Unique Moving Scenario

anonomous09 · Sep 14, 2020

I have a pretty unique moving situation and I figured I’d tap in to some expertise from this forum. I will try to explain this is chronologically as possible. My current tank is an 83 gallon peninsula in my current home. That home is currently in escrow and part of the deal is that the tank and stand only will stay(don’t ask, the buyer has no experience but it sealed the deal). We are currently in escrow on our planned forever home as well, however we will not be able to occupy it until after the new year thanks to remodeling and a small rent back hiccup. My plan is to put a Red Sea 625 in the new home. Fortunately in between homes I have a family member with a vacant rental that we will occupy for 2-3 months. I also just found a complete 90 gallon setup for a steak locally. 80/20 stand, sapphire sump and ato, vectra pump etc. Here is my plan:

4-5 weeks before closing escrow on my current home, cycle fresh sand and rock in temporary 90 gallon setup> Live in temporary home with temporary tank> when remodel is about finished on new home begin cycle with Red Sea 625 with a solid aqua scape and fresh sand.

I also recently had a solid tank crash so I will only be bringing A few survivor corals. The plan is to use the same salt etc. I hope that long winded post makes sense!

Tamberav · Sep 14, 2020

Why are you bothering with something as large as a 90 for a few corals? Or is it for fish you plan to bring?

Why not just transfer your current rock?

anonomous09 · Sep 14, 2020

Yes, the main intent is saving the fish and a few zoas and shrooms that survived. I wouldn’t be transferring the current rock as it has to stay in the first tank until it is time to move.

fishguy242 · Sep 14, 2020

hi i would skip sand on 90,take fish ,corals ,rock,and as much water as poss 1st move ,prob end up mixing 15-20 gallons new ,because you will be leaving sand and some water in 83

Billdogg · Sep 14, 2020

It sounds like you've got a pretty good plan. I would move the bare minimum of old water - it contains nothing at all that would help a new system cycle. Try to match the parameters of your current system in the temp tank and think of it as a plus-sized water change. Moving water sucks. It's heavy and it spills. Just enough to cover the corals and transport any fish. And I'd dump it out once the livestock is transferred into the temp tank. Do the very same thing when you move to the permanent home.

And plan for it to take at least 3 times longer than you think it will to make the moves!!!

Snoopy 67 · Sep 14, 2020

True Bill, It ALWAYS takes a MINIMUM of TWICE AS LONG!

andrewkw · Sep 14, 2020

Not sure why you want to use sand for such a short term tank. Given you have so little live stock this should be relatively easy to do - if moving a reef tank can be called easy. Is there a reason you don't want to use your existing rock? I would strongly recommend skipping cycling this new tank and just take your existing rock.

If the distance is close enough you can take the rock one day, and the corals and fish the second day. If not you can do this all in one shot. Even if your existing live rock has some sort of issues I would still recommend using it in the temp tank AND cycle the new rock at the same time so it can go in the final tank 2-3 months later.

4 years ago I kept all of my livestock in temp holding tanks for 6 weeks in my parents bathroom. I lost a lot of livestock because I was trying to condense too much in too small of a space. That being said a lot of stuff survived. As long as you have more space and more water then you think you will need you should be fine.

To make things easier for the final move I would keep everything frag tankesque ie, do not aquascape and just keep the corals on eggcrate ect.

anonomous09 · Sep 14, 2020

I never really thought about going bare bottom. My main concern was cycling the tank. I have one small goby so maybe I'll really vacuums a small section of sand for him. The drive between all three houses is sub 30 minutes. Not cycling the temporary tank will greatly save me time and effort.