tank move

lowbudget

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#1
going to upgrade, any suggestion on how to move everything from one tank to new tank without killing anything
 
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#2
slowly....put everything in a 100 gallon tub...then put new sand with some seed sand into your new tank...
then i would put corals in one by one...
i would make this a weeks process..
remember it might just cycle....
 

kingrb

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#5
some type of container to hold your coral and fish with power head to keep the water flowing while you make the move.

No big deal.
Fish and coral get shipped over night in a plastic bag and still live. sure stress but not much of a concern.
 
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#6
IMO doing it slow is better for the corals, but that’s if you have time and the extra equipment to do this.

New tank VS holding tank = same problem the bio load changes and both will cycle one way or a another.

Now if you have the time and equipment, a holding tank would be good. This would hold your corals safely while you are rearranging and setting up your rock work and adding new sand.


I have done it both ways and had no problems. I have a lot of sps, lps zoes, and large fish. Now that not to say I have lost things in the past on my first move and I have moved over 100+ tanks. This is a hobby for me and I am not trying to step on any ones feet. I have done stupid things but I have learned what to do and what not to do. My best advice to you is

1 put your coral in bucks or holding tank in side the house where the temp steady.
2 don’t disturb the sand bed in your old tank big NO NO.
3 empty all you water to the lowest point you can before you move your base rock. that way you are not disturbing your sand bed and contaminating your water.
2 the last bit of water at the bottom of your old tank do not reuse.

There might be other ways to moving a tank. But this is the general guideline I use and I have had no problems. I hope this helps
 
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#8
Can it be done in 1 day? Yes, is it better to spread it over a week or so? Yes

When I moved from my 55g to my 120 the 120g was going in the same exact spot as the 55g. I went to Home Depot and bought 3 big Brute trash cans and used 2 to hold all my tanks water and 1 to hold all the rock. I then bought small brute containers and used them to store the fish and coral. I then moved the 55g out of the way and then put the water, fish and the coral back in the tank. I kept the LR in the brute till I got the 120g setup.

I then setup the 120, put the rock and sand in it and let it sit for a week and SLOWLY started adding things. I spread it out over 3 weeks and then took down the 55g. I did not loose 1 thing.

Ohh and when I was done I returned everything to Home Depot for a refund :)
 
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lowbudget

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#9
thanks for the tip. the tank is going next to the old tank so i will hve time, im gonna just have to make a lot of salt water.
 

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