90 gallon slow and steady build

[SynDen]

I have a 75 sitting in my basement not being used you could borrow, if you don't find something closer to you

The home we are relocating to is about 15 minute drive from current house. I'm thinking I'll need to setup a temporary tank at new house to receive transfer of livestock. That will allow time to breakdown the tank and equipment for transport. Anyone have a 50-75 gallon tank laying around that I could borrow?

Sent from my Nexus 6 using MASC mobile app

 

[neil82]

I have a 75 sitting in my basement not being used you could borrow, if you don't find something closer to you

Sent from my Nexus 6 using MASC mobile app

A 75 would work great. Thank you for the offer. I'll send you a message the next time I'm planning a trip your way.

 

[neil82]

Moving this setup is sounding like a daunting task. I've contemplated parting ways with the tank and starting over later, but it would cost much more to start over.
I've considered selling livestock only, to make for an easier move and less stress for the livestock. Then I think of the attachment I have with the livestock that I have had for years.
Trying to find a good solution to stay in the hobby and prioritize the well being of the livestock.
Woe is me! Lol

 

[Andrew_bram]

Don't get out. You got this.

Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk

 

[TheRealChrisBrown]

Don't forget the livestock is much more hardy than we give them credit for. If you plan out the move really well you will be just fine, one of the most successful moves I've ever seen the guy made checklists of the order in which to do things. That way nothing was forgotten, nothing was out of order (like bagging your fish at place A....but not having anything setup at place B sort of thing). I saw this on a thread on one of the national forums. Let us know how we can help, we're always here for ya!

 

[flagg37]

Moving this setup is sounding like a daunting task. I've contemplated parting ways with the tank and starting over later, but it would cost much more to start over.
I've considered selling livestock only, to make for an easier move and less stress for the livestock. Then I think of the attachment I have with the livestock that I have had for years.
Trying to find a good solution to stay in the hobby and prioritize the well being of the livestock.
Woe is me! Lol

I must have missed it, where are you moving from and to?

 

[neil82]

I must have missed it, where are you moving from and to?

Lafayette to Erie. It's less than 15 minute drive.

 

[neil82]

Should I setup temporary tank to hold livestock at the new house or old house? We'll list the old house for sale after we move out. I'll have a couple weeks to make this transition. Nothing has to happen fast.

 

[SynDen]

I you have the time, then a temp tank could help a lot. It makes it a lot less of a rush ime. I'd do it at the old house if you can, then move everything over once the other tank is setup and stabilized in the new house

 

[Haddonisreef]

If u have the ability to set up any type of temp tank during a move it will help. If looking for throughs I have a few to part with.

 

[TheRealChrisBrown]

What if..... you set up a temporary tank at the new house. Start taking the livestock over in trips, since it is relatively close. Then once the 90 is all moved in you can get it up and running and not have time constraints to worry about if the house sells quickly. With the amount of disturbing that will happen I'd expect at least a mini cycle....you could avoid subjecting your livestock to that if they were in the temporary setup until the 90 stabilizes. I set up a 150g horse trough when I did my tank swap, it was actually kinda cool to observe the fish from the top down all the time.

 

[SkyShark]

Start seeding some of those bio pure ceramic blocks in your current tank. That’ll help a lot with bio filtration when you do move (assuming you decide to move it).

 

[scmountain]

We moved from middle of Denver to a suburb, all in a cooler and buckets. it was my 3rd tank move.
a temp tank is the best and IMHO the only way to do it. Reduces stress by a billion for you and a little bit for the livestock
I moved all live stock and corals in separate coolers (corals were all baby/recent frags)

I have a 60g Tall w/ 5g overflow sump that I used as my temp tank. All livestock made it, stress about them was very little.
That setup is empty and not in use if you need it, I can also throw in some live rock to help seed it. lemme know

 

[neil82]

Thanks for the ideas everyone. I appreciate the offer @scmountain. @SynDen kindly allowed me to borrow his 75 gallon to serve as temporary tank. Using the ideas given here, and some brainstorming of my own, here is the tentative plan:
I'll setup 75 gallon temporary tank at our old house with a heater and single mp40. I'll mix 30 gallons of fresh salt water to keep at ready for water changes in temporary tank. Then I'll bring the RODI to the new house and setup to make water in the basement. This is where the new mixing station will be. It's an unfinished basement with floor drains.
Back at the old house,
I'll initially fill the temporary tank with water from the 90. I'll add bags of ceramic media and smaller pieces of live rock that have been in the sump of the 90 gallon system. Then the fish and coral will get transferred.
I'll breakdown and pack up the equipment, tank, stand, and lights for transport. I'll setup the 90 gallon system at new house. I'll use new substrate and start filling with fresh mixed salt water. Bring the equipment back online and monitor parameters. Once things stabilize, I'll transport livestock to place in 90 gallon.
Questions: how long will the livestock be able to reside in temporary tank with no lights?
Anyone familiar with the water quality in Erie?
What considerations have I not accounted for?

 

[scmountain]

Unpopular opinion: (since your move is rather short) keep the old substrate in the 90, and dont stir it beyond the normal bumps and jolts of the move. You retain amazing developed cultures/life. I would run some carbon. (I hate the uglies that come with brand new sand/silica.)

From my experience, light and livestock are more for cosmetics. Very little light for prolonged periods of time, will make the colors look awful on fish eventually, but they do come back over time. (I have 2 kessil a80s w/ controller if you want to borrow.)

Would life not be better having the temp 75 at the same place as the water station?

This already has way more thought in it than my first move... keep it up and let us know how we can help!

 

[neil82]

Thanks for reading my post @scmountain!
I'll do a cliff notes version since I tend to ramble on when I write:
75 gallon temp tank at old house w/heater and mp40.
Move 90 gallon setup to new house.
Setup RODI and mixing station at new house.
Transfer livestock after 90 gallon system stabilizes.

 

[neil82]

I'm still going back and forth with where to setup the temp tank. I see your point @scmountain about having it in the same place as the mixing station. I just don't know how quickly I'll be able to move the equipment to the new place. We have to first move our furniture, clothes, and other essentials before I'll be able to start on the stuff for the tank. At least that's what the boss is telling me.

 

[scmountain]

sorry I had a few beers last night, but just want to make it the smoothest move possible as we know moving sucks, and then add a tank!
I must have missed that the 90 would be cycling and that you are so lucky to have 2 houses for an extended period of time I never had that luxury so I can see how my tips dont really help in this situation haha
Good luck with it all, holler if you need some help!

 

[neil82]

sorry I had a few beers last night, but just want to make it the smoothest move possible as we know moving sucks, and then add a tank!
I must have missed that the 90 would be cycling and that you are so lucky to have 2 houses for an extended period of time I never had that luxury so I can see how my tips dont really help in this situation haha
Good luck with it all, holler if you need some help!

Beer has been the source of many a good idea in my experience! But yeah, moving is a ton of work and I appreciate your input to help make a smooth transition. I am thinking of the tank move as a completely separation operation from the rest of the move. It's just way different moving a tank compared to moving the rest of my crap lol.

 

[neil82]

Temp tank is cleaned up. I'm sorry @SynDen! I broke off half the top brace by accident. I'll hold on to the broken piece.
I grabbed some rigid foam board to place under the tank. It's sitting on the basement floor which isn't perfectly level and also pretty cold.
Does that seem like a good idea to put the foam under the tank? View attachment 15667