Tips on moving a nano tank that's jam-packed..... 6-9 hour drive....

OK folks!!

In a week I'll be loading up the contents of my 11g nano (see the link below).

Our drive will be 6-9 hours (we have an infant and toddler, plus stopping to meet family on the way, making the trip unpredictable)

Some of these corals aren't all that easy to find (at least, for the price I paid for them lol ;D since I live near a coral farm). So I'm not about to trade them off when I think I can move them just fine. Most aren't SPS, these are mostly softies and LPS.

http://www.3reef.com/forums/show-of...leds-live-beer-bottle-129686.html#post1289061


Here are my plans, but I am looking for constructive criticism/suggestions. I have NEVER moved this much before even though it's a small system.


*I have a bunch of 1/2 quart (frag) and 1 quart (small colony) size deli containers with very tight fitting lid. One frag per container.

*Will move fish (3 small ones) in 2-quart sized butter tubs with the lid taped on, half filled with water (plenty of O2).

*All live animals will be stored in the same HUGE cooler along with however much clean saltwater (in plastic bags) to stabilize the internal cooler temp and keep the rest of the contest from sliding around.

*Taking a total of 10 gallons of new saltwater (aged 2 weeks) and also taking however much tank water I can salvage after the frag packing.

*floating all LPS frags on styrofoam

*The substrate in this tank is a 1/2" dusting of crushed coral, so I will be able to remove it, rinse in freshwater until pristine, and then put back in, shouldn't take too long.

*Live rock all has coral on it (3-4 grapefruit size pieces) so I'll pack them in larger containers and ship submerged.




I am moving in NC/SC in mid July, and we hit 107 today in Raleigh, so I'm grateful to have this huge cooler. I'm going to probably chill the "ballast water" (aged new saltwater) down to around 72 just to help.



Any tips beyond what you see here?

 

This sounds well though out and planned. I think should work well.

 

Sounds well thought out.

I moved my tank, about a nine hour drive. All the corals and anemones did great, however I lost my male clown. Putting him in a container similar to a butter tub might have prevented that.

 

one thing I would add is to get some Prime or Amquel and add this to the container, with the fish in
as ammonia could build up in the transport container, on a long journey such as you have

good luck with the move
hope it works out well for you
I assume other family members will deal with trivia like furniture, whilst you focus on the important stuff
LOL?

Steve

 

This is a good idea--- I have always feared though that the Prime would drop the oxygen levels. I just read my own bottle and it's silent on the issue; one of these products has a warning that it could drop oxygen levels in water that's not well aerated (my fish won't have an air pump in the tubs).

Have you ever heard this or am I being paranoid? One of my clowns is basically a picasso. He's a "cull" that didn't quite make "picasso" grade, but most folks wouldn't ever know the difference. I prize him as much (or more) than any of the corals lol (I paid $10 for him!).

Well the rest of the family is a newborn infant (2 weeks old!), a 3 year old, and momma recovering from giving birth to an 8-pound wiggler. So..... it's all me and my buds. They'll be hanging out at a friend's place until I get the house livable.

 

Hi Redfishsc

I know that Reed Mariculture (Gresham works there) make a product designed to bond ammonia and I cannot recall the name (but will do a search after posting) this product is used by many of the exporters and is used when transporting fish on journeys that can take 72 hours

in general

adding the prime or amquel after the container is opened at the other end, is a popular method
becuase it is the changes in oxygen level and or PH that can turn the ammonium into more toxic ammonia

so if you add when you remove those lids, at your destination, that avoids the potential problem you mention

moving is a pain
so good luck with it