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drywall_guy87
06/09/2011, 04:51 PM
soo im moving next mouth and im not sure the best way to move the tank i only have have it running for a few mouths i have two clowns, xenia, zoos, starfish and a shroom

firebirdude
06/09/2011, 05:05 PM
Not too hard for a 20g. Feed a little heavy every day before the move to ensure full and heathly fishy bellies. This should help with stress even couple days after the move (clowns are awfully hardy though). The real question is how long is the drive?

Provided the drive is short...Catch fish and put them in their own container. Remove any corals/rocks that are above the half way mark on the tank and put them in their own container (with water obviously). Empty half the tank. You and a friend carry it.

Marshall1385
06/09/2011, 05:17 PM
+1 with drywall

i moved my 75 and had to drain it completely. if you have to do have to drain, keep your rock in a big plastic bin (like at walmart) and keep 1-2 cups of your sand to help reseed.

firebirdude
06/09/2011, 05:26 PM
No need to empty it completely. Emptying half the water will yield a tank of about 100lbs. No problem with two people. Try not to disturb the sand bed. Might not even have a cycle.

drywall_guy87
06/09/2011, 07:01 PM
thanks its only a 20 min drive and it will be the last thing i move so i cant set it up quick when i make the trip

89Foxbody
06/09/2011, 08:21 PM
I wouldn't stress about it too much. Provided you can keep it somewhat stable, everything will be fine. You can just put your fish in a 5 gallon bucket, and drain the tank down like was suggested. Zoos and Xenia are very hardy, I'm sure they will survive just fine. Same with the clowns.

Brewchief
06/09/2011, 09:36 PM
I moved my 39 gallon tank that had been up and running for a few years. I did it pretty much the same way as suggested, drained it way down put the fish in a 5 gallon bucket with lid, put rock and corals in separate buckets and most of the water in a clean trash can with double can liners, Made the twenty minute trip and set the tank up and filled it with the water from the can. About an hour after it was up and running again I did a large water change with fresh saltwater to clear out any stuff that was stirred up by the move. Everything survived and flourished.

drywall_guy87
06/10/2011, 07:44 AM
sweet

Trapshooter12
06/10/2011, 09:20 AM
I moved my 39 gallon tank that had been up and running for a few years. I did it pretty much the same way as suggested, drained it way down put the fish in a 5 gallon bucket with lid, put rock and corals in separate buckets and most of the water in a clean trash can with double can liners, Made the twenty minute trip and set the tank up and filled it with the water from the can. About an hour after it was up and running again I did a large water change with fresh saltwater to clear out any stuff that was stirred up by the move. Everything survived and flourished.

With my 7 month old 20 Gal. I did basically the same thing on my 4 hour move.

I had 4, 5 gallon buckets. I put the live rock with any Coral attached to it in one. Which was maybe two rocks. I put enough water in to cover. I did the same thing with the other rocks that didn't have any Coral on them.

I then took my fish and any Corals that were on plugs and put them in the same bucket and I put most of the water in this one.

I left about 2 to 3 " of water in the Tank and any CUC that wasn't attached to the rocks and took off. As soon as I got to my new house I put everything back in the Tank did about a 30% water change and everything acted like nothing happened.

Infact my Tank look happier now after the move than it did before the move.

thebkramer
06/10/2011, 09:25 AM
just be careful when refilling the tank.. try to use as much as you can of original tank water.. and try not to disturb sandbed too much so not to cause an ammonia spike :)
use a plastic bag & plate to help with this

Good Luck!! :bounce3:

drywall_guy87
06/10/2011, 12:43 PM
yeah i have a lot of buckets with lids and ill get my water ready to do a change so as soon as its back up and running i can get it takin care of
should i do the change before or after i put the fish and corals in

firebirdude
06/10/2011, 12:54 PM
after

drywall_guy87
06/10/2011, 12:59 PM
cant wait its still alittle nerve racking but yall all helped my nerves alot

firebirdude
06/10/2011, 01:11 PM
Bah. You won't have issues.

Imagine not being able to carry the tank with ANYTHING in it. Once you get above about 55 gallons, it holds too much water for even 3 people to carry it 1/4 full. You have to empty it to the bottom glass. Transport everything (even rocks and sand) in separate buckets. Set the tank back up, but support your livestock out of the tank for a little while until you can get the sand/rock/water back in place... and any die off taken care of.

And then many of us have 200+ gallon tanks.... tanks that need something with wheels to move it around... bone dry.

drywall_guy87
06/10/2011, 01:30 PM
wow yeah that would be a job

drywall_guy87
07/07/2011, 06:43 PM
20g moved and nothing died!!!!

tecnomage
07/08/2011, 01:50 PM
20g moved and nothing died!!!!

Congrats! I'll be setting up a 20 gallon soon but that makes me happier to know I can just drain it half way when my wife decides she doesn't like how it looks where it is :-)