Newbie need all the help of more experienced reef keepers! moving question

[Maximilianairr]

I currently am having trouble with deciding on what tank to get and maybe this community can give me reasons to go bigger or smaller!

So I live in an apartment which can support as much weight as i want but i will be moving at the end of may!

Should i go with a smaller tank for now so the move is easier? or should i just go bigger? My local fish store has told me they can take the fish for storage if i need time to set up the tank elsewhere.

How hard is it to move a tank? what are the chances of everything dying? and should i get one now or after i move?

Sorry for all the questions! thanks guys!

 

[Kluker589]

Honestly, a 40 breeder is a good reef tank. Not to hard to move and not a whole lot of weight. Good stocking options, good aquascaping options, won't take a lot of work to maintain.

 

[Maximilianairr]

Honestly, a 40 breeder is a good reef tank. Not to hard to move and not a whole lot of weight. Good stocking options, good aquascaping options, won't take a lot of work to maintain.

Cool thanks! and it do you suggest drilling an overflow or using overflow boxes? i've read some things that people hate the overflow boxes for some reason

 

[TheRealChrisBrown]

I second the 40 breeder. Easy enough to move once you drain the water and live rock, don't need 6 burly guys to lift it or anything like that. Watch for Petco's $1 per gallon sale and buy the 40b and maybe a 20b or a 2nd 40b for a sump.

I prefer drilled tanks, and it is quite easy to do if you plan it well. If you somehow lose the siphon on the U tube in your overflow box you stand a pretty good chance of flooding (no water returning to sump, but pump in sump is still pumping water up). Where as a drilled tank will keep flowing water to the sump unless it becomes clogged or something. Check out the Bean Animal overflow, has 3 drains for redundancy.

 

[Kluker589]

+1^^^^^ on overflow boxes.

 

[Maximilianairr]

if i get an overflow box with a dosing pump for the syphon action will it never run dry until the power goes out or is it still a toss up?

 

[Kluker589]

They are just so unreliable. You never know what will happen. To many bad story's of them overflowing and destroying a home and the tank. Just get it drilled at the lfs if u don't feel comfortable doing it your self. Usually they charge 15-25 a hole.

 

[Mccoc033]

I say if you should slowly start gathering equipment until May and just set up at your new place. Way lower risk of any livestock loss, no moving issues, you get the size you want, you get plenty of time to do research. Plus, you're tank won't even be matured by the time you're ready to tear down and move. I think a 75 or 90 is a good beginner size because it is more stable, but not so big you can't maintain it.

 

[Balz3352]

I could argue both sides. Smaller are harder to keep water better. Bigger are easier. Smaller are cheaper just due to size, but in this hobby nothings cheap.

But by may I agree tank won't be mature. And would also think about gathering equipment on a bigger tank you'd really want. Moving SUCKS!! I moved 3 tanks 2 fresh one small all under 29 gallons and it is beyond a hassle.

If you really want to get started and start learning I would debate on a pico under 10 gallons just to get wet before may.

I also would drill if you go the 40 breeder route

 

[zinovate]

Don't be afraid to drill it. Its worth the safety. If you don't, the downside is huge.

 

[sethsolomon]

+1 gather equipment until May and set it up in the new place. I would go with a 4ft 120g. Awesome tank size. Its like a big boy 40g breeder.

Also starting in may will allow you to find used equipment saving you money. But as they said above, this hobby is expensive. you could get a 40g breeder, stand, skimmer, 20 long sump, lights, return pump, and heater for about $500.

 

[Walter White]

I agree with many others here! Waiting for the new place will be the best. Being successful in this hobby means being patient. A common phrase you will hear is the only things that happen fast in this hobby are bad things.

use this time to start exercising patience, learn as much as you can, and watch the classifieds and craigslist for deals on good equipment. They come up all the time. In the long wrong it will save you a lot of money and heart ache.

one thing you could do in this time that would be very beneficial is to start finding some nice rock, dry or live. Research the pros and cons of each. Then get yourself a rubber maid trash can a small heater and power head and get that rock cured/cycling. It won't be difficult to move and it will greatly accelerate your time time cycle with good bacteria colonies while you research and collect equipment for your permanent setup.

 

[bathomassr]

This hobby is most assuredly expensive and frustrating, while at the same time rewarding and satisfying. I am gonna go with the "gather equipment and do research" advice. I've had a 75 gal tank with a siphon overflow for 2 years (without a problem) and am just now beginning to feel comfortable with this hobby. There is a steep learning curve, so reading and research is strongly recommended. Spend some time with club members who have been in the hobby awhile and you'll be amazed at what you can learn.

 

[Fitz19d]

You might consider an all in one 40b. I've seen a few conversions that are pretty neat. Look around online. Course once you start there, then you get sucked in by the company (forget name) that makes some really cool all in ones. (Including a 120g and think they also make this other neat like 20g with unusual dimensions.)

On the overflow front. With drilled, then it's easy to prevent disaster with big enough sump that you run the water level low enough that even if pump dies, the overflow would only fil it to brim. Easiest to do with a bigger sump. Obviously a bit harder with a 300g (My 210 was able to do this with a 90g)

With a conventional utube. You can get some redundancy by having 2 utubes running. Been so long seemed like I had some airhose but not attached to a pump up them too. Think it was just to restart easy and suck air out if a bubble was forming. Definately a bit scarrier option if it does go wrong, and not like you can run display lower to compensate for pump overflow. But.... I bet with some effort could always do some water level switches that just kill power when it drops/raises.

 

[Fitz19d]

Also keep in mind, can make a 40b rimless if you want that look. I like that size tank also because you can usually put it where you can stand over it. A tank from above can be a pretty neat thing. (Especially some coral colors change a bit when they arn't distorted by iron content in glass.)

 

[zombie]

In this situation, I would recommend looking on Craigslist and classifieds for nice equipment and just keep it in storage until the move if you find any smoking deals. I would find some rock and let it cure at your current place in a Rubbermaid or trash can with some aeration. That will cut your cycle time down to a matter of a couple weeks instead of a couple months once you move over to the new place.

 

[zinovate]

Nothing good happens fast in this hobby, consider it a test. All kidding aside, going slow is the best thing to do. You will end up making friends here that will be able to help judge the deals your looking at so make sure you ask. Also attend the meeting and meet the gang. Were a good group.

 

[Scobra]

+1 to gathering equipment. Getting a smaller tank now to ditch in 6 months for a larger one means you will be short on cash and space. Plus you may have lots of improperly sized equipment if you are intending to go up in display size. You will never make the money back that you put into this short-term tank. It also depends on how far you are moving; 10 minute drive or a 60+ minute drive matters. I've moved my old 20 a lot between college rental houses only a few minutes apart. The coral won't die much from some sloshing, mostly crushing if things shift in a bucket. Fish could, from stress. I have never lost anything in several 15 minute move, one time pulling the tank on a dolly down the road, and another that involved rolling over 10 speed bumps.

If you must get a short-term tank, I have never had issues with overflows. I used to make my own... Don't make your own. It never resulted in overflow but I never slept quite right thinking about it. But a manufactured one and the siphon has no reason to break, even with low or no flow, the siphon still never broke on me. (The inevitable but...) But drilled is better for convenience, hose management, look, space, maybe noise, and the highest level of safety.

This is all IMO and limited experience. Good luck.

 

[Miah2bzy]

Moving is difficult with a tank. It'd be much easier to gather equipment and start a build thread with what you're thinking. I bought most of my equipment used over 6 months time from guys who were moving and wanted it out who sold it for 1/4 the cost or less. You won't be able to do much in the next few months anyways as far as adding livestock so you might as well wait and plan everything out for when you do move. Then the fun can begin.
#+1forPatience

 

[SynDen]

I say if you should slowly start gathering equipment until May and just set up at your new place. Way lower risk of any livestock loss, no moving issues, you get the size you want, you get plenty of time to do research. Plus, you're tank won't even be matured by the time you're ready to tear down and move. I think a 75 or 90 is a good beginner size because it is more stable, but not so big you can't maintain it.

+1 Moving a newly setup tank can quickly revert you back to square one and all cycle progress lost. Collect the equipment and information, then setup once you are in a stable place. If this was freshwater you could get away with this easier, but much more risky in salt imo