[Salt-Reefer]

Hi All:

I'm going to be moving my 100gal reef at the end of the month and I'm not sure on the best way to do it.

I have a DSB in it which is around 1-2 hundred pounds. How do I move the tank? do I need to take the sand out some how? Will the tank support the weight if I leave all the sand in it and just enough water to barly cover the sand?

The rock and water is going and to rubbermaid containers and trashcans (new of course). The fish are going into a rubbermaid containers and corals in another bagged up. The trip it self will be around 1-2 hrs and of course breakdown and setup time will add who knows how much.

Any advise or suggestion would be great!

[Reefland]

I moved my tank from CT to KY, about 15 hrs/850 miles. Knowing what I know now, I would try to find Live Stock shipping containers (with the styrofoam box inside) and bag up all of the animals, just as I was going to ship them to someone. Since I moved in March, I should have even used heat packs. However, I moved all of mine just as you are planning. I used bags, and 5 gallon buckets inside of the cab of the moving van with the heat full blast......for 15hrs. The water got very cold but the only thing I lost were my green stars and a false perc.

I think you will be fine for 2 hrs so long as you take it down just before leaving and set it up as soon as you get there. Be prepared to add a lot of new water. The water your rock and sand are in will get pretty nasty.

To be on the safe side, you may want to remove the sand during the move. Sand and the little bit of water is quite heavy and will add stress to the seems of the tank. Make sure to wrap the tank in some type of protecting material like a blanket.

Scott

[Green Mariner]

SR, There is a FAQ for this on my site, I found it very helpful when moving my reef tank. It can be found on the FAQs page!!

HTH

[Salt-Reefer]

All:

Whats the best way to remove the sand? From what I've read its not good to disturb a Live DSB but being that I'll have to take it out and put it in buckets and containers I'll have shovel it out somehow and put it all in a few containers(I'm sure it will all get mixed at that point) and trying to put it back in the tank the same as it was will be impossible...

Will my Live Sand then become DEAD because of all the worms and stuff that will probley die? Will they die?

[Reefland]

Yeah you will loose some of the life in your sand bed. Will it completely die? I don't think so. Be prepared to do plenty of water changes to conteract any negative swings.

Your understanding of disturbing the sand bed is correct. In this case you only have two options. Take it out or take a chance keeping it in.

Scott

[organicreefer]

i moved a 100 gallon tank about 80 miles just a couple weeks ago and left three inches of sand in the tank...no problems.keep in mind that any tank manufacturer would say never move a tank an inch with more than 2 inches of water in it,so it is /was a risk(that id probably take again )if you take it out die off should be minimal and whatever lives will reproduce to the point of the old balance.remember its not like youre bed has been continually growing more full of life that youre going to lose the bed will reach the same balance with the tank load as it had before the move in no time(probly a month or two)

[Salt-Reefer]

All:

Thanks for the input all!

I will let you all know after the move how it went (Crossing my fingers) It will be at the end of the month....