Bought a 180, 800 miles away....

[Airmotive]

After spending a few days reading many wonderful and informative posts, I invite all of you to have a field day with my first post to the forum!

A quick background on myself...my last tank was a 70 gal. fish only. This was back when the 'edgy' reef keepers were tinkering with this new thing called a Berlin system....so as you can tell it's been a while since I've had salt-stained floors.

We just recently purchased an up-and-running 180 reef. Minimally stocked with a few of the more basic critters...a couple of leathers and carpet anemonies, a few clowns a dwarf angel and gobies. (nothing that couldn't be kept in a 30 gal really). A couple hundred pounds of live rock and aragonite sand. Been up and running for 10 months according to the former owner (in whose house the tank still resides...but more on that later). The tank is sumped with a Euroreef skimmer and lit with two 6-bulb Tek Light T-5 fixtures (39 watts per bulb x 12 bulbs).

So...here's where I'm looking for my first advice. The Big Move (henceforce referred to as the BM...there's an analogy there somewhere) is in less than two weeks. Total distance: 800 miles or 14 hours. What sort of disasters are gonna befall me? Should I be trying to move as much of his water as possible? (F250 diesel pulling a horse trailer, so hauling capacity isn't a problem). What's the best way to move large volumes of water? I'll only have enough AC power to run one pump and small heater....am I facing certain disaster if I put ALL the critters into one cooler (fish and inverts) for the trip? Also note, even after I get the tank here, I've got to get it up and running quickly (the critters have got nowhere else to go). Any tips on some good time-savers? I've read numerous threads and web pages describing tank moves....but none were this large or this far. If someone can point me to a good source I'll name a hermit crab after you.

Anyway, thanks to all (in advance). And I'll keep ya posted and take lots of pics so that someone in a similar position might be able to learn from the mistakes I know I'll make.

JJ (and his very understanding fiance, Taunya)

[Reefer769]

um.... yea i guess it didnt mean nothing lol i tried, seems like reefland really nailed that one, well have fun, i hope everything works out.

[Reefland]

Hi Airmotive, Welcome to Reefland!

After spending a few days reading many wonderful and informative posts, I invite all of you to have a field day with my first post to the forum!

A quick background on myself...my last tank was a 70 gal. fish only. This was back when the 'edgy' reef keepers were tinkering with this new thing called a Berlin system....so as you can tell it's been a while since I've had salt-stained floors.

Yes, many things have changed, but many remain as well. Patience, persistence and elbow grease required to sustain a beautiful reef still remain.

We just recently purchased an up-and-running 180 reef. Minimally stocked with a few of the more basic critters...a couple of leathers and carpet anemonies, a few clowns a dwarf angel and gobies. (nothing that couldn't be kept in a 30 gal really). A couple hundred pounds of live rock and aragonite sand. Been up and running for 10 months according to the former owner (in whose house the tank still resides...but more on that later). The tank is sumped with a Euroreef skimmer and lit with two 6-bulb Tek Light T-5 fixtures (39 watts per bulb x 12 bulbs).

It sounds like a pretty nice system to start. First of all, I can't help much with the lighting on this tank since I have never owned T-5's; they are pretty new to our hobby. Obviously plenty to keep the soft corals and LPS corals, but I'm not sure if they can sustain Anemones for long term.

What other equipment comes with this tank? Is it drilled with a sump? Protein Skimmer?

So...here's where I'm looking for my first advice. The Big Move (henceforce referred to as the BM...there's an analogy there somewhere) is in less than two weeks. Total distance: 800 miles or 14 hours. What sort of disasters are gonna befall me? Should I be trying to move as much of his water as possible? (F250 diesel pulling a horse trailer, so hauling capacity isn't a problem). What's the best way to move large volumes of water?

I've moved tanks similar distances and when I did, I only lost 1 fish. I would move at least half of the water already in the tank and have the remaining volume ready at home in trash cans, already mixed and heated. Your going to loose some water regardless so if you do try to move all 180 gallons, you better get 50 gallons or so ready at home anyway. To move the water, again have plenty of large clean trash cans ready. Get yourself a couple undred feet of garden hose and a pump which will allow you to pump the water from teh tank directly into these new garbage cans. This will save a lot of hard work and travel time if you were to carry it out in 5 gallon buckets. Make sure the new trash cans are secured on the trailer so they don't turn over! Make sure to put the rock from teh tank in these cans too that way it will stay submersed underwater. It will get a bit cold but better than moving it out of water.

I'll only have enough AC power to run one pump and small heater....am I facing certain disaster if I put ALL the critters into one cooler (fish and inverts) for the trip?

No, this will be fine. And if you can put in a pump and heater, that much better!

Also note, even after I get the tank here, I've got to get it up and running quickly (the critters have got nowhere else to go). Any tips on some good time-savers? I've read numerous threads and web pages describing tank moves....but none were this large or this far. If someone can point me to a good source I'll name a hermit crab after you.

I can't point you to a source but we'll be happy to help and a crab named Reefland will be cool!

Anyway, thanks to all (in advance). And I'll keep ya posted and take lots of pics so that someone in a similar position might be able to learn from the mistakes I know I'll make.

JJ (and his very understanding fiance, Taunya)

Moving the sand bed concerns me. Obviously there will be no way to move the tank with the sand in it but you don't want to disturb the bed either. It will be a nasty mess! I would probably go with a whole new sand bed myself.

Basically, I would go in these steps:

1. Fill up the cooler with water from the tank and remove the corals, Anemones and any inverts you can.
2. Start siphoning water from the tank into your trash cans. Remove bits of liverock as these cans get full and as you remove the rock, you should be able to catch the fish and get them in the cooler too. Once you have them in the cooler, get it hooked up to a heater and powerhead.
3. Continue removing all water and rock until empty. Once empty, scoop out the top 1" or so of the sand bed and put it in the bottom of another trash can; dump the rest of it.
4. Once the tank is empty, unhook all equipment and load it for the trip.
5. Once home, clean the tank and all equipment and begin assembling.
6. Add your new dry sand bed and start adding the water from the can with the old live sand in it. Once this can is empty of water, add the live sand on top of the new dry sand.
7. Remove all the rock and get it scaped the way you want.
8. Add the rest of the old water and new water to fill the tank.
9. Get all the equipment running.
10. Once the temp is up to 80, start acclimating the animals to the new tank.
11. Once acclimated, add them and keep your fingers crossed.
12. Report back to us how it all went!

Good luck,
Scott Z.

[Poseidon]

Man way to go SCOTT!!! that is a very detailed process. And I believe you are correct in wanting to ditch the old sand!! Once you get below that top inch or so it is really a RANK SMELL!! And having water already mixed and ready to go at the destination is SO IMPORTANT!!! makes the re-assembly much quicker!!!