Help Help Help

[SaltSolutions1]

My boss is buying a 210g reef tank already operational. I am in charge of picking it all up and transporting it to our office. It's about an hour drive.

Please assist me with the proper way to transport the livestock.......rocks, sand, coral, fish, etc.

I would imagine 4 55g plastic drums would be needed. Where is a good place to get these?

He has a big truck and an enclosed 12' trailer that I will be using to haul everything.

Please help.

Thanks

[reeferoo]

I have a 60 gal, but when I move, I do this:

Keep a good 60% of the original water. Have new ASW supplemented to be as close to the original water as is logical ready to be put in.

Rinse all tubs and buckets that you will use for transport.
Get the biggest rocks into tubs, if there is livestock attached to it, be careful about smushing it. I use a big tub and a bunch of 5 gal buckets to take all my rock and livestock.

Good to use tank gloves to get the stuff out
Remove allll livestock carefully. Makes sure you put hardy softies with hardy softies and fragile SPS safely away from meaner corals.

Fish can chill in buckets/tubs with corals. If the move will take longer than a couple hours or the weather isn't great, prepare for heaters in your tubs (keep in mind the corals that can handle a temp swing vs those that won't)

Any extended period of time makes a new level of care required (add water movement to your livestock containers) but if you are quick, you can do without heaters and air pumps or powerheads

Leave about an inch of water with the sand if at all possible. Not only do you avoid stirring up the old sandbed, but there can be lots of stuff in there that you would disturb/lose/kill trying to clean the sand out into a bucket. If there is 200lbs of sand, clearly you will have to take some out.

Take the opportunity (if needed) to open and clean all equip/pumps etc. as well as re-aquascape. If you have shrimp those I find to be tricky. Super fragile hiding critters try to get as early as possible so you can be sure they make it.

That's all I have for now :-)

[reeferoo]

If no local reefers pipe up about having tubs or buckets for you, I often hear Home Depot has Brute cans on wheels and whatnot that should suffice. If you choose to use fewer, bigger tubs, it is wise to throw a power head or air pump in there too.

[SaltSolutions1]

Thanks........I just put another thread in the Treasure Coast Reef Club Forum as well where I live to see if anyone has containers I can borrow.

[sedor]

Good advice reeferoo! I'm trying to think of something to add but I think you got it all.

The most important thing is to be prepared, and you will definately need more than 1 person to help with a 210 tank. Those things can be extremely heavy and it probably has close to 300 lbs of sand in it. Best bet would be to get some of those suction cup handle things that are made to move glass so you don't drop the tank. You might be able to rent them from HD. Tanks can be extremely awkward and slippery with salt creep and everything all over them.

[SaltSolutions1]

I looked into the glass holders at home depot but they are only rated for 12 lbs.

[SaltSolutions1]

what does that mean? will they still work?

[Fizz71]

You can also go for rubbermaid tubs from walmart to move stuff that only needs to be wet, but not submerged. They don't hold up too well full of water, but I've used them to move rock in smaller containers than 55g brutes! Just throw some water in the bottom and let them slosh.

Also...If any of the live stock is poisonous you should pack them separate. THAT INCLUDES ANEMONES!

[RealReef7]

coolers work well for me...

[Ohiomom]

Also keep in mind that 1 gallon of water weighs about 8 pounds so if you are planning on only divinding that into four you are talking around 400lbs for one 55 gallon drum..think you would have trouble finding something that sturdy..

[bobbyjeb]

Most of all be prepared for the shock of how nasty the tank is when you get it. Even the cleanest people have salt creep! And that smell...it will go away once the system is running.
And...please post a pic. We love before and after shots! please, please, pertty please

[SaltSolutions1]

Thank you so much everyone for your help.........I will be sure to post pics.