[Future]

If this is in the wrong section, I apologize.


Tomorrow I might be the proud new owner of a fully stocked setup. Tank, Stand, Fish, corals, etc... Might because I have to wait until I'm off work to see if it's still available.

How should I go about moving this properly? The distance will be roughly 10 miles, and I don't want to end up with the tank cycling all over again and losing corals.

I know about keeping substrate wet, saving most of the water for the bacteria, etc... It's basically the corals I'll be getting that is my biggest concern. From what I seen there will be quite a few assorted corals as well.

Thanks for any/all advice.

[Bullet]

I have moved sps corals roughly sixty miles in big ziplock bags full of tank water and put them in a cheapo 3 dollar styrofoam cooler. That way the temp somewhat stays stable. Then I acclimated them to my tank without any problems.

[Future]

ZIPLOCKS!!
Sounds like a great idea. Just about the same way you get them from the LFS's, and here I was thinking something like a giant plastic container holding them all at 1 time.

I don't have Styrofoam containers, but I do have a good size cooler that does the same thing. It's basically plastic over the foam.

Thanks, great idea!

OK I have
Coral = ziplock bags in a cooler
LR = Rubbermaid container
Water & Media - 5gal buckets w/ lids

Sand/substrate.. How about this? I don't want to put too much stress on the seams, any suggestions here?

[Bullet]

You could put the sand in those heavy duty black trash bags and make sure it stays nice and wet, I'm sure it would be easy enough that way!

[Future]

Yeah, I just don't want to make a mess in the guys house. There will be water spillage obviously, but ya gotta be cool about the whole thing too. I may just leave like an inch of water over the substrate level. It will be a fairly quick drive

[Poseidon]

I would replace the sand... Once you get below the first INCH you will SMELL why. Plus moving a tank with sand in it is a bad idea, unless you build a platform for it to ride on while carrying it.

[Future]

Originally Posted by Poseidon

I would replace the sand... Once you get below the first INCH you will SMELL why. Plus moving a tank with sand in it is a bad idea, unless you build a platform for it to ride on while carrying it.

Yes, there will definitely be a sheet of 1/4" plywood and a 4 wheel dolly involved. What I was thinking of was to leave the sand in there, then leave the water level above that by an inch or so.
Trying to figure it so the tank doesn't re-cycle or anything, even though a mini cycle may happen no matter what when the water is placed back in. At that point it turns into refilling w/o stirring the sand bed too much.

I may just either sell off the coral or take it to the LFS for some kind of store credits. I don't think it would last too long in my 36. Then again with the new T5 lighting I've got on the way it might.

[Future]

Thanks for the advise guys, but after doing some thinking and talking w/ the better half I think I'm going to pass on taking the setup.

I'd love to get it, but I just know something will go wrong. The tank will probably cycle on me and the corals will just die. The guy said it was professionally maintained so that just tells me that I wouldn't be able to go from where I am now to a full blown system. I'd be skipping the "learning factor" and things would just go downhill.

If anyone is in my neck of the woods I'll give ya the info if interested. He's not looking for much at all. In fact his Orbit lighting is probably worth what he's looking to get.

[Poseidon]

That may be a good decision, the learning part is very important, as is forming habits of making water changes and other routine tasks. When you are new you don't have that internal clock that says it is time for a WC, or time to clean the skimmer, or time to change the carbon, etc...