HELP fellow DIY geeks and frustrated wanna-be engineers :) need help plannig a move

[fatoldsun]

I am planning a move in 2 weeks ...getting closer and scarier...


The good news is I’m not moving very far (translation, 3 houses) and the movers will take all of the empty, but heavy stuff like the tank, stand (my stand is ABSURDLY heavy, like more than the tank) etc..
The bad news, I have to be out of my house by 10:00 AM and won’t have access to the new place until late afternoon, like around 4 or 5

I’m trying to plan this out - really in 2 phases. Phase 1 is the 2 weeks before moving day and the week or 2 after
Phase 2 is “moving day”

For phase one (project “PLEASE Don’t Crash”), I have a 110g stock tank that I will move all of my livestock into. Plan is to run a small skimmer (I have a spare bubble magus NAC6) and a couple pumps for circulation. If things get nasty I may run the GAC reactor. I will move my LEDs over once the coral is moved in.

Here’s where I need some advice. I’d like to try and tie the stock tank into my tank so that the transition is easier – i.e., no acclimation of each item, but I also want to try and move things a little bit slowly – like 2-3 days so I make sure I can save most of my CUC and such. I( thought about running 2 MJ12s – one into the sump (fuge) from the stock tank (call that the “stock-return”) and one from the return of my sump to the stock tank (call that Stock-supply) Will that work without causing a flood? Is it enough to do that a couple hours a day when it can be monitored? Anyone have a better suggestion?

Phase 2 (Project moving day) involves moving the livestock in various buckets (I have 2 55g drums on casters and locking lids, 5 15g drums with locking lids, and about 8 5-7g salt buckets. I plan to use one 55 for NSW ready to go, 1 55 for RO/DI just in case I need time to set up my stuff) Small buckets will have livestock – fish and coral and larger (these will have air pump and stones and stones and perhaps a small PH -like MJ12- if needed – I think I have about 5) and 15g will have base rock and remaining water. Everything will live in a neighbor’s garage so it should be out of the direct sun but I think my biggest concern will be temperature) not sure what I can do to stabilize that – that would be question/advice plea number 2....

 

[JRWOHLER]

You can set up fans to cool the tank and keep heaters in it to keep it from dropping to low on cooler nights.
Wouldn't worry about lights so much if you can limit the move to a day or two....or you can set up one over the tank and one over the holding stock tank.
At some point when I first set up my 120 I had my fish in my old 24 G Aquapod and then 150lb of rocks corals and other stuff in two rubbermade tubs with my T5 sitting on some wood....think they were there for a couple weeks....then I setup the rock then moved in corals and fish.

PS would add a canister sort of filter with carbon.

 

[fatoldsun]

I will have a heater in the stock tank and the chiller will be off line but there are ceiling fans. My temperature concerns were the day of the move when stuff is in a 5g bucket in someone's garage. August 30 shouldn't be cold but what if its a hot day? Hopefully shade (with the garage door closed) will be enough

 

[AqOb]

There is a much easier way to get this move done moving a tank can be accomplished in 1 day. Setting up the maxi jets will not work. Make around 90 gallons of fresh saltwater. At 8:00 siphon all the water you can from your system before moving any rock work, removing corals and placing same species in buckets together. When you are finished removing water, remove rock and place in buckets. Then remove fish and place in buckets or brute garbage cans with airstones. (60min) Have someone ferry livestock to neighbors while you disconnect plumbing and throw away substrate. (30min) Have movers move the tank. Place fish in 110 in neighbors garage with a korallia and an airstone. Place airstones in buckets with corals. Mind the temp throughout the day.
At 5:00 have your new substrate prepped. Put tank in location and reconnect plumbing. Put substrate back in. Put as much rock back in as possible consider discarding water that they are stored in if you store them in water. Refill tank with water you saved that does not have livestock in it. Fill tank with water from 110 and add fish. Fill remaining tank volume up with fresh saltwater and start the system. Add corals discarding water they were stored in. As a precaution I normally run carbon and polypads for a few days following a move.

 

[JRWOHLER]

There is a much easier way to get this move done moving a tank can be accomplished in 1 day. Setting up the maxi jets will not work. Make around 90 gallons of fresh saltwater. At 8:00 siphon all the water you can from your system before moving any rock work, removing corals and placing same species in buckets together. When you are finished removing water, remove rock and place in buckets. Then remove fish and place in buckets or brute garbage cans with airstones. (60min) Have someone ferry livestock to neighbors while you disconnect plumbing and throw away substrate. (30min) Have movers move the tank. Place fish in 110 in neighbors garage with a korallia and an airstone. Place airstones in buckets with corals. Mind the temp throughout the day.
At 5:00 have your new substrate prepped. Put tank in location and reconnect plumbing. Put substrate back in. Put as much rock back in as possible consider discarding water that they are stored in if you store them in water. Refill tank with water you saved that does not have livestock in it. Fill tank with water from 110 and add fish. Fill remaining tank volume up with fresh saltwater and start the system. Add corals discarding water they were stored in. As a precaution I normally run carbon and polypads for a few days following a move.

Or you could just listen to a professional and not me. I would have some desk/portable fans around if it is a hot day in any case.

 

[NikkiT]

I have a question.
If you are moving 3 houses down, is there any chance that if you explain to the person you have bought the house from what you are trying to do, they will let you put the tank in earlier? If know there are inspections etc. that have to be done, but will they try to help you here?

If they will not, I have a suggestion.

When we moved from Spring Lake to Point Pleasant, we enlisted Ethan from AO to help us set the tanks up and get the livestock into their new home. That was good idea. I would call him.

 

[fatoldsun]

I have a question.
If you are moving 3 houses down, is there any chance that if you explain to the person you have bought the house from what you are trying to do, they will let you put the tank in earlier? If know there are inspections etc. that have to be done, but will they try to help you here?

If they will not, I have a suggestion.

When we moved from Spring Lake to Point Pleasant, we enlisted Ethan from AO to help us set the tanks up and get the livestock into their new home. That was good idea. I would call him.

Unfortunately and much to my dismay something happened when the sellers hired their attorney. She (attorney) did not like me and long storty short she did everything she could to end the deal. The sellers (a trust) have taken her advice and for liability reasons we can not gain access until we close.
What does Ethan charge for such an endeavor and I'm pretty far from AO - I'm by Phila and the move is the Friday of Labor Day weekend so not sure but if its remotely affordable I'd strongly consider it

 

[Mike S]

Would your neighbor allow you to set up the stock tank in his garage a day or two earlier? Move all of your livestock to there the day before that way you only have to worry about moving your fish once on your move day when you'll have a lot of other stuff to deal with.

Sent from my Nexus 10 using Tapatalk 4

 

[jose7878]

Would your neighbor allow you to set up the stock tank in his garage a day or two earlier? Move all of your livestock to there the day before that way you only have to worry about moving your fish once on your move day when you'll have a lot of other stuff to deal with.

Sent from my Nexus 10 using Tapatalk 4

This is a good idea. Definitely see if your neighbor will let you setup 1-2 days in advance. That way you can plumb the chiller and heater in case it gets to hot/cold. And not worry so much about rushing and making a poor judgement call at the last moment. Which could be catastrophic. Good luck Dave.

 

[TanksNStuff]

Dave, if it helps you any, I have an extra 35g Brute and a 44g Brute you can borrow to make the move easier than all those buckets. They both have lids and wheels so you could probably wheel it to the neighbors and/or the new place. Sure beats carrying all those buckets.

Or, at the least, maybe you could just use 1 of them to have extra saltwater made up and stored in case of emergencies?

I'll be going to Jim's meeting the weekend before your move. Not sure if you're going to make it too, but if not, I could drop off the Brutes to you afterwards. Let me know.

Since that's Labor Day Weekend, I already have plans to do stuff with the family... but if you have any emergency situations, give me a call and maybe I can come help you out (would depend on if I'm out or at home at the time.) Pretty sure you have my number, but if not, PM me.

 

[fatoldsun]

Thanks guys. I'll look at setting the stick tank up a few days earlier. That's a great idea. I'll still need to set it up here - soon. I don't want to wait for the last minute to break down b/c I want to have the movers take the tank after I clean it.
George:
thanks for the offer. I think I'm ok with buckets. Sadly I won't make it to Jim's though.

 

[fatoldsun]

When we moved from Spring Lake to Point Pleasant, we enlisted Ethan from AO to help us set the tanks up and get the livestock into their new home. That was good idea. I would call him.

Nikki
just confirming - is AO aquatic obsessions in Avenal? I just want to make sure I reached out to the correct place...
I will see if hiring help is an option. Otherwise I will be moving everything to the stock tank in the next few days. Then the stock tank will be moved to a neighbors a week from Wednesday. It'll reside there about 3-5 days and then be moved to the new house where it'll keep everything going until the tank is plumbed and ready - I'll be taking advantage of the breakdown to make a few system changes to the sump and plumbing.

 

[MadReefer]

Yes AO is in Avenal. Will and Ethan are great guys.

 

[mnat]

Nikki
just confirming - is AO aquatic obsessions in Avenal? I just want to make sure I reached out to the correct place...
I will see if hiring help is an option. Otherwise I will be moving everything to the stock tank in the next few days. Then the stock tank will be moved to a neighbors a week from Wednesday. It'll reside there about 3-5 days and then be moved to the new house where it'll keep everything going until the tank is plumbed and ready - I'll be taking advantage of the breakdown to make a few system changes to the sump and plumbing.

Yes, Aquatic Obsessions in Avenal.
Ethan was great when we moved, he also set up the 205 and the fish room when we upgraded.

 

[fatoldsun]

Well I asked around and none of the movers for hire are available when I'm moving so I'm back to trying this as was planned. I'd love to tie the stock tank into my system and just move stuff over but that's not possible with my setup and the experts have said my mj12 idea won't work so I'm going to do a large water change and use 40-50 gallons of discarded water to start the stock tank plus the extra live rock in my fuge. Next day I'll move allThe rock coral and more water. Them I hope I can catch the fish. Next step will be to siphon out the sand to look for the cuc and sand dwellers. Hope to do that by this weekend. Stabilize it and move it to my neighbors middle of next week. It should run there about 4-5 days. Fingers crossed
Anyone down south have a random
Wednesday off on the 18th? I pay in pizza and beer.