Question about moving 20 galloncube

[Capoe126]

Hi all!

I am likely to buy a Waterbox 20 gallon cube this week. I have been researching and looking to start a small reef tank for about of year now. I am a bio teacher and my school is hybrid (some students are in person). Labs have become very difficult and almost all work is being done on a computer. I was looking for a way to add some interest to my room with a "class pet." Now this would be a personal tank for me as well, as it has been something I have been looking into for awhile now, so if I decide to not create the tank at school I will be doing it at home.

My question is do you guys feel like I am creating too much hassle for myself/ stress on the fish as I would likely have to bring them back home over the summers. I am close to the school and have access during weekends/ breaks. I have been assured that should there be a shut down I would be able to come in and grab the tank as well. It appears the cube weighs about 40lbs plus rock so to do these transfers from school to home I would have to empty the tank halfway (10gallons = 83 more lbs) maybe even more to make it manageable?

As I type this, it sounds like a lot as I type this but I think my bio/ and marine bio students would really enjoy it and I get to start something I have been looking to do and have it at work with me. Thanks for your thoughts!

 

[Peace River]

First, #WelcometoR2R!!! There are several teachers here on R2R (and I know that a few of them make the laborious transfer that you are asking about) and hopefully some will chime in soon. The moving the tank part is definitely doable - sometimes the other stuff is more problematic like someone unplugging everything, adding something to the tank, etc. Good luck with whatever you decide!

 

[reefiniteasy]

What’s up!? Teacher here. My tank started in the classroom. Covid happened and now it is home. I had to move it home last spring when our schools shut down. Now this year I’m at a school where I can’t access my room on weekends and we can’t have any additional “furniture” at the moment. I have a 16 gallon BioCube. To move the tank I used a bucket for rock and fish and a bucket for coral. The tank moved easily. Empty, drive 40 minutes, and refill.

If this is for the classroom and you might have to move it multiple times, I would go with a framed tank. If it’s for home, go with the WaterBox Cube. I personally don’t like the idea of moving a frameless tank home and back. Also your number one priority is managing temps in the classroom. Good heating for the cold weekends and nights with no heat in the classroom and cooling in the summer with no AC.

If you have any other questions let me know. I can also guide you on what companies will hook you up with donations for the classroom.

 

[GoVols]

Hi all!

My question is do you guys feel like I am creating too much hassle for myself/ stress on the fish as I would likely have to bring them back home over the summers. I am close to the school and have access during weekends/ breaks. I have been assured that should there be a shut down I would be able to come in and grab the tank as well. It appears the cube weighs about 40lbs plus rock so to do these transfers from school to home I would have to empty the tank halfway (10gallons = 83 more lbs) maybe even more to make it manageable?

Hello...

If you stay with hardy fish like clownfish they should be able to handle the stress.

At this point, I'd stay with soft corals and an easy type of lps.

I'd use the right-sized cooler to hold your rock with the water that you remove from your waterbox. That way you will have minimal good bacteria die off from your rock.

Get it moved and place in your rock fairly quickly. Re-use as much as your old water as you can and bring it back up to the correct temp. Then you can add in your corals and your hardy fish.

When things settle down (48 - 72 hrs) you can make a good water change and fine-tune your scape.

If you're new to the hobby please dive into the below link.

The Supreme Guide To Setting Up A Saltwater Reef Aquarium

The Supreme Guide To Setting Up A Saltwater Reef Aquarium This article was sponsored by @MarineDepot at www.marinedepot.com. Introduction The marine environment is one of the most complex systems on the planet. The aquarium you are about to set up is only a tiny sliver of the vast ocean...

www.reef2reef.com

Welcome to Reef 2 Reef!!

 

[Mastiffsrule]

Hi, nice to meet you.

 

[GoVols]

If this is for the classroom and you might have to move it multiple times, I would go with a framed tank. If it’s for home, go with the WaterBox Cube. I personally don’t like the idea of moving a frameless tank home and back.

Top-notch advise

 

[NeonRabbit221B]

Welcome to R2R! Sister is a teacher so I have tons of respect. I suggest a bare bottom AIO (all in one) so you can pick it up and move it. Evo and biocube are great tanks but they are frameless. Moving them shouldn’t be much of a hassle as others have said, a battery powered air pump and buckets could make it fairly easy.

 

[ichthyogeek]

Hi all!

I am likely to buy a Waterbox 20 gallon cube this week. I have been researching and looking to start a small reef tank for about of year now. I am a bio teacher and my school is hybrid (some students are in person). Labs have become very difficult and almost all work is being done on a computer. I was looking for a way to add some interest to my room with a "class pet." Now this would be a personal tank for me as well, as it has been something I have been looking into for awhile now, so if I decide to not create the tank at school I will be doing it at home.

My question is do you guys feel like I am creating too much hassle for myself/ stress on the fish as I would likely have to bring them back home over the summers. I am close to the school and have access during weekends/ breaks. I have been assured that should there be a shut down I would be able to come in and grab the tank as well. It appears the cube weighs about 40lbs plus rock so to do these transfers from school to home I would have to empty the tank halfway (10gallons = 83 more lbs) maybe even more to make it manageable?

As I type this, it sounds like a lot as I type this but I think my bio/ and marine bio students would really enjoy it and I get to start something I have been looking to do and have it at work with me. Thanks for your thoughts!

I did a similar thing in college (pesky "no pets in the dorm" rules and dorm inspections...). I won't lie, it's incredibly stressful if you don't have the planning down. Moving the tank pre-winter break was relatively stress free, but only because I had ample time to prepare and had solidified a person who would care for the tank for me. Literally grabbing fish out of the tank and driving to the LFS an hour away, 1-2 days before my flight back when the university shut down due to COVID, was incredibly stressful and I would not recommend.

I agree that you should try to go with no substrate, it turns into a slodgy mess if you try to move the tank. If you go with rock, I highly suggest getting some sort of tote (like a portable waterproof cooler, etc.) to store the rock in when moving. Sloshy water is sloshy, messy, and slippery; best to just drain the tank in its entirety then move it. If you can get the rock into 2-3 structures that mesh together (or you know are separate) instead of 10+ pieces, that's also a plus for convenience.

Fish and stocking wise, I agree with clownfish, but want to make an argument for captive bred banggai cardinalfish. There's the possibility of (relatively) easy to rear babies, and they appreciate the high temperatures (80 +) that might come in a warm classroom. Some hardy corals like mushroom anemones, or better rock flower anemones (more babies/spawning events!) would also be good.

 

[Capoe126]

What’s up!? Teacher here. My tank started in the classroom. Covid happened and now it is home. I had to move it home last spring when our schools shut down. Now this year I’m at a school where I can’t access my room on weekends and we can’t have any additional “furniture” at the moment. I have a 16 gallon BioCube. To move the tank I used a bucket for rock and fish and a bucket for coral. The tank moved easily. Empty, drive 40 minutes, and refill.

If this is for the classroom and you might have to move it multiple times, I would go with a framed tank. If it’s for home, go with the WaterBox Cube. I personally don’t like the idea of moving a frameless tank home and back. Also your number one priority is managing temps in the classroom. Good heating for the cold weekends and nights with no heat in the classroom and cooling in the summer with no AC.

If you have any other questions let me know. I can also guide you on what companies will hook you up with donations for the classroom.

Hey thanks for the great response! Do you have any recommendations of framed tanks in the 20 gallon range that may be good for what I am looking to do. And good call about the temperature management. Our school does not have great temp control. I will need to buy some equipment to manage the tanks temperature. Thanks for your help!

 

[Capoe126]

Hello...

If you stay with hardy fish like clownfish they should be able to handle the stress.

At this point, I'd stay with soft corals and an easy type of lps.

I'd use the right-sized cooler to hold your rock with the water that you remove from your waterbox. That way you will have minimal good bacteria die off from your rock.

Get it moved and place in your rock fairly quickly. Re-use as much as your old water as you can and bring it back up to the correct temp. Then you can add in your corals and your hardy fish.

When things settle down (48 - 72 hrs) you can make a good water change and fine-tune your scape.

If you're new to the hobby please dive into the below link.

The Supreme Guide To Setting Up A Saltwater Reef Aquarium

The Supreme Guide To Setting Up A Saltwater Reef Aquarium This article was sponsored by @MarineDepot at www.marinedepot.com. Introduction The marine environment is one of the most complex systems on the planet. The aquarium you are about to set up is only a tiny sliver of the vast ocean...

www.reef2reef.com

Welcome to Reef 2 Reef!!

Thanks! Yes I was thinking a couple clowns, as the kids will want to see some "nemos" and maybe a small goby. That's great advice regarding the corals, which are something I have less experience with!

 

[Capoe126]

Welcome to R2R! Sister is a teacher so I have tons of respect. I suggest a bare bottom AIO (all in one) so you can pick it up and move it. Evo and biocube are great tanks but they are frameless. Moving them shouldn’t be much of a hassle as others have said, a battery powered air pump and buckets could make it fairly easy.

Bare bottom is something I have not considered, but it definitely makes sense! I am sure this is posted somewhere, but will I struggle to keep inverts with no sand?

 

[NeonRabbit221B]

I do not think so but it’s specific to the invert. Conchs would be out along with several others I can’t think of

 

[reefiniteasy]

Hey thanks for the great response! Do you have any recommendations of framed tanks in the 20 gallon range that may be good for what I am looking to do. And good call about the temperature management. Our school does not have great temp control. I will need to buy some equipment to manage the tanks temperature. Thanks for your help!

So there are a few options for framed tanks. You can do an Aqueon 20 gallon long or high. You can get a Coralife 16 or 32 gallon BioCube. Lastly, a Fluval Evo would do the trick.

If you write to Coralife and explain that you’re a teacher and tell them about your project idea and ask for a BioCube, I can almost guarantee they will donate one to your classroom. I didn’t specify which one and they sent me the 16 gallon and stand. I know a couple teachers on here that took my advice and asked and they got too. If I had to do it over I would specifically ask for the 32 but mention that the 16 would work as well. Your goal is to get the equipment needed to start as donation so your money can be used for maintenance supplies. The more you ask for help, the more you can do for your kids, so don’t hesitate to ask companies for specific things. Overall this industry is very supportive of tanks in the classroom.

 

[Capoe126]

So there are a few options for framed tanks. You can do an Aqueon 20 gallon long or high. You can get a Coralife 16 or 32 gallon BioCube. Lastly, a Fluval Evo would do the trick.

If you write to Coralife and explain that you’re a teacher and tell them about your project idea and ask for a BioCube, I can almost guarantee they will donate one to your classroom. I didn’t specify which one and they sent me the 16 gallon and stand. I know a couple teachers on here that took my advice and asked and they got too. If I had to do it over I would specifically ask for the 32 but mention that the 16 would work as well. Your goal is to get the equipment needed to start as donation so your money can be used for maintenance supplies. The more you ask for help, the more you can do for your kids, so don’t hesitate to ask companies for specific things. Overall this industry is very supportive of tanks in the classroom.

Thank you!

 

[Capoe126]

Hi again all, so I purchased the Waterbox 20 cube. I know it's frameless and a bit of a liability to transport for the summer but it just looks so clean I had to do it.

I am going to go with many of your suggestions and go with the barebottom option. I was wondering if anyone could point me in the direction of any adjustments that a barebottom tank might need. I'd imagine sand creates a lot of surface area for bacteria and such. In general, am I just doing everything the same as I would with sand (I know some livestock requires sand)? Or can I just follow standard nano set up tutorials on here?

 

[ichthyogeek]

Hmmm...a bioblock/sponge or two in the back part of the tank would not hurt. Sand does create a lot of surface area, but using something like a sponge would replace at least part of it. There are a few tutorials on making a sandless reef tank on youtube, which should work for a nano as well.