Moving A Reef Tank

[TBLightningFan]

I am getting a tank from a co-worker for a steal. $600 for the whole thing, lighting, 140 pounds of LR, sump, corals (mushroom, leather, pulsating xenia), bubble anemone, and one tomato clown. It is a very nice tank that needs very little work.

The problem is that I need to move it. I have never kept corals and an anemone and need tips on how to move everything. Can corals leave the water for a quick transfer? Can the anemone?

I was thinking on getting a bunch of plastic tubs and submerging the rock in those for the move. I have no clue on handling the sand.

How should I go about moving this setup.

 

[@ombomb]

The sand it the least of your worries, just put it all in a bucket with enough water to keep it damp, just make sure you take as much out of the tank as possible to put less stress on the glass.

Most corals are fine with a couple of seconds out of the water, but an anemone is kept submerged at all times.

When I moved I bagged all the fish / coral, put the rock / sump contents in a couple of plastic tubs with water in (just be careful you don't overfill and make it impossible to lift) and carried as much water as possible in large plastic water containers. I left all the rock /coral / fish in the largest plastic container I could find for about 24 hours while a set up the plumbing of the actual tank and it worked very well, lost 1 coral a couple of weeks later (not really related to the move though i think) and no livestock.

 

[TBLightningFan]

If the coral is attached to the rock how do you move it? I am under the impression that coral is super delicate and difficult to handle. From what it sounds like is that its sensitive but can be physically moved.

I guess I have lots to learn about coral! I just know about the lighting and water flow. I never got around to actually owning any.

 

[ox5477]

Hey TB, been ahile huh?

I would just move the coral and the rock its attached to together. Trying to remove the coral from the rock might cause too much damage and stress to the coral to be worth it.

What sized tank is this? With 140lbs of lr, I would assume atleast 100 to 125G? Nice sized reef for $600.

Hope all things go well with the move

Ox

 

[TBLightningFan]

Hey TB, been ahile huh?

I would just move the coral and the rock its attached to together. Trying to remove the coral from the rock might cause too much damage and stress to the coral to be worth it.

What sized tank is this? With 140lbs of lr, I would assume atleast 100 to 125G? Nice sized reef for $600.

Hope all things go well with the move

Ox

Yeah, its been awhile. I had to give up my 55g and my 28g tanks a couple of years ago. We were moving a lot and the apartment owners were not thrilled with us having them on the 2nd floor. I was so depressed without them, I stayed away from the boards too. LOL

The one I am getting is a 72 gallon bowfront. The rock is stacked all the way up to almost the water surface. I current owner inherited the setup and is not sure of the exact amount. from what I could tell its likely 120-140 lbs of rock. But I am just eyeing it.

I will do what you suggest. I can put the rocks with coral in a separate container submerged in tank water. The move is only 20 miles and should be easy if I can get everything packaged up well. I just hope I can get the rock stacked right when I get it moved. I try to keep it off the glass, but its hard to do.

 

[ox5477]

ya, 140 lbs seems like an excessive amount in a 72G. If you can't fit it down into the sump, I would try and see if you have a salty shop that would buy some of the lr from ya, especially if you wanna keeping some fish in there... might be too overpacked with rock for them to swim around...

Just thought too about the nem. Make sure you watch that guy closely for the first month or so. They can be stressed pretty easily so, if you see any bleaching of the nem or it starting to fold in on itself, get it out and into a tank on its own. If it dies in the tank, it will nuke everything.

Ox

 

[TBLightningFan]

ya, 140 lbs seems like an excessive amount in a 72G. If you can't fit it down into the sump, I would try and see if you have a salty shop that would buy some of the lr from ya, especially if you wanna keeping some fish in there... might be too overpacked with rock for them to swim around...

Just thought too about the nem. Make sure you watch that guy closely for the first month or so. They can be stressed pretty easily so, if you see any bleaching of the nem or it starting to fold in on itself, get it out and into a tank on its own. If it dies in the tank, it will nuke everything.

Ox

How do you go about moving the anemone? He is attached to a rock that is on the very bottom of the tank. What's the best way to handle the guy. How do you get him to let go.

 

[ox5477]

I have never had to interact with or move one so I can't really advise. I would say though, I know they can move around when they feel like it, so you may find if you move the whole rock with the nem attached, by the time you get to the new place, it may be completely moved off the rock and then you can do with it what you wish... but this is only supposing and saying that the nem doesn't just close up and freeze when you start moving it around.

Ox

 

[TBLightningFan]

Anyone with advice on how the Anemone should be moved?

 

[SkiFletch]

Well, BTA's are very hardy and can handle a few seconds out of the water, so I'd just put it in a bucket...

Btw, my two suggestions for tank moving are: Have LOTS of water (both saltwater and freshwater) on-hand. And second, have LOTS of towels around, you're gonna need them