How to move a tank

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alicappello

Aquarium Advice Apprentice
Joined
Jan 23, 2005
Messages
22
Location
california
Ok so I have a 25 gal. Saltwater tank. I have about 3 fish, 1 coral, shrimp and a snail. I house is being tented for termites. How do I move my tank without stressing out the fish. I am going to move them about 2 miles away. But the tank is way to heavy to lift as is. Anyone ever had to do this before? Please help!!!!!
 
Havn't had to do it, but I keep reading about these things (I want to move at some point so I keep taking a few notes...)
Now... I can figure if it's termites, it's not going to be a one day thing.
Best bet is probably to get your life hosted at a LFS you trust.. transport in your water to a QT type tank there that you pay em whatever for the couple days service...
If that's not really an option..
Have a batch of water already ready for you at yur 2 mile mark, as if you were to do a water change..
Divide your water accordingly into buckets (with lids) or bags etc.
Might be best to keep the fish in one container, the coral in a bag and the shrimp in a smaller container? (would need others' advice there, but it seems ok as such).
If you have LR, transport it in water as well, as shallow as you can to afford the critters/coral more.
Leave some water in the tank to try and keep the sand bed submerged (if it's a sand bed that is heh).
Move everything.
Set tank up, add some of the pre-mixed.. go through an acclimation process as normal whilst balancing the needs of the bags/containers in acclimation and the needs of filling the tank.
Should be able to add the fish and coral and top off with the transport/acclimation water as needed.

At that short of a distance I can't imagine that it'd be anything much more then that..
Just make sure your pre-made water that's waiting is exactly what you'd want to use as pwc water.. that way it'll be right on what you'll need to comfy in the stressed critters..

Best I can do, hope for the best...ask around :)

And GL

EDIT - and if you have mechanical filter media such as a canister, don't empty it... but do put it into effect before adding fish if at all possible.. drying out of your media might harm the bacteria.. putting it into effect if it goes stagnant with fish present might cause undo stress...

2x EDIT - and if anyone has any idea how to potentially transport marine life from ATL GA to Belize, I'm all ears lol
 
They are going to be stressed out no matter what you do. The thing to do is to do it as less stressful as possible. Feron looks like he gave you a good plan.
 
Have you talked to your pest control agent? Some of these applications are airborne for relativly short periods...You may be able to seal the tank in plastic wrap for around 12-18 hours ( or less..and even though that length is still going to be less stressful on livestock than a move!!) with everything off and then be able to fire up safely... I'm sure that aquariums have had to be a consideration to pest control companies and they have procedures to follow...

Mike
 
Feron...
Missed your 2nd edit b4....
Easy...do like distributers do..plastic bag filled with H2O and O2 (see LFS) and styrofoam lined box an good ol Fed Ex, DHL, Airborne whoever.... No big deal

P.S. LR does not need to be submersed but corals do.....


Mike
 
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