Transporting Salt water set up

[DrOizo]

If I decided to buy someones reef tank from a classified add ( Fully established with live rock etc) I would have to transport it all. How would you suggest moving it. Could the tank be moved with all live rock and corals in place but with no water (I doubt it) and would all inverts have to be removed and placed in transporting buckets etc. Now I'm asking as a complete salt water noobie and I am just toying with the idea at the moment. I'm doing alot of research and If I decide on a set up I like I'll ask for everyones opinoin Cheers for the help guys

 

[DrOizo]

I like this one but it will be gone by the time i'm looking to buy

http/www.aquarist-classifieds.co.uk/php/...?cat=52&de=2800

 

[Great Lakes]

It is not much harder than a freshwater tank. A buch of covered containers and a truck.

One important thing though....SPEED..

No time to stop at rummage sales and the coffeehoouse on the way home..

GL

 

[ostrow]

Get a bigger setup than that. I can post more info on moving soon.

 

[ostrow]

So in June I moved a 75G setup as follows:

Mixed a good 30G of fresh saltwater, in large rubbermaid garbage cans
Removed liverock to several 30-50G rubbermaid tubs, small powerhead in each.
Removed fish to their own 5G buckets (1 fish per bucket except for 5 chromis in one)
Drained all water into 30-50G buckets, small powerheads in as many as I could
Removed sandbed into several 5G buckets with about an inch of water.
Loaded everything onto a truck

At new location brought all rock, sand and fish inside first and plugged powerheads back in
set up stand and tank (don't forget to level it!!!)
Added sand
Added about 1/3 of the water, slowly
Added most of the rock, corals left in tubs with powerheads running
Filled rest of tank with cycled water, topped with new (I ended up with 20G of fresh saltwater ... you'll see why).
Plugged in all pumps, etc and off we went.
Fish in last
Corals in the next day
Skimmer turned on only after corals in. Lights turned on 24 hrs after that Sandstorm was halfway settled in 24 hrs, gone after 36 hrs

Skimmer cup was going nuts ... had to empty after 2 hrs, then 4 hrs, then 12 hrs, then every 24 hrs for 3 days. Also, did a 10% water change after 7 days, and another 10% after 7 days. Thus that 30G of fresh saltwater was gone in 2 weeks.

I lost one fish after a month as it never ate. I lost two SPS from Big Tumbles when aquascaping. The rest was all my fault.....

 

[DrOizo]

You said you put the power heads in with the liverock i take it that you mean they werre running inside the bins? How did you get power to the heads in a truck? cheers mat

 

[ostrow]

Well, the idea is it takes a long time to take apart and reset the tank. So get the rock out early and get the powerheads running, put those tubs in the truck last. Remove them first and get the powerheads running.

Ditto corals, which will remain in tubs overnight.

Make sense?

The more powerheads you have the better. I know some people would keep small powerheads running constantly in their salt mixup, but I don't do that. But if I had the powerheads I would.

We are talking small, 50GPH is fine.

 

[DrOizo]

Thanks alot for the reply I'll bare that in mind but it looks like a reef tank is along way off for me I've just got involved in another tank (not my own) and its taking up a lot of time Oh well something to look forward to