It's pretty much official, I'm moving from Naperville to Plainfield.

[caragol]

On May 30th. So I need to figure out how to move a 29g glass tank w/ reef. Not drilled, no overflow, so that's easy. The rocks are just stacked... I can drain water into a Rubbermaid and put everything in that with a heater and a powerhead... but a friend offered to take the tank for a couple of weeks, so I could deliver it, move, then pick it back up.

If I drained the water save for about 25%, put the fish in a bag, carried the water separate, and protected the inside sides of the tank with flexible cutting board mats to guard against glass scratching, then drove annoyingly slow and set it back up at friends house... what are my chances of keeping it intact? I'm just asking for a rock to fall and crack that glass right?

I just hate the idea of disassembling my rockwork because I know even with a picture I'll never get it to fit back together just right.

So... Put it all into a rubbermaid tub right?

Secondly... what about the fish? Separate bag then release, or let it go in the tub with the rock?

 

[tinman]

how much ever slow you drive .. if the rockwork is just stacked ..it wont last long and would tumble and break the glass

 

[gig]

how much ever slow you drive .. if the rockwork is just stacked ..it wont last long and would tumble and break the glass

yep, dont do it, it just takes one stupid driver to make you hit the brakes harder than you wanted to and BAM. Also, even a small tank can get stressed by moving it with some water and rock in it, jsut take it all out and redo when you get to the new place

 

[tinman]

If you dont have any corals .. completely empty out the tank . .. . rinse off the sand ..set it up with all new water .. keep the fish in a small container and slowly drip acclimate them .. temp acclimate them and vroom tank looks new and good

 

[Jwblocal701]

You'll be my neighbor
Use buckets and call it a day

 

[jm23]

I just moved the rocks and corals from Brett's (bennyblanco) tank, only 40 minutes to my house. I was driving slow, 50 mph on 90/94 when suddenly there were three large black trash bags in my lane and I had to swerve hard to miss them and end up in the shoulder. I had a few SPS loose some branches during the trip and a few gallons of saltwater in the car, but all was good. My recommendation having just done it for the first time would be to get a bunch of 5 gallon buckets from home depot with the cheap plastic lids (sold in the paint isle). I only had 5 buckets, but could have probably used twice that. Put all the fish in one bucket with no rocks or corals and then put the corals and LR in all the rest. Put the LR without any corals on the bottom of the buckets and if the corals and rocks fit in ziploc bags you can use them to prevent from any stinging during the trip. All in all the fish and corals were not heated for about 5 hours and everything did just fine. I also wouldn't give the tank to a friend to hold onto as you will then just be moving it twice. GL.

 

[caragol]

I have to move twice regardless, I have to close on the first house to get the down payment for the new house. So I can't just drive stuff there and back in multiple trips.

5 gallon buckets... I'll do that. I have maybe 4 old reef salt buckets that should do.

 

[jm23]

I would buy some extras from home depot with the lids and just save the receipt, so if you don't use them you can just return them, but you don't want to be halfway through the breakdown and realize you need more buckets.

 

[madjoe]

I moved both my tanks twice I kept all fish in cooler with clean water (before moved rocks to catch em) put power head in the cooler. took all rock out went to new place set whole tank up (both of them) put all sand and rock back in turned on pumps and skimmers threw bunch of prime in the tank. I used 8o percent of the old water when first setting up then after all settled I did water change next day . and put fish back in. lost none . that was a 90 and a 75 gallon so I don't think a small tank be a issue. just keep fish separate from everything and make sure they have a power head . maybe even a air stone

 

[caragol]

Thanks!