Moving Tank

[manny]

Ok here's the deal,
I have a 30 gallon aquarium that is at my gf's 3rd floor apt that I've decided to move over here to my 2nd floor apt. It's become too much of a hassle having to go over there every day and check up on things plus we've had a few fights with the roomate about it sooooo best thing is to move it over here. Does anyone have any experience moving an aquarium and have any good advice to offer? Plus I'm looking for anybody that could possibly help me move it that has experience either this weekend or next weekend. It's a 30 gallon with 50 lbs of rock, 1 LARGE BTA, 1 Goldstripe Maroon Clown, 1 Four Stripe Damsel, 1 Psuedochromis, 1 Emerald Crab, 3 Turbos, 6 Cerith Snails, and 6 Astrea. Any help would be REALLY REALLY appreaciated.

Thanks for any help in advance,
Manny

Also, since I'm going to be moving my aquarium I was wondering if I could possibly paint the back. Is this possible or would it be toxic to my fish?

[Jenn]

I just moved my 45 from room to room and all I did was go out and but a large rubbermaid container (about 3 feet long), siphon 3/4 of the water into it, put the live rock in it, and drug it across the house. Then moved the tank w/ 3 big fish in it (left 1/4 of the water in it as well as all the sand), and then put everything back together the way it was. I did dump about 20% of the water to do a change @ the same time. In your case, you can but a 22g trash can (wash it well) and do it. 30g is pretty easy to do. Not sure if this is the best way, but it worked great!

[Nano_Steve]

the best thing i can think of is to take each coral out and put it into its own little plastic bag then transport them all in a bunch of 5 gallon buckets filled with the water from the tank. take the rocks and put them in separate buckets covered in water as well.......then just haul all the stuff separately.......id say leave the sand in the tank and just get someone to help u with that.....

my experience comes from helpin a buddy of mine haul his huge *** 120 gal all glass aquarium up to the friggin 3rd floor of his apartments just about losin it at the top cuz it was sooooooo heavy. ps vinh ur old aquarium was wicked heavy! but we got it up nonetheless and from the last time i saw it, it looked great!

as for painting u probably want to end up painting the outside of the tank just so u dont have to worry about chemicals that might be in the paint. if its glass i would suggest sandblasting first. and u also might want to go to ur lfs and see if they have any backing which u put on just like u do window tinting.......no sandblasting and u can take it off later if need be.

hope it helps, steve

[Instar]

I moved a 75 gallon reef from Atlanta to San Antonio. Used three 30 gallon rubbermaid totes, a battery air pump with just a line tied to a rock for bubbles in the fish/rock/coral totes and a battery operated boat bilge pump to pump water around. also a couple of 5 gallon buckets. Kept the pump in the truck to keep things cool as it was about 100 degrees outside for the last half of the run. Trip time was 17 hours, then the batteries died as I pulled in here so the water went up to about 90 degrees. All life made it just fine. Its not as hard as it looks.

[manny]

Another problem is my anemone. He's secured his foot really well between two rocks (One reason I'm really not wanting to move my tank) and hasn't moved anywhere since I got him. How do I remove him from his rocks?

[Instar]

Is he on the rock? Move it without detaching him. Can you pick up both rocks together or is that too risky? What kind of anemone? It can matter what kind.

[manny]

Man I really need my camera. He's attached to a couple of rocks like this drawing:

Oh yeah and he's a BT and moving the rocks is gonna be risky.

[Bigreefer]

I would not recommend painting the aquarium. That would make it much to difficult to see the fish. :P

[Instar]

Oy - Ok, don't have to worry too much about a BT stinging you. Make him move:
Try adding a shade (sea shell or flat rock) over him (NOT on him) in such a way that he has to commit to one rock or the other to reach the light. It may take a day or two, or longer depending on your shade and lights, but, he'll make a choice for the light, especially if you have an 03 actinic. He'll move over toward one rock as it will seem like the crevace got too deep. Thats what should happen. With life like this, nothing is absolute.

[robertpower3]

If at all possible i would move him with the two rocks attached. if you can get him to move that would be great but i seriously doubt that will happen. I have moved alot of tanks w/o loss i hope you have the same luck. try to make the stressfull event as short as possible. Just my 2 cents! :D

[mathias]

ALl I got to say is I hope you movie fishtanks better than you paint... or draw...

[Isis]

Try to get the anemone to let go of one of the rocks. I have heard of using an ice cube, that is by rubbing the coldness on the base of the anemone, it will relase hold to get away from that... Trying to move the anemone while attached to two rocks could lead to an acciental tearing of the foot. You could try to gently pull the rocks apart over time to get the anemone to let go of one of the rocks, but this will also need to be done carefully. Try the ice, it should work.

[manny]

Does anyone know of any lfs I can get the backing that xien2000corp is talking about?

[matt]

If you do the ice trick, put the ice cube in a plastic bag first. This way you won't be rubbing feshwater on the anemone, and you won't be releasing fresh water from the tap into your tank.

[Instar]

Unless he likes getting tickled with ice, he'll close up. I'd move if I were him. The bag will protect him from frost bite, Similar to what you do when you ice a wound. Kims idea to slowly move the rocks apart, like a mm per day, sounds like a good one. Let us know what you end up doing and how it works out. Don't move the rocks when he is all the way closed up and retracted.

[reefer74]

spray glue?....i never heard of them using spary glue...they simply remove the protecting film from the background, spray the contact surface with soapy water, and place the backing over it while using a credit card or something similar to squeeze the bubbles out. My brother in law did my background for me, and he made it look simple as can be. Oh and many lfs's will have the background your asking about.


Johnny G.

[witecap4u]

If you do the background yourself, make sure to use lots of water, as it will alow you slice/adjust the background a little easier when putting it on.

[manny]

Move went pretty good. I lost one fish though :cry: . My strawberry psuedochromis hid in one of the rocks and I didn't notice till I had taken out all the rock from my tank(The water was really dirty and couldn't see much in the tank :? ) I thought siince I put water in with the rock he might've lived but he hasn't come out yet. One good thing about moving my tank was I got to rearrange my rock and it looks alot cooler than before.
As for the ice thing, it worked perfect. Thanks for the idea Isis :-D . I put it next to his foot and as soon as I did, he let go of one rock and I was able to take him out of my tank with him holding on to the other rock.
With the background thing I just went to Wal-Mart and got some Insta-cling limo window tint and it looks great. I might put a coat of paint on over the tint since it seems like it'll take alot better than just the glass would of but I might just leave it. Oh yeah, and I didn't have to end up buyin any of that spray glue Josh, just plain ol water worked! :lol: