Would you get a 360gl Glass if you were moving in 2 1/2 years.

[pennyguy23]

I am building my house right now and I will soon start a thread of it all coming together but for right now I need some input on what size to get. I am going to be moving every 2 1/2 years from house to house. Building living selling. I am young so thats the plan for a while. I have a 360gl being made but now started yet. Anyday now. Would you get this size or what would you get. If you were doing what I am doing. I Need help fast because Like I said house is framed and roofs on and tanks about to start. Thanks everone. I want EVERYONES INPUT PLEASE. Especially the people that have done it. Thanks

[uscgbeachbum]

Moving every 2.5 years and you want to keep a large tank? Are you nuts? Without even considering how many people you will need to move the tank and stand just think about the livestock. I'm currently moving 4 miles down the street. It will probably take 4 days to move everything and I only have a 55g tank. If I were you I'd stick to a 120g or less.

[ONEMANBAND]

If you do it, I recommend doing a BB tank. Sand is awful heavy once wet!!

[Psyire]

That's crazy! I agree with the 120g or less comment.

[reefgeek84]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7022983#post7022983 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by uscgbeachbum
Moving every 2.5 years and you want to keep a large tank? Are you nuts? Without even considering how many people you will need to move the tank and stand just think about the livestock. I'm currently moving 4 miles down the street. It will probably take 4 days to move everything and I only have a 55g tank. If I were you I'd stick to a 120g or less.

You can tear down a tank and set it back up in a day, with out having to lose anything.

[Fiziksgeek]

A 360 might be a little large. If it were me, my biggest concern would be will I have a space that will fit a tank that large in every house?

That being said, I have a 135. I moved 2 years ago, am moving next week, and planning to move again in 3-5 years. I am also settin gup a seond tank (30" cube) in the new place.

[ViciousFishes]

If you have enough people/and or a forklift to always help you load and unload then go right ahead and get it. I would personally have the tank made out of acrylic if I was going to be moving so often with such a large tank. A lot less weight and no chance of breaking like glass.

[sabodish]

im taking down my 360 right now that has been set up for five years, so im speaking from direct experiece...it sucks!

there is no feeling in the world like taking the time and spending the $ to have a great STABLE tank, only to tear it down and start over in 2.5 years.

my advice...go with a 75 or a 90. you can move that in one day. so far it has taken my a month to sell corals, rock, sand, equipment, etc....its not fun.

[pennyguy23]

Well thank you all for the advice but a 75 or 90. NO WAY. Thats not even comparable. And I don't want acylic because of the easy scratches. I might do the bare bottom thought though. I know I asked for advice on it but that really doesn't make any sense to go from a 360gl to a 75gl. The equiptment I have wouldn't work for that small of a tank. I do have all the guys I need to help move it. I am just worried about what to do with all the live stock and such during the move

[ruiny]

I think that an acrylic at 360 gal will be fine. If you are building homes and reselling them than you probably have the resources available to move the tank.
My concern would be with live stock, and in particular corals. Once they start to grow and take hold of other rocks than it is hard to move them.
So if it were me I would do a BB FOWLR tank, no fuge and a filter system that went under the tank. This way you can, at moving time, just move all the rock to holding tubs bag the fish and move. Once at the new home pile in the rock to your liking and release the fish.
I would also assume that most all your moves will be a fairly short distance.
Just stay away from hard to keep spieces.
The only other thing I can think of now is that at 360 gal the floor will need to be reinforced to support the tank. As you are building the home you could eaisly do this at not to much cost. But if you are looking to make as much on the house as possible than there will be no increase in the sale value of the home because of the floor. Therefore going with a smaller tank with less modifications to the home will minimize your costs.
Same thing goes for electrical. running 1 or 2 dedicated circits to the tank will cost more but not increase the value of the home.

[DitchPlains2]

It will probably take 4 days to move everything and I only have a 55g tank

Dood, not to crticise, but what are you doing that is gonna take u 4 days to move a 55g?? LOL

I have a 55g moving it tommorow by myself!! Got 6 10g rubbermaids two extra heaters, n powerheads, ummmm its no biggie!

Livestock is 1 purple tang, 2 clowns, 2 chromis, 2 pepermint, 1 cleaner, goniporra, montis(all kinds) zoos, xenia, and 125lbs of LR and removing my DSB and starting over BB.

good luck on your move
David

[pennyguy23]

Yup I already thought about that ruiny. That is just something I will have to pay for with having such a large tank. I think that I will just put them on some rocks that can be moved. And your right it won't cost that much.

[pennyguy23]

Well I'm going with the 360gl. I will just move it or maybe sell it with the house and start over.

[dvmsn]

NO

[pennyguy23]

No WHAT???????

[Ireland]

I don't remember who told me, but when I was getting quotes for a custom tank a few years back, one of the builders I spoke with said not to turn glass tanks on their sides moving them. Don't know how wide your tank is or how often you end up moving it, but might be something to ask your builder about. Not a sermon, just a thought.

[dkreef]

forget about cost and moving etc...the time of 2.5 yrs that u get to enjoy the tank...now thats valuable...priceless...

im planning on getting a 360 also real soon. 96x36wx24tall.
but i may also move within 3 months. dont know what im gonna do if i do move but ill think of something then.

worst case, just sell or start over if u dont wanna move.
if i do move, im gona hire moving company to move.

one question guys, how much does a 360gal 1/2" vs 3/4" thick weigh? just curious....

[ShiftNation]

All I have to say is if you had your mind set and the equipment bought its to late to ask opinions . I would part out or sell with the house . Its gonna weigh close to 1000 lbs without stand .

[Bax]

You could take the time to get your equipment side of the system just they way you will want it .... work all the bugs out now using a smaller 120-180 display running it with all the big equipment you'll eventually use on the 360.

Then when you move just move the quipment side taking the oportunity to make all the upgrades/changes you wish you had done and hooking into the new 360 or 400 or 500 or what ever you want by then. :)

In this hobby, 2.5 years isn't a really long time.

[Bax]

OK

I just saw your thread where you're already building a house around the 360.

Get the 360 now and upgrade to a 500+ when you move, you'll want to by then.

Cool set up!

[snakeklr]

I just moved myself, And looks like im moving again. I've been offered a better job more $$,$$$ those figures :) I have a 125, 70, 55,30. all moved well tothis house. What we did was went to orschlands ( a farm supply store) bought a 55 gal barrel. It has a spicket on the bottom. A sealled cap that twist on the top of the barrels. Once sealed it wont leak or splash out. We went and boughht about 10 rubbermaud tubs with lids. And all the buckets we could find. We put all the frags that we could get off the rock in baggies and placed in a cooler. Then we placed all the rock in the tubs. then we filled those tubs up with water while the tubs were in teh truck. Then we put the live stock in bags and placed in another cooler. Then took all the sand and placed in the buckets. took about 5 buckets, I am DSB 4-8" in some places. and then it was the fuge. did the same there. took about 6 hrs to move it from up and runing one place to the other. The next day after it all setled down i went in and redecorated the rocks where i wanted them and frags where i liked them and everything is doing great. didnt loose a thing. Good luck. Biggest thing your gonna need is manpower. If you have that you can get anything done. good luck!

[pennyguy23]

Thanks everyone. I was just having some second thoughts about the size with the move and The tank was just about to get started on. So I thought I would ask this Questions really fast. The 360gl is in process and you can read about it on my thread. Thanks everyone for there input.
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=808292

[jnarowe]

Really you pose a good question though. The issue for me is all the work that goes into setting up a tank in the first place. But about moving, don't forget that all the livestock had a long trip to your tank. In and out of tanks, tossed around on an airplane or boat etc. Variations in temp. You will have an occassional loss but that is just the way it goes.

Moving tanks is not too bad as long as you take a military approach to it. Plan your moves carefully. It may be beneficial to have two tanks if your moves are close together so you can have one up and running and then transfer the livestock.

I just installed a 1000g display into my home and the only way to get it out is to remove a wall! My wife came into the tank room a few days ago and asked THAT question: "What do we do if we want to move, honey?" I laughed and said I don't think there really would be a reason to move. (grin) She had that strange stare so I added, "Hey, we could sell the tank with the house, or cut the wall out and move it." The funny part is who the hell is gioing to buy a house that has $500/month electric bills? They will never believe it's the tank! :D

If we ever move, I willl install a tank in the new home and move the livestock into it. I can leave this tank where it is and the new owner can use it for a spa.

[dkreef]

snakeklr, did moving DSB release sulfur and cause damage at all?
did u remove the top layer first then the bottom and placed bottom first and then top?

u know if its a 1000gal tank that cant be moved just sell with the house but u can take the equipments. the new owner can convert it into a freshwater tank or FO tank. that wouldnt cost that much electricity.

[pennyguy23]

That really is a good I deal. That way I can upgrade on every house. I will just set up a tank in the next one and so on and so forth. But buying 2500$ tanks does get expensive. Let alone if I go bigger.

[snakeklr]

dkreef

no when i got everything else out, Frags, LR, Fish, the sand was last i just took a small bucket and started scooping it out and putting it in 5 gal buckets. then when i got to the new house and set up the tank again i placed the sand in, well actually dumped it in. then put in about 20-40 gals of water. smoothed it out and started putting the base rock then LR. everything went smooth. no problems. didnt loose anything. LOL eve the bugs were ok!

[alien9168]

I wouldnt go that big..
Woo much of a hassle if you need to move that soon. That being said, it could definatly be doen. If you go big, go acrillic. I agree it will be much easier to move. Tell us what you decide. I'm all for big tanks, but dont do somthing that will cause you alot of problems later. ;)

-alien

[jjackson]

If you do plan on it... I would invest in a large container to transport everything in all at once.... maybe a 500 gallon poly tank that can sit in the back of a truck... pump out to it load it... move tank then pump back to fill.

[johnstelting]

Here's a suggestion if it's not to late build the tank in wall with the tank in your garage so it's really easy to move.... When you sell the house all you'll need to do is a quick patch job with some sheetrock.

My 2 cents............

[kysmith]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7032970#post7032970 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Ireland
Not a sermon, just a thought.

I knew you were somewhere in the MD/DC/VA area when I read this LOL

[alien9168]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7068988#post7068988 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by jjackson
If you do plan on it... I would invest in a large container to transport everything in all at once.... maybe a 500 gallon poly tank that can sit in the back of a truck... pump out to it load it... move tank then pump back to fill.

Do you think a container like that would hold while driving a truck...If you asume that the truck bed could hold a 500g tank filled with water. :rolleyes: :eek1:

I dont think thats such a good idea. But it is a good thouht. If that made any sense at all.

-alien:confused: :smokin:

[jnarowe]

Think about the 96g super tough Rubbermaid garbage cans at HD. That's what I used to transfer 200 lbs. of rock IN WATER. They are great because they roll. I used a lift gate and strapped them in to the truck with a giant web strap from Costco. Worked great and since they have lids, no splashing!:D

[SERVO]

I have to appologize because I didn't read any other responses other than the first, however I too have moved from city to city. In 1999 I moved from Detroit to Columbus. I upgraded from a 60 gallon to a 180. Moving the livestock, tank and LR wasn't too bad. In 2004 I moved from Columbus outside of Baltimore. I moved the 200 gallon TONS of SPS corals, fish and the tank. I set up a propagation system because I knew that I was again going to move. I ultimately ended up here in Dallas, yet again moving everything!

My answer to you is NO F*#@$*# WAY!!!!!

[Kent E]

NEVER! You will look back on this thread and wished that you had listened to all the experience.

[sabodish]

i agree with the above...experience is the best teacher.

[alien9168]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7071119#post7071119 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Kent E
NEVER! You will look back on this thread and wished that you had listened to all the experience.
I agree man. I know its a bummer--not getting the tank and all, but if you did get the tank and you decided to move, youlll think back to this thread and kick yourself. :(

Dont do it. I know its hard to wait, but if you can, it would be much easier to be patient.

-alien

[AcroSteve]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7037493#post7037493 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by jnarowe
If we ever move, I willl install a tank in the new home and move the livestock into it. I can leave this tank where it is and the new owner can use it for a spa.


For the price of a tank, that is the best way to move one. Especially if it is built in. I can't imagine a 360 gal tank that would not be to some extent.

[pennyguy23]

I already wrote I ordered the tank. 360gl starphire on its way. If I have to buy another big tank to setup and move everything into it. Then SO BE IT. I'M GOING BIG.

[Unlikely_Hero]

Personally, if a house came with a tank of that size, I'd be thrilled. But for non-aquarium people.... not so much.

Think about it: if they have little to no experience with saltwater or freshwater and you take all of your equipment with you, where does that leave them? Plus, prospective buyers might not want to have a tank or put in the work to cover up where it was. So it could be either a huge selling point, or the opposite. :/

If I were you, I would've saved myself the trouble and money and just settled for a smaller tank for a few years. Maybe even a nano.

But then, my financial situation might not be as ideal as yours, so I'm not really at liberty to say what's best for you.

Good luck with it!

[alien9168]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7112945#post7112945 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by pennyguy23
I already wrote I ordered the tank. 360gl starphire on its way. If I have to buy another big tank to setup and move everything into it. Then SO BE IT. I'M GOING BIG.

Ok. Make sure you show us your progress :)

:smokin:

[ChemE]

If it were me, I'd have a steel stand welded up which held the tank and I'd have it reinforced so that it could be lifted by a fork truck. I'd put it inwall in my garage (as was suggested above) and build a wall around it to create a fish room.

When the move comes, configure your next house the same way, so that it too can tolerate an inwall 360 in the garage. Rent a forklift and a large truck and carfully move the full tank with all livestock onto the truck and move it to the new location. Knock down the temp wall at the old house, patch the hole in the wall, and viola: a normal house which will sell easily, and a huge tank moved easily.

There are a few things you can do to make this even more viable. Use acrylic rod and a drill to attach all your rock so that it can't tumble even when turned sideways. You might also explore an aragonite and epoxy substrate which won't be disturbed by moving. The only drawback with that is it can become covered in coralline and look goofy.

If you decide this is what you want to do, and you are smart in the contruction phase, there is no reason it can't be made to work. NASA moves the space shuttle around, I bet you can move a fully stocked and filled 360 if you put your mind to it.

[jnarowe]

craaaackkkk! :lol:

[akrimmel]

youll appreciate it now because you get to enjoy iy, but when it comes close to moving time that when the oh s**t factor comes in. i myself would try it once and go from there.

[pennyguy23]

Cheme, not to be rude but I think that is the worst idea I have ever heard:rollface: :rollface: :rollface:

[jjackson]

yes I do, maybe I was a little overzealous with 500, but I have seen 300 gallon poly tanks mounted in/on an F250 and driven around, usually they have chemicals in them but it is done alot.

I am pretty sure that home depot rents flatbed trucks and I am sure it would easily handle a 300-500 gallon poly tank...

anyway it could be done....

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7069874#post7069874 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by alien9168
Do you think a container like that would hold while driving a truck...If you asume that the truck bed could hold a 500g tank filled with water. :rolleyes: :eek1:

I dont think thats such a good idea. But it is a good thouht. If that made any sense at all.

-alien:confused: :smokin:

[BRISK495]

I would take it one tank at a time. Set up the tank you want now and see how you feel in 2.5 years. It's really hard to predict the future and what you may be wanting to do then...

[ChemE]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7357091#post7357091 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by pennyguy23
Cheme, not to be rude but I think that is the worst idea I have ever heard:rollface: :rollface: :rollface:

Why is that? While not trivial it is certainly possible.