 gallon sump. So any suggestion let me know !!!!!!:shock:

 

[dustin_P74]

you can keep the sand if you keep it covered with water so if you leave it in your tank it will weigh it down

 

[yote]

You've pretty much got the right idea Ray.Just leave an inch or so of what over the sand and it'll be alright.
Of course the move would be a great time to get a bigger tank too.:mrgreen:

 

[ccCapt]

I would not even attempt to keep the sand "as is" when moving a tank. No matter what the depth, once you disturb it, you will be releasing all kinds of crap into the water. When I moved my tank, I only kept a few cups of the sand and the rest I THOROUGHLY washed in fresh water. Then I put it back in the tank and seeded it with the couple cups I saved.

 

[Bifferwine]

You want to separate the rock from the animals because there's a good possibility rock will shift in its container during the move, and it could easily fall on and crush an animal. So if you keep your fish in their own containers, there isn't anything to hurt them.

 

[RAYRAY]

so I should take out say 4 cups of the sand that is in there now wityh some of the water that is in the tank and then rinse the rest of the water with freah water and then put the rinsed sand in first then the 4 cups or so of the original sand ??? Then Add half of the "original" water and the rest with new saltwater.. Then add the rock again and then the fish and corals.

Yote. Trust me, If I couls start with a bigger tank I most definately would. At least now I can start up my sump and have a total of 55 gallons.

thanks everyone.

Oh I will be making the move in November. I hope it won't be to cold !!!!!!!

 

[ccCapt]

Yep...that sounds like a good plan to me.

 

[RAYRAY]

I have a couple questions about the move I will be making in November if you guys and guys could help me with.
1st ..... When I take the fish out of the main tank,(last I am thinking cause it will be the only way I catch them) should I have them in a bucket with a filter and heater so they dont stress as bad ????
2nd ..... Will I have to act as if I am getting them right from the store?? Meaning do I have to aclimate them again to the tank when I set it up ?

3rd .... I broke down my 20 gallon freshwater tank so I can make it a sump/fuge. Will acrilic dividers be ok with the glass tank ???? And I am not sure about the return pump I should ge because I will be only pumping about 3 or feet up to the main tank ??

4th.... unfortunatley my sump will be in view most likely next to the main tank, So i want everything to look clean. should I use all pvc for the plumbing from the main tank to the sump and back up to the main tank.

Thanks everyone.

 

[yote]

#1-Depending on how far your moving and the estimated time they will be in the bucket.I think they would be fine with just the water for a while.Just be sure to move the tank last and set it back up first.
#2-As long as the temp and salinity of the bucket match the tank,I think you wont have to worry about acclimating them.
#3-Acrylic will work fine for dividers in a glass tank.Thats what I used when I converted my 30 into a sump.I'd go with something like a mag 5 for the return pump.
#4-I'd call that a personal choice.I used the clear vinyl tubing on mine.To me,its not hardly as noticable as PVC.

 

[RAYRAY]

hey yote, if you could ??? CAn you send me a photo of your sump. I have an idea on how to make it but photos always help. If you can Buddy !!!

I am moving like 5 minutes away. And I was going to keep about 10 gallons of the water in the tank to put back in the tank when I move it. I was going to use Natural Salwater from the LFS to replace the rest.
I was going to put the fish in a 5 gallon bucket with about 3 gallons in it. Put the mushroom in another container with about a gallon and the rest in a container with the live rock. That way I have 10 gallons to put in the tank to start it back up with

 

[yote]

Let em load to the computer.Not that good a quality,being as I took em with my phone.

 

[yote]

This one you kinda see the baffles:

Both skimmers and the only PVC on the sump:

Return section with mag 5 pump.3/4 tubing back to tank.:

 

[yote]

Its a ghetto set up.But it works.Of course it'll all be replaced when I start my 125 somewhere around the first of the year.

 

[RAYRAY]

thanks yote gives me an idea now. Looks like I have to save about 200.00 to make the sump/fuge workable. That includes the overflow box, mag 5 pump, live sand , pcv pipes and ball joints and acrilic for the dividers. I hope I can come up with it before the move or I'm screwed. keep your fingers crossed !!

 

[RAYRAY]

yote is your fuse in the middle ??? I thought that the return should be in the middle because you dont want the skimmer working the water into the fuse ?????? I thought the the tank should feed the skimmer section along with the fuge section and the dividers would empty into the center section for the return ???? I dont know ????

 

[yote]

Yeah Ray.I put the fuge in the middle section and have both skimmer outputs going right in the fuge.Theres still plenty of crap that gets by the skimmers.

 

[RAYRAY]

Well the move is next week and I am dreading it BAD !!!!
I have everything I need for the move except for my PCV for the plumbing wich I will get this weekend. I turned one of my kitchen cabinet tables into the new stand so that I can put the sump under the main tank. I still have to get some new water and LIVE sand also for the move and the FUGE. I feel like there is so much to do so little time !!! GRRRRRRRR!!!!!!

 

[yote]

Moving always sucks.
Why not get some dry sand and seed it with a baggie full of what you already have.Then just rinse the old out good and use it in your fuge?

 

[RAYRAY]

Yeah, I'm gonna pick up some dry sand for the main tank and seed it like you said and a couple others said. I want at least 10 lbs of new live sand to put in the fuge area too.
I move Saturday but will have until the 5th to actually get the tank moved.

 

[Alexander]

not to go against what cccapt said completely but I have moved my 180 2 times across town. emptied out all the water and left the sand as is. As long as your not running a DSB there shouldnt be any issues as far as my experience has gone (oh also moved my 80g once) I have never lost even a single form of livestock in any of my moves and one of them was in the middle of the winter. I have had the situation come up more times than i would like to ever have to do, and im in the process of buying a house now so i will be moving tanks again within a few months. try 6 guys and a 180 through a bedroom window 5 feet off the ground (snow covered) and the bedroom window having a half inch of clearance to fit my damn tank into. oh and thats exactly how its going out again in a couple months. If you have any questions I have done it so many damn times now and would be totally willing to provide as much support as i possibly can. as i attempted to do when i moved. but not many people on here have encountered the situation.