I moved a 20 gallon reef tank across the US 20 years ago. Not even sure how we accomplished it lol. The tank moved by truck with all our furniture and the corals and fish was packed and shipped overnight by an LFS. I remember driving through snow getting stuck almost accident having to go to a UPS distribution center to pick up the livestock. All somehow survived. And not even sure why we didn’t consider just selling everything. Probably too attached lol.
Did u remove the sand and then start wither either new sand or no sand? I’m tryin to buy a tank but the person I trust most has told me it’s a really bad idea to try n leave the sand in there for transport in a truck an hr away she said it would def crash I’ve move one before but it didn’t have as much coral or fish nor as demandin of corals in it it was all softies and lost the one I’m looking at is a mix with a couple a rod and montiporas and I’m stuck on what to do I hate to have to set up a beautiful tank but with no sand but if that’s how it’s gotta be done that’s how it’s gonna be done
@@born2beashooterjosh397 now you’re really testing my memory but I’m pretty sure I transported the sand as well as the rocks. Just kept some water with the sand. I think the key is keeping all the bacteria alive. But it was a small tank (20gal) and I didn’t have any sps. I do remember uncovering a lot of detritus in the sand and I think I tried to remove some of it.
@@skippersreef4009yeah I can’t remember 100% sure how I did my last big tank move when I bought a full set up reef before the first time so I’m jus going to go with setting it back up bare bottom to start out with then I’m gonna clean n dry the sand and the n slowly reintroduce it in to the tank a lil bit at a time
Moved present tank 3 times in 7 years(not by choice). I always have extra tanks ,pumps, containers etc to stage move. Never keep sand but always keep live rock , wet, submerged and quick!
do you have coral tanks? if so could you give me some advice my tank might pop and i am going to have to replace it this week, but i don’t know where to even start. it has a sump
whats a good way to move an aquascape with encrusted acropora? I need to find a way that it just wont move around during the drive, which isnt very far.
im having a daughter in two months and i have to move my 90 gallon tank and i am not looking forward to it. Thankfully i can leave it at my current house while my temporary tank cycles and im just going to do a quick tranfer of livestock into it and then move my big tank to the house and keep the rock and replace the sand and hopefully it will be okay just glad i only have softes and LPS.
To be honest, I use pool sand. I buy clean sand, clean it so that there is no more dust, and put it in. There is nothing bad chemically in the sand to make you have a nitrogen spike. That said, you need a lot of live rock in there...put in all from old tank. Before moving it, I'd also put in some new dry rock a couple weeks before moving just to have extra. If you are just wanting to change the sand, you could use a large 1.5 diameter hose and vacuum it out. You'll lose a lot of water though....lots. If I were you, I'd empty it of water and live rock, throw away the old sand, then replace with cleaned pool sand. It is a lot cheaper than livesand.
I’m not saying it’s the secret to success but the last move I did I ditched the sand and when I refilled I used new “live” sand, I had some algae issues but other than that it was smooth sailing.
YEP this is exactly what I plan on doing, selling this 10 gallon and upgrading to a nice, bigger 40 gallon from Innovative marine. I love this 10 gallon but its really challenging keeping everything stable in such a small tank, everything IS happy but its a pain to keep it that way, im obviously keeping my fish (Misbar mocha caramel clownfish + wheelers shrimp goby + pistol shrimp + my cleanup crew) and my rock of course to help seed the new tank quickly, but everything else is being sold and used to fund the next project
Can you please explain more about the sand? Should we keep it wet and add it bit by bit, or should we get new sand? How could we keep the bacteria alive for an extended period while slowly adding it back to the tank?
I have a short move coming up. I’m going to keep my sand bed on my 2 year old nano tank. Too much hassle and unknown replacing it especially with all the other flux accompanying the tear down / set up.
If you are moving long distance, sell everything and start over is what I would do also. You are right on point, for every successful move, there are likely 4 unsuccessful ones.
Ok, i have a 20 gallon AIO tank and i want to move all my existing coral and fish to a bigger tank, probably going up to a 60 gallon (80 gallon water volume with sump). Also, the new tank is going in same exact spot as the existing tank sits. How do i safely move all stock over? i want to add all the existing rock (especially since i have coral growth on most of it), but i will need to add more rock since it is a bigger tank. you recommend adding all new sand as well to new tank? also, did i mention that my existing tank has been established since mid 2018.
When I changed my tank to a new one that was going in the same place, I did it in two stages, because I needed to do some work to the floor under the tank. I set the new tank up nearby in the same room, using all new and well rinsed sand. Then I drained the old tank and put my rocks and coral in buckets. I put as much of the old water into the new tank as possible. Then I added my rocks and coral to the new tank. I kept all my old filtration media so they were full of all the benficial bacteria still. After a few weeks, I drained the new 50gallon tank most of the way into buckets, with the rock and coral again, slid the tank over to the original location using furniture moving pads, and refilled it all.
@@vincentjames1995 thanks for the advice, but adding all new sand and new rock (including existing rock), is that enough bacteria to keep tank going? i want to avoid recycling tank. All my beneficial bacteria is among my current rocks, i have no ceramic media in tank for bacteria as my AIO does not have the room for it.
@@albertmaya6882 If you have any sponges or foam pads in the current filtration area, put those in the new tank too for the bacteria. Not a bad idea to add some live bacteria to the new tank as well (and with your weekly/biweekly water changes for a while), and add some biofiltration media for them to establish on. I think your new tank will still go through an adjustment period, but you should be fine if you take those steps with the bacteria. You may also consider reducing feeding a bit in the new tank for a while, to give the bacteria time to establish better and ensure the reduced population can process all of the nutrients
Starting with “sell everything and don’t move it” is poor advise. And then you just glossed over and did not go in depth into the intricacies or anything. C-
I moved a 20 gallon reef tank across the US 20 years ago. Not even sure how we accomplished it lol. The tank moved by truck with all our furniture and the corals and fish was packed and shipped overnight by an LFS. I remember driving through snow getting stuck almost accident having to go to a UPS distribution center to pick up the livestock. All somehow survived. And not even sure why we didn’t consider just selling everything. Probably too attached lol.
This is a cool story man lmao the things we will do to get what we want !
Did u remove the sand and then start wither either new sand or no sand? I’m tryin to buy a tank but the person I trust most has told me it’s a really bad idea to try n leave the sand in there for transport in a truck an hr away she said it would def crash I’ve move one before but it didn’t have as much coral or fish nor as demandin of corals in it it was all softies and lost the one I’m looking at is a mix with a couple a rod and montiporas and I’m stuck on what to do I hate to have to set up a beautiful tank but with no sand but if that’s how it’s gotta be done that’s how it’s gonna be done
@@born2beashooterjosh397 now you’re really testing my memory but I’m pretty sure I transported the sand as well as the rocks. Just kept some water with the sand. I think the key is keeping all the bacteria alive. But it was a small tank (20gal) and I didn’t have any sps. I do remember uncovering a lot of detritus in the sand and I think I tried to remove some of it.
@@skippersreef4009yeah I can’t remember 100% sure how I did my last big tank move when I bought a full set up reef before the first time so I’m jus going to go with setting it back up bare bottom to start out with then I’m gonna clean n dry the sand and the n slowly reintroduce it in to the tank a lil bit at a time
Good advice. I have moved my Biocube 32 twice and it is a pain! Never had any losses but I was lucky I guess. Love the daily sidetrack.
Moved present tank 3 times in 7 years(not by choice). I always have extra tanks ,pumps, containers etc to stage move. Never keep sand but always keep live rock , wet, submerged and quick!
do you have coral tanks? if so could you give me some advice my tank might pop and i am going to have to replace it this week, but i don’t know where to even start. it has a sump
Why would you not keep the live rock in your original aquarium? I'd think that would be a good thing.
I'm so early!!! Love the vids underrated channel
So great! Love coral and cars as well!
Gallery Aquatica is the channel to watch on moving tanks.
Gallery Aquatica use Natural Seawater from great barrier reef
ua-cam.com/video/JmFNfNlsPus/v-deo.html&ab_channel=GalleryAquaticaTV
whats a good way to move an aquascape with encrusted acropora? I need to find a way that it just wont move around during the drive, which isnt very far.
So what is your opinion on taking down a 84x30x30 Reef tank and replacing it with a larger tank In the same location?
im having a daughter in two months and i have to move my 90 gallon tank and i am not looking forward to it. Thankfully i can leave it at my current house while my temporary tank cycles and im just going to do a quick tranfer of livestock into it and then move my big tank to the house and keep the rock and replace the sand and hopefully it will be okay just glad i only have softes and LPS.
How do you safely change the sand of an existing tank ?
To be honest, I use pool sand. I buy clean sand, clean it so that there is no more dust, and put it in. There is nothing bad chemically in the sand to make you have a nitrogen spike. That said, you need a lot of live rock in there...put in all from old tank. Before moving it, I'd also put in some new dry rock a couple weeks before moving just to have extra. If you are just wanting to change the sand, you could use a large 1.5 diameter hose and vacuum it out. You'll lose a lot of water though....lots. If I were you, I'd empty it of water and live rock, throw away the old sand, then replace with cleaned pool sand. It is a lot cheaper than livesand.
I’m not saying it’s the secret to success but the last move I did I ditched the sand and when I refilled I used new “live” sand, I had some algae issues but other than that it was smooth sailing.
YEP this is exactly what I plan on doing, selling this 10 gallon and upgrading to a nice, bigger 40 gallon from Innovative marine. I love this 10 gallon but its really challenging keeping everything stable in such a small tank, everything IS happy but its a pain to keep it that way, im obviously keeping my fish (Misbar mocha caramel clownfish + wheelers shrimp goby + pistol shrimp + my cleanup crew) and my rock of course to help seed the new tank quickly, but everything else is being sold and used to fund the next project
Can you please explain more about the sand? Should we keep it wet and add it bit by bit, or should we get new sand? How could we keep the bacteria alive for an extended period while slowly adding it back to the tank?
I've moved small tanks like 15 gallon tanks but that's it..never had any issues but I have no idea how to move a big tank
I have a short move coming up. I’m going to keep my sand bed on my 2 year old nano tank. Too much hassle and unknown replacing it especially with all the other flux accompanying the tear down / set up.
How'd it go? I'm curious I might have to do it one day too for my 30g
If you are moving long distance, sell everything and start over is what I would do also. You are right on point, for every successful move, there are likely 4 unsuccessful ones.
So you would sell all corals and fish?
Couldn't you just bag the corals separately with the existing water and set them up in the tank elsewhere?
Ok, i have a 20 gallon AIO tank and i want to move all my existing coral and fish to a bigger tank, probably going up to a 60 gallon (80 gallon water volume with sump). Also, the new tank is going in same exact spot as the existing tank sits. How do i safely move all stock over? i want to add all the existing rock (especially since i have coral growth on most of it), but i will need to add more rock since it is a bigger tank. you recommend adding all new sand as well to new tank? also, did i mention that my existing tank has been established since mid 2018.
When I changed my tank to a new one that was going in the same place, I did it in two stages, because I needed to do some work to the floor under the tank. I set the new tank up nearby in the same room, using all new and well rinsed sand. Then I drained the old tank and put my rocks and coral in buckets. I put as much of the old water into the new tank as possible. Then I added my rocks and coral to the new tank. I kept all my old filtration media so they were full of all the benficial bacteria still. After a few weeks, I drained the new 50gallon tank most of the way into buckets, with the rock and coral again, slid the tank over to the original location using furniture moving pads, and refilled it all.
I'd use all new sand, cause your old sand will likely be polluted with nutrients.
@@vincentjames1995 thanks for the advice, but adding all new sand and new rock (including existing rock), is that enough bacteria to keep tank going? i want to avoid recycling tank. All my beneficial bacteria is among my current rocks, i have no ceramic media in tank for bacteria as my AIO does not have the room for it.
@@albertmaya6882 If you have any sponges or foam pads in the current filtration area, put those in the new tank too for the bacteria. Not a bad idea to add some live bacteria to the new tank as well (and with your weekly/biweekly water changes for a while), and add some biofiltration media for them to establish on. I think your new tank will still go through an adjustment period, but you should be fine if you take those steps with the bacteria. You may also consider reducing feeding a bit in the new tank for a while, to give the bacteria time to establish better and ensure the reduced population can process all of the nutrients
Nice video!
Make a video if you want to change all the aquascape with new rock
I moved my 40 gallon to a new home. I only Lost one fish. (Royal Gramma). Everything else did great.
How did you move it all? I might have to do it too. Thanks ! I have a company by me that helps doing moves but it's prob $$
If you have an established reef tank with a sand bed and you remove the sand bed you will crash the tank.
I’ve moved plenty of tanks the worst thing that ever happens was 1 of tangs got white spot
I’m so glad you were able to show me your vehicle. I couldn’t care less and it added nothing to the purpose of the video, but thanks again 🙄
Starting with “sell everything and don’t move it” is poor advise. And then you just glossed over and did not go in depth into the intricacies or anything. C-
I have a friend who wants to sell an 80 gal tank with all livestock 3hrs away 🤪
Need to see a 165 gal. Moved
In a nutshell, this guy didn’t have much luck at moving tanks so his advice is to sell all your hard work and start over. Dumb video. Terrible advice.
Could have just said why not to move a tank
This video is full of crap
So we just using click bait