So we may be moving. Need some advice and folks to calm the reef tank moving nerves

[Reefering1]

Jerseys 10x better than DC

I’m in Camden county now too

I bet. Never been but I imagine it all politics all the time..

 

[bblumberg]

A one-stage move will be difficult. I'd do this in 2 stages.

First: I'd get a new tank set up and running in the new house with some of your existing live rock to get the tank established.
Next: Once the new tank is running and stable, say after a week or so, move the remainder of your existing rock, corals and fish there. 8 hours in a car/truck is not a big deal for fish, corals or rock provided that you aerate the water.

If you must do it in one stage or don't want to spring for a new tank, I'd get a food grade IBC tote (275 gallon or larger) [e.g., https://charleston.craigslist.org/search/sss?query=IBC tote#search=1~gallery~0~0]
cut the top off so that it is open all around, put it in the truck and pump about 2/3 of your water in there. Move the fish, rock and corals into the tote and make sure that you have a bunch of aeration. Better still would be to aerate with a powerhead to circulate, run from a battery. Drain the tank and sump, break down the tank and load into the truck. I'd probably save this water in a 55g barrel (you can get from the same place as the IBC tote) so that you have enough water to set things up quickly in the new location.

Once at the new location, set the tank up asap, move the reserved water in there and set up the live rock and powerheads. Then, pump water from the tote into the tank and when it gets low enough to catch the fish, move them as well. Overall, this will be a long day's work, but should go smoothly.

This is much harder work and will cost you the tote, 55 g barrel (less than $200 for both) and a pump and sufficient hose to move the water back and forth if you don't already have one.

 

[dochoot]

Good luck. Not sure what budget is but certainly a time to justify some expenses to make it work.

 

[vetteguy53081]

My wife received a heck of an opportunity that I'm not sure we can pass up. She has to respond by Friday for acceptance of the position.

While I'm extremely excited for her, I'm one that doesn't like change. It took some convincing to move to our current location 6 years ago. So I am filled with a mixture of emotions.

1. How many of you are in the Maryland/DC area? What is it like? Extracurricular activities (outside of reefing, believe it or not)? Schools?

2. How the heck do I move my established 210g system. I moved my 75g system on my own, this is a different beast.

3. Is it normal to feel guilting moving my son further away from my parents? We are 7.5 hrs now and will be ~12 hours. Not horrible, but I watched how it tore them up when my sister moved (albeit, she moved to north Maine, a bit different lol)

Please calm my nerves

What is your travel time and distance?

 

[TehBrainz]

If she’s got a great opportunity, hire a professional tank mover, that’s big water, do it right.

Your wife is got a great opportunity, so this will be a positive for all of you, you must live your lives.

Don’t feel guilty, feel excited.

Good luck.

I've got a great group here that do maintenance on tanks in the area. I used them for transporting the current 210 (they broke it down from previous owner that had it as a FOWLR for 2 years).

Giving them a call tomorrow to understand breakdown costs and loading onto a truck (I like the ideas of upgrading tank and doing a 2-part move)

The school system we are moving to is TONS better than what we have here.

 

[TehBrainz]

Where are you moving from now, and how long will the drive be?

1) I grew up outside of DC on the Virginia side until I was 21 or so, and then moved away….. best decision I ever made.
That place is a hell hole IMO, and it’s only gotten worse. Every time I’m back in the area it makes me happy I left.
The DMV area is the worst traffic in the country, by far worse than LA (I’ve driven both) and it’s normal to spend multiple hours every day in traffic. I once spent 2 hours to go 2 blocks and there wasn’t even anything special going on.

ALOT of the people in the area are shallow and fake and backstabbing because everyone’s looking to get a leg up on their competition in whatever govt or contacting company they work for. Just scummy vibes all around from my experiences.



As for moving the tanks it’s not that bad.
I moved a buddy
A 75g from Queens NYC to Richmond with zero casualties.
My suggestions for moving is to get a power inverter that connects to the cigaret outlet or wherever in the car so you can plug in a small heater and power head in the tubs with the fish and coral and then you’re good to drive 8 hours and get them into a tank.

Edit: just realized that it’s a 210 getting moved now, somehow slipped that sentence…
It’s either multiple people with tubs filling a few SUVS or getting like a cargo van rented. With that you’ve got a lot more space and you could keep the interior space air conditioned still and have access to power for power heads and air stones to keep water and oxygen going.

Moving from Charleston South Carolina. Looking like we will be in the suburbs of Baltimore area. Looked at Frederick, MD earlier tonight. But that area in general.

We have ****e traffic here too with horrible infrastructure. While it does not compete, I'm sure, we aren't in the best of areas (besides a real estate boom thats been going on for awhile)

We are pretty much home bodies that work from home (her new position is similar) so we won't have to deal with others too much.

 

[TehBrainz]

What is your travel time and distance?

Looks like 8ish hours

Charleston, SC to Baltimore, MD (roughly)

 

[TehBrainz]

A one-stage move will be difficult. I'd do this in 2 stages.

First: I'd get a new tank set up and running in the new house with some of your existing live rock to get the tank established.
Next: Once the new tank is running and stable, say after a week or so, move the remainder of your existing rock, corals and fish there. 8 hours in a car/truck is not a big deal for fish, corals or rock provided that you aerate the water.

If you must do it in one stage or don't want to spring for a new tank, I'd get a food grade IBC tote (275 gallon or larger) [e.g., https://charleston.craigslist.org/search/sss?query=IBC tote#search=1~gallery~0~0]
cut the top off so that it is open all around, put it in the truck and pump about 2/3 of your water in there. Move the fish, rock and corals into the tote and make sure that you have a bunch of aeration. Better still would be to aerate with a powerhead to circulate, run from a battery. Drain the tank and sump, break down the tank and load into the truck. I'd probably save this water in a 55g barrel (you can get from the same place as the IBC tote) so that you have enough water to set things up quickly in the new location.

Once at the new location, set the tank up asap, move the reserved water in there and set up the live rock and powerheads. Then, pump water from the tote into the tank and when it gets low enough to catch the fish, move them as well. Overall, this will be a long day's work, but should go smoothly.

This is much harder work and will cost you the tote, 55 g barrel (less than $200 for both) and a pump and sufficient hose to move the water back and forth if you don't already have one.

I like this idea. I floated it to the wife as a potential plan. It would be the "easiest" to keep the live stock going.

I've got an AWC system up in place so my current tank can be on auto pilot for about 2 weeks before replenishing of the reservoirs.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Looks like 8ish hours

Charleston, SC to Baltimore, MD (roughly)

My only longer distance trip, I had 3 large coolers an ran a two outlet power inverter off cigarette lighter and ran 3 air pumps with air stone and check on fish bi-hourly. Also bring 1-2 buckets with lids of fresh mixed salt water for exchanges if needed. have a rubbermaid tub up and running as a temporary hold until you get the display tank set back up. I left water just over the sand to keep the bacteria alive

 

[TehBrainz]

My 75g was a FOWLR and a young one (6 years ago) at that so pretty straight forward with small fish. Biggest issue was the 8hr drive in November...

What I did for my 75 gallon move (which I technically did twice, 1st was 8hrs from Alabama to South Carolina, 2nd was from rental to house about 5 months later)

1. Drained and filled 4 or 5 five gallon buckets and put most of my rock in.
2. Put fish in individual tupperware containers with holes drilled in tops for airline tubing.
3. 2 clowns together, blue damsels in another, goby/shrimp in one with a second dish with sand and a small rock (can't remember if other fish were around, I don't think so though, this was 6 years ago)
4. 30 gallon Brute was filled with remainder of water and rock that didn't fit in buckets.
5. Snails and crabs were collected and put with bucket with ~1inch sand in bottom.
6. All rest sand thrown out.
7. Tupperware was placed in igloo coolers and stayed in driver seat of Uhaul truck with me (alternating airline tubing every 1-2 hours as I didn't have enough airstones at the time, stupid of me)
8. Upon arrival I immediately dropped heaters into the brute can with all rock, water, and powerhead turned on. Fish went in as well.
9. Once enough new water was made and tank in place, I began the transfer with fresh sand in tank

Similar process to the house, but it was a 20 minute drive so less stressful. Both moves had 0 fatalities, but I had more fish in the 2nd move. I had no corals either so quite simple on that front.

Does anyone know of any good aquarium movers/LFS in the DC/MD area for the heavy lifting? Regardless of HOW I move, I'll need some extra hands with either getting the old tank in or moving a new tank into place.

 

[TehBrainz]

move the parents to N Jersey so they are half way between both of you. Or CT.

I didn't mention the feelings were not so much due to the kids moving (we're in our 40s and late 30s), but more so the grand kids.

I get it, but at the same time this is life and we are still building our careers to provide for the little ones.

In all honesty, my brother, sister, and I will be closer together than we have been since we graduated high school.

Told my mom she could travel to us, see my brother, then sister and do the same trip in reverse on their way back home

 

[TehBrainz]

Anyone have recommendations for tank movers in the Baltimore/DC area?

I'm getting some quotes in my area here, with one option to take down and load the tank on a truck. I'd need muscle at the other end that know what they're doing

 

[TehBrainz]

Called around to a few shops to find some contacts "the old fashioned way". Local LFS recommended me to a maintenance/set-up business in the area.

At high level, we discussed the best plan for getting livestock up there and set-up safely. All of this is built on pillars of assumptions with how our move will go from a timing perspective. I'll post a follow-up on the companies I've talked with after it's all said and done.

On another note, our current home goes *live* tomorrow. Please keep all of your fingers, fins, pincers, claws, what have you, crossed we have a quick and successful turn around on our home.

We also survived ALL in-laws coming in town for the kiddos birthday and discussions regarding the move. In-fact there was excitement for the area. Who knew.

 

[Dburr1014]

move the parents to N Jersey so they are half way between both of you. Or CT.

CT, the tax state.
Living the dream.

 

[Dburr1014]

I'm in Bogota right now visiting my wife's son, wife and brand new baby. My wife has already said it's going to be hard to get on the plane Friday to go home.

I get it.
She calls him every week, sometimes multiple times a week. Video chats help the miles appear smaller.

Stand by your wife and support her and your parents will understand.

The tank, wow, going to be huge. If it's a summer move, no worry about heaters. But lots of buckets you will need.

 

[TehBrainz]

I'm in Bogota right now visiting my wife's son, wife and brand new baby. My wife has already said it's going to be hard to get on the plane Friday to go home.

I get it.
She calls him every week, sometimes multiple times a week. Video chats help the miles appear smaller.

Stand by your wife and support her and your parents will understand.

The tank, wow, going to be huge. If it's a summer move, no worry about heaters. But lots of buckets you will need.

Yea we've had a lot of pep talks about the move. Parents (mine at least) are onboard and excited now. Hers are less than thrilled, but they only come around once or twice a year as-is. So we aren't too hung up on it. Flights are cheap and fast!

I'm trying to not let the tank move give me ulcers as we are still too far out (at least a month), but the nerves of finding a place to stay that will work for the family is starting to percolate to the front of our minds. Taking each day at a time. I think we've at least nailed down a county to live in and a few towns/cities. Baby steps.

Right now I'm looking at close to 8 or 10 Home Depot buckets for the fish themselves. Brute cans for the live rock and corals (leathers mostly). I'll be doing fresh sand on the receiving end while keeping as much of the LR as I can.

 

[TehBrainz]

Latest update

We are under contract and finished with due diligence on BOTH homes. Amazing.

New home has a finished basement with an unfinished utility room (aka my new filter room).

Getting fish help on the receiving end has been more difficult than originally planned. First store I found has gone nearly radio silent as I've requested quotes and tried to communicate timing expectations. They're also now 1.5hrs at least from where our new home is. Not bad, not the best.

Found a store 15 mins away. Will talk to them about logistics tomorrow.

Questions regarding short term storage of fish AFTER the 8-9hr trip.
1. How small is too small for temporary aquariums? My hippo tang and foxface are probably 5" and FAT. Tomini tang, 2 lyretail anthias and blue sided fairy wrasse are about 3". The remaining fish are 1-3"ish ( 2 clowns, 4 firefish goby, filefish, 3 cardinal).

2. If I set up multiple small tanks, what would be the best separation of fish? Size of tanks?

Not even sure if this will be a viable alternative as we'd probably be in an airbnb for at least a couple days.

In other news, anyone near Eldersburg, MD??

 

[Rjukan]

Really happy to read this! Glad things worked out on the sale and purchase, it's so stressful I know.

Wish I could help out, but I'm a few hours north. When passing through you could stop and pick up a 20g long I would donate

Goodluck with the logistics for the tank move, it sounds like you have some great fish that deserve a nice big new home with the rest of the family. I'll be following along.

 

[TehBrainz]

Really happy to read this! Glad things worked out on the sale and purchase, it's so stressful I know.

Wish I could help out, but I'm a few hours north. When passing through you could stop and pick up a 20g long I would donate

Goodluck with the logistics for the tank move, it sounds like you have some great fish that deserve a nice big new home with the rest of the family. I'll be following along.

Appreciate the nice gesture! I've got a 20g long and tall I use for QT, but I feel they may be too small for limping through a few days of rental.

I've purchased three 50g totes with lids as we will be needing to transport majority of our water since we cannot have water ready to go on arrival. I'm thinking that these three totes along with 2 45g Brute trashcans I use for mixing station should mean we have enough volume to transport the rock, few corals that are going, and the fish without having to squish everyone up in 5g buckets.

I have 4 battery powered air stones that will be running during the drive and at the temporary set up as well.

Cats will be with me in the cabin of the truck as well. Found this out last night when talking with the misses. 2.5 weeks to go!

 

[TehBrainz]

Main move is complete. 2 deaths during the "actual" move. 1 death this morning in holding tank as a heater failed sometime in the last 2 days and the basement is 66 degrees

Aquarium in place. New plumbing is finished. Base rock is in palce and about to move new sand then the transfer of rock and livestock starts.

I'll provide a detailed update later how everything went down as well as a proper homage to the 3 fallen

RIP
Lyretail Anthia (Old ruler of the tank)
Blue sided fairy wrasse (my favorite from the tank)
Tomini Tang