[Roxy]

I know this question has come up serveral times but must ask it
I am moving from up north to down south. My fish tank is 55 gls and i have coral and fish. How do i break tank down ? To move to my destination?
Please help

[vtec si]

How far is the move?

[Samper]

Here is a link that shows timelapse video of a 500 gallon tear down.

YouTube - Timelapse of moving a 500 Gal Reef Aquarium Piece by piece

[Roxy]

Vtec i am moving from mass, to florida and i will be driving the whol way

[vtec si]

That is a long move!? If it was me I would sell all live stock and get new when you set back up in FL. You will be able to get new stuff and more stuff being that your in Florida. What part of florida are you moving to. Some of us here have connection in Florida. I lived in St. Augustine and before that Melbourne and if I remember corectly Scubadude and schrocat lives in Fl.

Just my opinoin
Martin

[Roxy]

Thanks vtec for replying
I am moving to orlando...it is so hard to part with my live stock mostly my corals is it possble to transport in totes?

[vtec si]

With battery powered air pumps it is possible. It will be hard to maintain Ph and temp. I would bag everything and box it so there would be less sloshing. However this will only work I think if they are bagged for no more than 24 hours. Anything more than that could be fatal to the corals. I don't know if its worth the health of the coral to transport them that long on a road trip! There has to be someone else here that can chime in with some ideas!?

Sorry I can't be more of a help,
Martin

[Roxy]

don't worry i am glad that you replied there are lots to think about. there must be someone who transport thier live stock. It would be exactly 24 hours but then i would have to set up right away. I wondered if the fish store can help too how do they get their live stock? i know when i ordered on line it was not close by. think i have to do a lot of foot work on this one. If someone else can help it would be appriecated thanks Martin
Toni

[Minh Nguyen]

What is your tank like? Sand bed? How much rock?
It is such a long distance move, it will be difficult.
Moving the sand bed is out of the question, don't do it. Just set up a new one.
You need to sell/give away as much as you can and only keep the ones that is essential that you cannot part with. Keep in mind that you may loose them in the move.
It is best to arrange with reefer/LFS to board some of your animal for you. Move, set up the tank then put them back in once the tank is stable.
You can also move a 55 g tank with rock and all but no sand (don't move with the rock in the tank or you will break a glass tank). Keep enough water to set up the tank when you get there, and keep LR submerse all the way. Get plastic container with lid (old salt container, rubber maid, whatever). This way you will have a minimal cycle and hardier fish and coral will do OK. Remember to aerated all the containers, liverock, fish and corals.

There are lots of reefer in Orlando. Try to get in tough with some there who can help. You can also find some LFS in Orlando that may board your fish and coral for you for 2-4 weeks.

[Roxy]

Thanks Minh i will look into this...you have help me decide what i need to do

[vtec si]

So whart are you going to do?

[Samper]

I've moved a few aquariums around the rubbermaids are a big help. A power inverter for the vehicle will help but you may have to manually stir the rubbermaids hourly or so. It's important to pack the rocks so that they don't move too much and break your colonies although I'm sure you will break some and I hate to say it but a move that far in this heat ....expect some losses.
I wouldn't move your sandbed...start it over when you get there. Don't fill the rubbermaids too full so that you don't slosh too much water out. You may have to keep coolers of ice and ziplock bags so that you can float them in the rubbermaids if the temp gets too high. You will want to take as much water as you can but make sure you have change water ready to top off the system once you set it back up.

[Samper]

I agree with Minh...the best solution for you might be to have a friend hold your livestock and then overnight it to you once your set back up and your mini cycle has blown over. Also on RC there is an orlando reef club...you may want to message them and make an introduction. They might come out and help you.

[Roxy]

A lot of good idea i have to deeply consider my optlons but i don't have a sand bed i have crush coal should i get rid of it? do you have a web address for orlando ?

[Minh Nguyen]

Originally Posted by Roxy

A lot of good idea i have to deeply consider my optlons but i don't have a sand bed i have crush coal should i get rid of it? do you have a web address for orlando ?

You should consider crush coral the same as sand bed and should not move it. Just set up a new one.
Here is the Orlando reef club website on Reefcentral
Reef Central Online Community - Orlando Reef Caretakers Association (ORCA)

[Roxy]

WOW Minh can you tell me what happens to the sand&coral bed if you move it? i hope you do not deny me this info ? The more I will know, the more i would know what to do. Thanks for the address i will check it out thanks again

[Minh Nguyen]

After many tanks, a few disaster and resetting up of tanks, I come to the believe that a disturbed sand bed is not a good thing. If you ever move/remove a establish sand bed, you find that there is a huge amount of nutrient in it. Every time, I set up a tank with an old sand bed, it just never do well and it cycle for a long time. I find that using a new sand bed give the tank a trouble free start. I do try to seed the sand bed with a variety of organism, but most of the sand is new sand.
I am about to set up two new tank in the next six months or so. My new tank will have a deep sand bed but not in the display area but in smaller tanks connect to the system with lots of water flow over it. I will remove 1/2 of the sand bed every few years and replace it with new sand.
I have been trying to use this crushed limestone I got from Home Depo. I have no problem with it at all. It is really cheap. 5.00 for 40 lbs bag.