Moving an aquarium

[Zero333]

Hey I know this has been posted before and I think there was even an article about it but it is time to move the aquarium with me (10 gal) just wondering what is the best way of doing so. Just live rock coral sand and some inverts in there right now. What do you recomend

thanks
Pete

 

[schoeplein]

Um, its only 10g. Have two people lift it. ~8lbs/g of water is 80lbs. With rock it displaces water, as does sand - looking at maybe a total of 200lbs including the tank itself. Drain it down to the LR if you need to.... if you have a truck or a van - some sort of flat surface, you can just move the tank that way (covered of course) and refill once its relocated.

How far are you moving?

 

[austinsdad]

Use the same water and maybe a water change after re-established.

 

[Zero333]

I am only moving about 30 min away, the idea to move it intact is nice, but I am doing this Solo and am moving in my car, i was thinking about trying to put all of the water in a couple of big buckets, then putting the rock in one and critters in the other, then moving it like that. But I was curious what was recomended.

thanks for the help

 

[austinsdad]

thinking about trying to put all of the water in a couple of big buckets, then putting the rock in one and critters in the other, then moving it like that

I think you're on the right track.

 

[popothemailman]

DONT MESS WITH THE SAND!!!! even when your putting waterback in. When i moved my 80gal some sand got moved around and the next day all fish and inverts die. I had an ammonia spike that lasted over night and went to 0 the next morning but it was quick enough to kill my fish. It also lowered my constant 8.3 ph night and day... to 7.8.

 

[Phyl]

The aquarium isn't meant to be moved with water in it anyway. Just make sure that the critters have enough water so that they aren't fighting for O2 in transit. The rock would be Ok almost dry (for 30m, especially) without causing cycle, though some water can't hurt.

If you're moving corals bag each of them independantly and then put those bags into either a cooler or larger volume of water (the chemical warfare would be ugly). Re-use as much of the original water as you can.

You may see some cycle if you disturb/remove/change the sand bed or clean/replace any mechanical filtration.

Good luck!

 

[austinsdad]

Good points ya'll. Kudos to both of you. In knew there was someone out there with more moving experience, but still wanted to give Zero333 some help. Shoulda stayed out of it. THX.

I assumed the sand bed would stay in the 10g tank and be moved. Forgot about stirring it up a lot when the water was put back in. And of course, I assumed there were no corals that would hurt each other. Not good to assume.

How deep is your sand bed anyhow Zero333? How old a tank?