moving a 55 gallon tank

erbs · 02-10-2002, 10:05 AM

any suggestion on how to move the 55 gallon reef tank from one state to another. thanks for the input/....

**drlowz** · 02-10-2002, 10:42 AM

How far is the move and do you plan to empty any water at all? I would recommend 5 gallon buckets with lids to put your live stock in and also that way you can keep your water.

nucleuscracker · 02-10-2002, 11:17 AM

i agree. I had to move my tank from one room to another - I used 5 gallon buckets with lids - had no problems...

FishDaddy · 02-11-2002, 03:47 PM

erbs,
This page has a good collection of most tips on tank moving:
http://saltaquarium.miningco.com/cs/movingvac/

You definitely want to remove all water from the tank....even relatively small quantities sloshing can cause a tank failure, especially since the tank will not be level.

5 gallon buckets are a good size for ease of lifting and transport. Rubbermaid tubs are excellent. Use your tank water for transporting the fish and corals.

Oxygenation and temperature are critical. You can use the battery powered live well aerators with an airline and airstone, available at most any Wal-Mart or fishing tackle supply, to keep oxygen in the water.

Temperature can be a real problem, especially if moving in an unheated truck. Styrofoam coolers can be a big help. Heat packs, like MO suppliers use, will help too. If you can, check the weather forecast and pick the least cold day!

Good luck with the move.
Dick

popcorn · 02-11-2002, 04:57 PM

How far are you moving? We moved a 90gal 200 miles. It wasn't fun, but the 5 gallon buckets with lids are right on. Since we have a flatworm "issue," the water got fouled really quickly, but use the water you have. Also, invest in coolers for your lifestock, and battery-powered air pumps. (These saved our tank in a recent power outage. Good to have.)

Things we did that helped us:
1. Move all your stuff on a different day. We moved everything else, and went back for the tank a couple of days later. It is a tiring process, and you will want to be able to concentrate on the tank and not worry about other stuff.

2. Have new saltwater made up beforehand and already there. (considing the flatworm deaths, we pitched most of the water. Otherwise, try to save it.)

3. Plan out exactly where you want it. If you want to squeeze that bigger sump in, now is the time. (We didn't, and regret it.)

Good luck.

**Poseidon** · 02-11-2002, 06:58 PM

5 Gallon Buckets are certainly easy but I chose the Rubbermaid Tubs... Actually 2 32 Gallon trash cans, Cleaned them out well with lots of fresh water and moved about 50 % of my existing water from 1 house to the next ... I too moved all my furniture 1 day and the tank the next. Sometime your moving buddys get over anxious so I would do the tank move with only 1 or 2 other people not the normal pizza and beer moving party....

orion25 · 02-12-2002, 06:45 PM

I had the movers move all of the LR in buckets with tank water. I took all the Livestock with me in a large cooler to help stabilize the temp. I had to ask nicely to get them to move the water and rock filled buckets but I drive an Accord and was moving 450 miles. When I got to the new house, about three days before my stuff, I put a heater and powerhead in the cooler. I also mixed up about 20 gallons of water in a trash can. My tank stuff arrived and I set the tank up first. Let it run for a few hours so the sand bed would settle. And then acclimated the fish and coral just like any other new livestock.

Everything worked out and I did not lose any animals.

Ryan

SomeHairyOldGuy · 02-12-2002, 10:05 PM

I moved my tank from Tulsa Okla to Chicago. Think this around 800 miles door to door. I used 2 5 gallon buckets and 4 rubermaid tub containers that I got at walmart for $3.98 each. Used tank water in ever thing. Put 150 lbs LR in the 4 rubber maid containers and fish and corals in the 5 gal buckets. Loaded up tank in back of pickup with enough water to keep the 4" sand bed wet. Then drove my arse off to Chicago.

Arrived in Chicago...got someone to help me unload the tank and put everything back in over the course of around 3 hours. I took one of my low GPH power heads to a LFS and had them fix me up with a hose on to it. I went back home and put the PH in the rubber maid tub and plugged it in. Sucked all the water out and into the tank with out making a big ol mess of the substrate, all the while adding the LR back into the tank at the same time. Hope this can be of some help.
SHOG

02-10-2002, 10:05 AM	#1
erbs Just Moved In Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: kalamazoo, MI Posts: 6	moving a 55 gallon tank any suggestion on how to move the 55 gallon reef tank from one state to another. thanks for the input/....

02-10-2002, 10:42 AM	#2
drlowz Moderator Join Date: Nov 2000 Location: Bardstown, Ky. Posts: 481	How far is the move and do you plan to empty any water at all? I would recommend 5 gallon buckets with lids to put your live stock in and also that way you can keep your water. __________________ Are you interested in lowriders or cars in general? UnitedRidaZ.org your automotive forums.

02-10-2002, 11:17 AM	#3
nucleuscracker Mayor Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: MI Posts: 589	i agree. I had to move my tank from one room to another - I used 5 gallon buckets with lids - had no problems... __________________ Why put off today what you can ignore tomorrow?

02-11-2002, 03:47 PM	#4
FishDaddy Just Moved In Join Date: May 2000 Location: Tennessee, USA Posts: 31	erbs, This page has a good collection of most tips on tank moving: http://saltaquarium.miningco.com/cs/movingvac/ You definitely want to remove all water from the tank....even relatively small quantities sloshing can cause a tank failure, especially since the tank will not be level. 5 gallon buckets are a good size for ease of lifting and transport. Rubbermaid tubs are excellent. Use your tank water for transporting the fish and corals. Oxygenation and temperature are critical. You can use the battery powered live well aerators with an airline and airstone, available at most any Wal-Mart or fishing tackle supply, to keep oxygen in the water. Temperature can be a real problem, especially if moving in an unheated truck. Styrofoam coolers can be a big help. Heat packs, like MO suppliers use, will help too. If you can, check the weather forecast and pick the least cold day! Good luck with the move. Dick __________________ http://www.thereeftank.com/ The Reef Tank

02-12-2002, 06:45 PM	#7
orion25 Council Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: Huntsville, AL, USA Posts: 383	I had the movers move all of the LR in buckets with tank water. I took all the Livestock with me in a large cooler to help stabilize the temp. I had to ask nicely to get them to move the water and rock filled buckets but I drive an Accord and was moving 450 miles. When I got to the new house, about three days before my stuff, I put a heater and powerhead in the cooler. I also mixed up about 20 gallons of water in a trash can. My tank stuff arrived and I set the tank up first. Let it run for a few hours so the sand bed would settle. And then acclimated the fish and coral just like any other new livestock. Everything worked out and I did not lose any animals. Ryan __________________ Don't sweat the petty things and don't pet the sweaty things.

02-11-2002, 04:57 PM	#5
popcorn Citizen Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Lenexa, KS USA Posts: 191	How far are you moving? We moved a 90gal 200 miles. It wasn't fun, but the 5 gallon buckets with lids are right on. Since we have a flatworm "issue," the water got fouled really quickly, but use the water you have. Also, invest in coolers for your lifestock, and battery-powered air pumps. (These saved our tank in a recent power outage. Good to have.) Things we did that helped us: 1. Move all your stuff on a different day. We moved everything else, and went back for the tank a couple of days later. It is a tiring process, and you will want to be able to concentrate on the tank and not worry about other stuff. 2. Have new saltwater made up beforehand and already there. (considing the flatworm deaths, we pitched most of the water. Otherwise, try to save it.) 3. Plan out exactly where you want it. If you want to squeeze that bigger sump in, now is the time. (We didn't, and regret it.) Good luck.

02-11-2002, 06:58 PM	#6
Poseidon Moderator Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: Swartz Creek, MI Posts: 6,363	5 Gallon Buckets are certainly easy but I chose the Rubbermaid Tubs... Actually 2 32 Gallon trash cans, Cleaned them out well with lots of fresh water and moved about 50 % of my existing water from 1 house to the next ... I too moved all my furniture 1 day and the tank the next. Sometime your moving buddys get over anxious so I would do the tank move with only 1 or 2 other people not the normal pizza and beer moving party....

02-12-2002, 10:05 PM	#8
SomeHairyOldGuy Mayor Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: OU Posts: 736	I moved my tank from Tulsa Okla to Chicago. Think this around 800 miles door to door. I used 2 5 gallon buckets and 4 rubermaid tub containers that I got at walmart for $3.98 each. Used tank water in ever thing. Put 150 lbs LR in the 4 rubber maid containers and fish and corals in the 5 gal buckets. Loaded up tank in back of pickup with enough water to keep the 4" sand bed wet. Then drove my arse off to Chicago. Arrived in Chicago...got someone to help me unload the tank and put everything back in over the course of around 3 hours. I took one of my low GPH power heads to a LFS and had them fix me up with a hose on to it. I went back home and put the PH in the rubber maid tub and plugged it in. Sucked all the water out and into the tank with out making a big ol mess of the substrate, all the while adding the LR back into the tank at the same time. Hope this can be of some help. SHOG __________________ BOOMER SOONER!!!!

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