Moving Party?

[ostrow]

Hi. I'm fairly new to Reef Central (see my post in the new to hobby forum). I'm about to acquire a 75G up-and-running reef tank. Won it on ebay from a guy in the North 'burbs.

I'm reading like a madman. I've kept f/w for 2 yrs but this is my first foray into reef. My preference would have been to start with FOWLR but this deal appeared and seemed too good to pass up.

I want my move to be as smooth and successful as possible, and to lose as little as possible in the process.

If anyone is willing to assist a newcomer to the hobby, and maybe get some fish or corals or at the very least I'll buy a good dinner and beer, wine or whatever for your trouble, please pm or email me. I'd really appreciate any assistance someone can provide when the move day comes (still TBD). It may be that I might need someone to provide hotel service for my fish and coral for a time until I know things are stable, though there is some disagreement apparently on whether that is in fact needed.

Anyway, thanks in advance for any help anyone might provide!
Joel

[partagas]

If you want to make the move easy and painless. Do what I did. I got 5 gallon buckets, yes a lot of them. Fill it with the water from the tank. Put the fish in a bucket with the water also. When you get home put the tank back up and the water and their you go. The fish should have no problems, it is their tank water, so nothing has changed but the scene out their window. The fish should be able to keep in the buckets for a day. Just keep an eye on the temp.

Good luck.

[makoshark]

I agree with Partagas. I did the same thing with a 55 Gal tank excet that I used two 55 gallon drums. I could have used one but they are a lot lighter if you only fill them half way. I bagged the fish and transported them in a cooler to regulate the temp. I used a canister filter to pump the water back in the tank and it polished the water at the same time.

Good Luck!

[Andrew-R-Fidler]

Hi joel,

I work some weekend, but if you let me know ahead of time I'll see if I can help you with the move. I live in N. Chicago 1/4 mi from the lake and 2 miles south of evanston, so I am a short jog to the burbs to asst with the move.

LMK how if I can help, sounds like fun.

Andrew

[kaiyokanman28]

I'd be happy to help out too...I'm new to the hobby too, but I've been doing reading and research for about 6 months now so I can at least be trusted not to KILL your fish and corals...:D

Cheers!

Andy :wildone:

[AuroraDave]

I have a ton of 5gal buckets and a few 40 gallon containers that you are welcome to borrow.
I have moved my tanks a dozen times over the years, typically w/out loss. good luck

[jbash]

Out of curiosity, did any of you who moved tanks have DSBs? I don't anticipate moving but even when I've taken down one tank and set up others I've not been sure it is safe to mix all the sand as I know there are anaerobic pockets, various gasses, etc. I've wondered if the sand would either cause problems or at least have to mature all over again. OTOH I've never hesitated to add a little live sand.

I don't know that Joel's future setup includes a deep sand bed (DSB), just curious.

jim b

[AuroraDave]

I moved a DSB once and I only kept the top 1 to 1-1/2 inches.

[ostrow]

If anyone can help me Tuesday, it would be most appreciated. It's obviously gonna take a while to break down and re-set up the tank. But I would be delighted to have the help and will take all out to dinner who do help.

Anyone available and interested, please email me.

If a different day works better than Tuesday (as long as it is not Friday!) please let me konw that too and perhaps I can find a different day.

Thanks!
Joel

[Andrew-R-Fidler]

I think it would be easier for us to commit if we knew where we were going from to where and when.

I don't know how well the process will go with multiple experienced reefers...but I've always given a full day to a move of this scale since you don't want to be rushed and forget anything.

In response to Jim's DSB...I've moved my 120 with plenum and dsb a few times, I separate out the layers of sand into different rubbermaid containers and keep it submerged and aerated (the rubbermaid prevents thickening the sand by 10x its normal depth as would happen in a 5 gallon bucket and losing the bottom 2/3 to suffocation). When I rebuild the tank I always put the plenum back together and re-fill the tank with about 80% old tank water (20% new) and place my non-coraled live rock into the system. Then I transfer the coral/fish back into it after a 24hr stabilization period.

With extra hands it took me an exhausting 10 hrs to drop the 120 and move it 1/4 mi to my 2nd apt a year ago.

HTH,

Andrew

[ostrow]

Andrew, thanks.

So the tank is in Fort Sheridan, and I am in Oak Park. I am one mile from I290. The place in Ft. Sheridan is just off Half Day Rd, so it's a coule miles from 41 or maybe 7 miles from 294.

Hope that helps.

Dan (the seller) thinks takedown will take at most 2 hrs, and re-set up around 2-3 hrs. He's done it before so that helps.

I hear you on the multiple-experienced folks! I figure I can get general advice and learn from a discussion and that people will defer to the guy who has already had the tank a while. But yeah, I hear ya!

Remember, there's food and beer in this so that should smooth the rough edges :D :D

[ostrow]

Maybe if someone lives North, they can help with the loading in Ft. Sheridan, and if someone else lives South, they can help with the unloading here, and we can all get together for din-din on me in the evening. That way, noone would need to devote a whole day?

See, I'm flexible!

[goby1kenobi]

I'm good for a full day tank party. My husband says he might be interested, too. (We telecommute and can easily take a day off.)

The only reef tank we've moved is a 10g, but we did help tear down a 40g.

At a guess, this is the setup in question: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2327370969&category=20755

You might want to get a few more bags of Southdown to supplement that sand bed.

[ostrow]

A public thank you to Ananda and Mark for giving me their day yesterday. TPrivate thank you's are on their way! Tank is up and running, quiet enough to sleep in the room behind it, and sand sediment cleared enough to disturb it again decorating! But I have two nice round caves built but can sill see through the holes to the middle, so all is well!

Frags galore! Most I was able to wedge back into place but hmmm...

Pics soon!

Again, thanks Ananda and thanks Mark!

[kaiyokanman28]

Joel...

First, congratulations on a successful move. Glad to hear it went off without a hitch.

Second, my deepest apologies. I got distracted and didn't see the dates you needed people available until this morning. I would have loved to help out and I'm sorry that I wasn't paying attention to the days and times you needed the help.

If you need help in the future, let me know. I always make myself available to my fellow local reefers...:D

Again, glad to hear things went well and you got the tank moved.

Cheers!

Andy :wildone: