Moving a 12G Nanocube

[Hellzbellz]

I'm moving on Friday.... I've moved several reef tanks before, just curious if anyone has any good tips particular to moving a Nanocube? It's not too treacherous of a journey, maybe a whole 5 miles. I'd like to avoid all of the "better have a backup plan!" comments unless they are warranted. Thanks in advance!

[Hellzbellz]

^bump

[polyppetey]

I bought my tank complete, liverock, sand, fish, corals everything.

What worked for me was to go buy a new cooler that would hold most of the water and 2-3 buckets.

First unplug everything, second start scooping most of the water from the tank into the cooler. When your livestock begins to get exposed transfer it to the cooler.

Then take more water and more rock until you basically have your tank into the cooler and everything is submerged. Transfer the rest of the water into a clean bucket and have some mixed new water ready to go to top off your tank.

get a cup and start scooping your sand and smaller rocks into yet another bucket

Get the tank totally empty. Put your liverock into that bucket or into another bucket as well.

When you get to where you are going drop your heater into the cooler with a powerhead to bring the water back to temp.

 

Now is a good time to clean out your tank and such.

When that is done, start scooping your substrate back into the tank followed by your liverock Don't drop it in, be carefull and don't crack the glass. Add as much water as you can so the filter will at least begin to work. I packed my first chamber with floss to help it clear up.

 

Personally I would wait a bit until the water has cleared which will take a while.

Now plug everything in and get your tank area set up. Dump the floss and set up your chambers.

Put the heater back into the tank and get it where you want the temp. The cooler will help keep the fishies warm in this step.

 

Transfer your livestock and corals back into the tank and top it off.

Fill your new cooler with beer, watch your tank, drink beer.

 

I had a spike of ammonia ans nitrates/nitrites after doing my move so I would recommend a water change shortly thereafter.

Hope this helps. I would definitely not move the tank with stuff in it. Im sure most people would agree at least with my last point here and the beer part too.

Hope this helps.

Pete.

[Hellzbellz]

Thanks dude.

[Bobalouy]

I recently moved my NC about 5miles also, and it went surprisingly well. I got a bunch of bags from the lfs, put my fish and as many corals in individual bags as I could, to use up some of the water. Then I put my LR in a 5 gallon bucket, and put the rest of the water in that. I had to leave 2 peices of rock in the tank, because they are connected to the back wall by gsp, I also left my sand in the tank with about 2" or water. I couldnt catch my sexy shrimp so he stayed as well, I thought for sure he would die.

 

When I got to the new house, I just added the lr dumped the water back in, and added the corals and fish. It was cloudy for a while but it cleared up.