Potentially moving, any thought on how to handle my tank?

[Jfaiii]

So I am seeking advise, There is a chance (nothing for sure yet) that I will need to move this summer from Fort Collins to the Denver area. I have been thinking of options of what to do with my tank and I want your thoughts and opinions on what is the best thing to do.

Option 1: Sell everything and start fresh with a new tank and all once I am settled in my new house.
I don't really like this option as I have some very high end stuff in my tank (Jawbreaker shrooms, and rainbow chalices)
Option 2: After I buy a place quickly set up a "bridge tank" and transfer my expensive stock into it until I can set up a larger tank.
This option is better than the first but I am worried about the cycle on setting up a complete new tank and then transferring my most expensive stock.
Option 3: (Im not sure how the logistics of this would work) Transfer my entire system to my new house.
Im not sure how to do this without mixing up the sand bed and causing a crash with moving everything around.


So any thoughts or other options I haven't thought of? Any suggestions on this?

 

[Munch]

How big is your current tank?

 

[Jfaiii]

75 gallon display with a 20 gallon sump and a 15 gallon frag tank plumbed in

 

[quillin35]

You can do the 3rd option i have help my brother in law do it three times in the pass 2 years and lost nothing the only thing that happen is we broke a big frogspawn colony. We used all the same water in 55 gallon trash cans and put all corals and fish in other containers and moved it. Just take your time moving it..

 

[Jfaiii]

You can do the 3rd option i have help my brother in law do it three times in the pass 2 years and lost nothing the only thing that happen is we broke a big frogspawn colony. We used all the same water in 55 gallon trash cans and put all corals and fish in other containers and moved it. Just take your time moving it..

When you did this did you leave the sanded with some water in the tank so it didn't get mixed up to badly or did you pull the sanded?

 

[sethsolomon]

If you want to store your corals while you move your tank, I have a ton of room in my sps tank.

 

[Jfaiii]

Alright, Thanks Seth I will keep that in mind. I may just take you up on that for some of my high end stuff.

 

[quillin35]

You can put plate in the tank on the sand a pour the water on it to minimize sturring up the sand and then put everthing else back in.

 

[quillin35]

Leave the sand in the tank with a little water.

 

[Jfaiii]

Transporting the tank with 100 lbs of sand plus a little water wouldn't be an issue for the tank?

 

[quillin35]

You can take some of the sand out we took a 5 gallon bucket worth out. Which was probably 30 lbs or so. Just make sure u have enough people on hand to carry it.

 

[sethsolomon]

Transporting the tank with 100 lbs of sand plus a little water wouldn't be an issue for the tank?

Thats what I have done when moving tanks.

 

[rplank]

Transporting the tank with 100 lbs of sand plus a little water wouldn't be an issue for the tank?

Nope. I have done this with multiple tank moves.

 

[Jfaiii]

Nope. I have done this with multiple tank moves.

Good to know, this was one of the things I was worried about

 

[FinsUp]

This is a very sound strategy.
Having someone foster your corals while you move the tank and get it set up again will drastically reduce your stress and rush to get it up and running. You'll have time to let it do a mini cycle (which it will). There's little benefit, if any, to keeping the old water, however, other than the cost of mixing all new water. Just make sure you keep the rocks submerged for the entire time, at temp, and preferably with water circulating. That's the biggest risk, is your rock dying off because it dried, got cold/hot, etc.

 

[SynDen]

This is a very sound strategy.
Having someone foster your corals while you move the tank and get it set up again will drastically reduce your stress and rush to get it up and running. You'll have time to let it do a mini cycle (which it will). There's little benefit, if any, to keeping the old water, however, other than the cost of mixing all new water. Just make sure you keep the rocks submerged for the entire time, at temp, and preferably with water circulating. That's the biggest risk, is your rock dying off because it dried, got cold/hot, etc.

+1 this maybe the best way to go about it, but there is also option 4. Which is hire Cris Capp and AA to move it for you. They have done this sort of thing a lot and would really minimize your losses imo

 

[FinsUp]

+1 this maybe the best way to go about it, but there is also option 4. Which is hire Cris Capp and AA to move it for you. They have done this sort of thing a lot and would really minimize your losses imo

+1 Also an excellent choice. If Cris and his crew do it, chances of losing a coral are almost nil. And they do all the work. The service you get will essentially pay for itself, IMO. Doing it yourself, you could lose whole colonies if you aren't really careful and patient. If you've got high end stuff, seriously consider having AA take care of it for you.

 

[Jfaiii]

+1 Also an excellent choice. If Cris and his crew do it, chances of losing a coral are almost nil. And they do all the work. The service you get will essentially pay for itself, IMO. Doing it yourself, you could lose whole colonies if you aren't really careful and patient. If you've got high end stuff, seriously consider having AA take care of it for you.

this is a really interesting idea, I will for sure keep it in mind. Sounds like the best option so far!