Need an advice on moving my 180

Tomoko Schum · Apr 30, 2016

Hi y'all,

I will be moving to another house and need to move my tank. I need your advice as to how to do this. I have upgraded tanks in the past but I never moved an existing tank myself. So, I need your advice on how to move an established reef tank.

We just bought a new house a few streets down from the current house. The deal came up just suddenly and honestly I was not prepared for this.

I have a few weeks to plan this out. Please help me plan this out. Tell me what I need to do. I have a couple of roughneck containers. I suspect I need more. I need to disconnect the flexible hoses from the tank, but do I need to take all the fittings out, such as bulk heads and screwed in barb adapters for the flex hose?

I would like to replace the existing sump (a custom built 40 breeder sump that is slightly taller than I like), but where can I find a good size shallow sump?

There are so many questions... Anyone care to help me plan this?

pickupman66 · Apr 30, 2016

Tomoko, wow. That will be a chore for sure. I just moved my 66 last month. Twice. Best thing I did was have most of the new water ready to go at the new house. I have a 55 gallon storage drum I used and just filled it up, heated it and salted it. Then when I moved I had 55 gallons of new water ready to go. Don't save your sand. It's asking for disaster. Get new. When I moved my 180 from northwest Arkansas years ago, I used a 150 gallon stock tank to keep the rock and stuff in. Put in the bed of my truck and covered it with water. Get plenty of coolers and buckets. Also having 6 suction cups so you can have plenty of hands to lift the beast. If you can set it on the bottom without removing the bulkheads do that. Or u can sit it on the face. Moving blankets will help prevent scratches. For your size tank I'd make 150 gallons of water at least and then you don't have to bring as much.

redfishbluefish · Apr 30, 2016

Here's my advise:

1. Buy plenty of Beer and Pizza. This is to attract as many friends as possible to help. The more people, the easier the move.
2. Get plenty of buckets, Brutes, whatever can hold livestock, corals and rock.
3. Buy new sand (assuming not bare-bottom.)
4. Have as much saltwater as you can make ready to go....which now needs even more buckets and Brutes.

Apkpswtank · Apr 30, 2016

Hey just recently did a 65 gallon move with a 15 gallon sump. Moved the stand, fish, live rock, sand, inverts, and 90% of the water. 9 fish 80lbs of Rock.Moved it 1 and a half miles to new apartment. I will be honest it was excruciating, back breaking, and terrible. 15 hours for initial break down move and put together then about 5 hours the next day continuing to set up and fix issues. That being said some LFS provide this service but I was quoted between $600 and $1000 and my tank is not as large as yours! After the move though I would have gladly paid the $750 or so dollars.
Now that I told you that; I bought (3) 18 gallon Rubbermaid tubs with lids from Home Depot about 12.99$ each I had about (3) 5 gallon buckets and a (1) 15 gallon cooler.
Removed all the rocks into 2 buckets added fish and plants to them with battery powered air stones and cheap plug in heater that basically just kept the water from getting to cold it did not even have temp gauge on it. Removed the rest of the water into the buckets. Left the sand (4 inches) and a very little water in tank. Me and another grown man could not even lift the tank an inch plus I did not want to crack the tank from the pressure. Got another bucket removed all the sand and the rest of the water. Sand alone was probably 50 lbs.
tank as empty as I could get it was still very heavy I recommend at least 3 strong people for your move.
I disconnected everything from the tank completely and used it as an opportunity to throughly clean everything piping, overflow, sump.
For your amount of water I read people have used the home garbage pail that has the 2 wheels on the bottom. Mind you the water was extremely heavy in my 18 gallon buckets. So any lifting of a garbage pail that size full of water will be near impossible. Plan out your route I.e. Stairs, hills, doorways etc.
I rented a minivan town and country is the best because it has sto n go seating that goes directly into the floor flat. I still had to make two trips with the minivan. And my tank is half ur size! Another great reason for the rental is I probably spilled about 10 gallons of salt water as I drove in it, don't want to do that in your vehicle.
And then like I said moved it for the next 12 hours.
Sure I'm leaving a lot out (doing this at work) feel free to ask as many questions as you need.
-Andrew

Apkpswtank · Apr 30, 2016

Being new to this and not knowing any better I used all my old sand DSB didn't even wash it. And threw it back in after move. You can see from my post on Monday I thought initially I sand bed was dying and I made a big F-up. But I realize now it was just coming back to life stronger then ever. Obviously everyone's sand/situation will be different. But I don't think it's an absolute to get new sand. I just reused it dirty. Most people reuse it but rinse it throughly!

Tomoko Schum · Apr 30, 2016

Thank you guys for the advice. I am rather overwhelmed at the moment. It takes a bit to digest the whole thing...

So, I will get a number of suction cups to help lift the tank.
I will get many containers and a batch of salt, heaters, and powerheads.
I will make a large amount of water and have it ready.
I suppose I need a big shop vac to suck out all the sand.
Lots of pizza and beer.
I am sure that I end up breaking some of the big mature SPS's as I get them out of the tank, so I will have some free frags of good acros, softies, gorgonians, zoanthids, etc.

pickupman66 · Apr 30, 2016

Tomoko. Lmk when the date is set. Maybe I can come help

Tomoko Schum · Apr 30, 2016

Wow, that would be very nice! I will definitely let you know. The closing on the house is one month to 45 days away. I suppose that I will move the house content first. I am thinking about hiring 2 men and a truck to move the house. I will move the tank afterward maybe on another weekend. That way we can move around more freely. Should I do the tank first? What do you guys think?

Tomoko Schum · May 1, 2016

I suppose that large suction cups are helpful for moving my tank. Do any of you know where I can get them?

H@rry · May 1, 2016

I think if it were me I'd let the movers move the tank when they move all the rest of your stuff. After all, they are movers and are accustomed to moving heavy objects.

Could you move all the livestock, rocks, coral, fish, etc. the day before and have them in totes w/powerheads at the new house? Vacuum all the sand and throw it away. Have new sand waiting at the new house. Remove all the bulkheads as they would be opportunities for problems during the move. Make sure you clean them well as well as the glass surfaces whey they will go. Use new gaskets if you can. Put it back together in reverse order of disassembly. Use this as an opportunity to make the changes that you have been wanting to do but just couldn't get around to do. Get rid of coral that you really don't like to make room for what you want to get.

If you need more totes hollar. Good Luck!

Apkpswtank · May 1, 2016

Once I put my fish in the 18 gallon rubbermaids with air stone and heater and live rocks they were surprisingly chill. My fresh water fish would be having a stroke if I did a move like that with them. I felt like the swf would have been fine in there even for a whole day or 2 maybe 3...

Tomoko Schum · May 1, 2016

Thanks Harry!

I was actually thinking about a moving company to move the tank. I might as well do that on the same day rather than a separate day... It will be probably less expensive.

I tried to loosen the bulkhead screw gently. The one of the returns actually moved when I tried. The larger one for the drain was very tight and it's hard to put fingers around due to the limited opening on the top of the stand. Your tank stands were built by the same person so I think you know what I mean.

I will get new sand at the new house.
I will need more totes for sure. I have to move my 75 gallon planted tank as well, but that one is a lot easier to move since it has no bulkhead and relatively lighter. No rocks or fussy livestock to deal with, either.

I will holler at you when I get ready to move livestock. Sam offered to help me with some containers and things as well. I will need you guys with me to give me a moral or physical support when I start moving corals into containers...

JSB · May 2, 2016

Tomoko,

I agree with H@rry. Let you strong burley movers, and not your pizza grubbing drunk friends move your tank.

I will likely have a few extra totes at the time (although one son is moving to Brooklyn and the other to Birmingham around the same time, so who knows). I can set aside 30 gallons, maybe more, of new saltwater for you. If the new house has a patio that gets the sun, and you can round up enough heaters for overnight, you could leave the totes outside for a couple days and let nature provide the sun (and maybe even top up water).

I can't promise that I will be in town, as we are gone a lot. But if I am, I will lend a hand.

sb

H@rry · May 2, 2016

JSB said:
Let you strong burley movers, and not your pizza grubbing drunk friends move your tank.

I tried to say the same thing in the nicest way I could think of but it did not come through with the impact Scott put on it!

JSB · May 2, 2016

H@rry said:
I tried to say the same thing in the nicest way I could think of but it did not come through with the impact Scott put on it!

That is because you, H@rry, are politic and polite, and I am pointed.

Seriously though, Tomoko. Get some smaller 3- 5-, and 7-gallon buckets (I have some) to separate your nicer and larger pieces and keep them from the obvious damage that will happen if they are dumped in a 16-gallon tote with a bunch of rock and other pieces and then moved around. Sorting them out as you put it all back together will be easier as well. It just takes more water.

Tomoko Schum · May 2, 2016

Thank you, Scott and Harry!
Great minds think alike.

There is a large patio on the east side to put containers. It will be shaded in the afternoon. I can even put a kiddie pool if I need to. Since the move will be in June most probably, I may not need heaters.

hawkinsrgk · May 3, 2016

Hi Tomoko

Try not to be overwhelmed about it. When I moved from Huntsville to Birmingham and then to Hoover I had to go through the same thing. Now is really the time to think about changes that you would like to make to your setup. Just little things to make it easier for yourself. For example a T in your return line with a union could make water changes easier. Try to look at it that way.

What really helped me was getting a 150G rubbermaid stock tank and getting an additional brute garbage can. I looked at it as setting up a separate stand along system. These are the steps that I went through
1. Setup RO/DI at the new place
2. Mix up a batch of saltwater in your garbage can at new place
3. Move about half of your tank water to the stock tank
4. Start adding RO water to your stock tank and add salt to it.
5. Move as much rock as you can to your garbage can and give it a good shake and then put in stock tank
6. Get skimmer setup on stock tank, heaters, etc
7. Bag fish, corals, etc and move to stock tank
8. Clean out old tank move and setup

Doing it this way will take more time and work, but you will be able to make any changes that you want without being in a rush. Also if you have to redo something it will not be as big of a deal. I would also get new bulkheads and have them ready for when you move the tank.

Thanks
Randy

beaslbob · May 3, 2016

WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Good idea to get the movers to handle the tank itself.

sound like a good time for a naca meeting.

Woops Naca is the north Alabama Control line club. Meant narc. LOL

I have a hand truck, the envoy, a couple of containers if that will be of any help.

I can even slowly hobble around and move some of the stuff.

Let me and verdell know how we can help.

Bob

beaslbob · May 3, 2016

Verdell has offered what ever help you need from us.

People work together to help others so we're here for ya.

I do have a couple of furniture dollies if that would help.

Lets us know.