# Moving an established SW tank



## trout (Mar 21, 2012)

Will be taking an established SW tank from a friend tomorrow, and looking for any tips to help things go smoothly during the move.

The current plan is to drain at least halfway, saving the drained water in clean buckets. May have to put a few pieces of the LR (corals incl) in the buckets so they dont get to much air exposure. For live stock theres a clownfish, a cleaner shrimp and one unidentified fish (2-3 in). Guessing the fish and shrimp should go in one of the buckets w tank water and back in the tank once everythings good to go. its only got a small hob and powerhead for equipment, which i believe should also stay submerged in one of the buckets w tank water.

Any tips from the experienced??? Kind of diving into the deep end here, although Ive done lots of researching on it, and it comes with lots of equipment. I do have on hand an unopened bag of LS and full bag of reef salt.

Corals are fairly basic from what I can tell, lots of mushrooms, and a few softies (i think) maybe a zoa or two. Guessing I want to use all the current stuff, and not add new LS etc so I dont loose the cycle. Im guessing that is going to be difficult.

edit: i should mention it looks like a 20-30 gal breeder, 12"d, 30"long, maybe 12-14 t


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## spit.fire (Jan 3, 2011)

Just don't disturb the sandbed too much and have a fresh batch of water ready


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## scott tang (Jan 29, 2012)

take all the lr put in in buckets so theres no die off and cover the top of the tank in the car so if you gota use brakes the car doesn't get wet


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## trout (Mar 21, 2012)

thanks for the tips! 

so i shouldnt worry as much about trying to save the existing tank water, as long as i have fresh batch of the same salinity ready to go? how much should i try to leave in the tank to cover the sandbed without it sloshing around on thr trip home? dont think i can remove all the LR, alot of the mushrooms might get torn up.

also the current salts used on it i believe is basic instant ocean, whereas i have the reef cyrstals type. will it matter if i make the fresh batch out of it?


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## scott tang (Jan 29, 2012)

try to save at least 50% 
and honislty when i move reefs i take it all out every thing lr coral water and fish get buckets inverts get containers sand gets rinsed out with existing tank water 
and the tank gets de algea ed then throw it together and turn it on 

when you put a sand bed in a car its going to sloosh around and mix any way


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## trout (Mar 21, 2012)

scott tang said:


> try to save at least 50%
> and honislty when i move reefs i take it all out every thing lr coral water and fish get buckets inverts get containers sand gets rinsed out with existing tank water
> and the tank gets de algea ed then throw it together and turn it on
> 
> when you put a sand bed in a car its going to sloosh around and mix any way


that was my thoughts as well, but we ended up draining about 2/3, put most of LR in tank water, left livestock in tank (not the best idea imho should have at least bucketed them) so the whole process was done within 30 mins total, looked pretty cloudy after the drive....but has since cleared up after about 20 mins with equipment running. judging by the amount of algae that came off the LR in the bucket, and whats left in the tank i should have done what you said and started semi fresh. some corals took a noticeable hit  kinda to be ecpected though

fish look ok atm, too early to tell.

here i go into the dark side, or bright side, whichever works 

edit also saved 50% tank water, adding fresh slowly to get the salinity down, it was above 1.026 when i got it, any tips here after a move like that also appreciated


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## scott tang (Jan 29, 2012)

keep monitoring keep salt levle on the low side to protect from ich i keep mine at 1.021-1.023 depending on the tank size if theres coral ect



EDIT : im wating on pics


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## trout (Mar 21, 2012)

just checked it with a new hydrometer....... 1.028? wow, should i keep adding fresh?

pics coming, need to sort out the high salinity first!!!


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## trout (Mar 21, 2012)

cleared up a bit, alot of rocks went back in blind, might tweak one or two, but am pretty happy with how it looks after a move like that


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