92 Corner Move Thread

[TCoach]

This thread is the start of my moving a 16 year old 92 corner home. Currently, it is at the current owners house which is 10 min away, and we'll be moving to my house. Long term goal is to use the 92 gallon corner since it is such a beautiful tank. However, many people have stressed concerns about using it after the move w/o resealing it due to it's age. So I'm planning on using my 90 standard as an intermediate tank to hold the reef until I can get the 92 resealed and cured.

I've been doing a lot of reading on the Official Sand Rinse and Tank Transfer thread, and plan on using the information there as the basis of my move.

So current plan:

1. Prior to move: Get 90 running on stand with my current pump. Get salinity and temp matched to 92.
2. Obtain Seachem ammonia alert badge (for safety)
3. Day before move, have additional 30-40 gallons of salt water mixed and ready. Have additional r/o ready.
4. Day of move:
   1. Move fish into 1 cooler and corals into their own cooler for move with old tank water.
   2. Move live rock into 5 gallon buckets with old tank water.
   3. Drain and discard any remaining water.
   4. Scoop tank sand into buckets
   5. Disconnect tank and move all to my house.
   6. Get heaters, air, and powerheads running on fish, corals and rock.
   7. Rinse tank sand until clear and add to 90 using above method.
   8. (while rinsing sand) Plumb in sump system from corner tank
   9. Rinse off base rock in clean salt water to remove as much detritus on it as possible and add to tank.
   10. Rinse off other live rock and remove any undesirables found and add to tank.
   11. Temp acclimate fish if needed
   12. Add fish and corals.
   13. Set up lights (lights off)
   14. Monitor

Any recommendations/changes to this plan?

Thanks. Looking forward to documenting this move to help other as we go forward.

 

[nereefpat]

On the resealing of the tank: I know it is a popular topic to "reseal" old tanks, but there really isn't much of a point. If the tank leaks, then the structural seam is bad and resealing the inside corners won't help...so you would need to take the tank apart and redo it. If the tank doesn't leak, there isn't really a reason to mess with it, unless you want to for cosmetic reasons.

I would just get a bunch of rubbermaids with lids and buckets with lids and move the thing 10 minutes away, reusing most/all of the water. I might get new sand, or I might even leave the sand in the tank when I move it. I've done it both ways as I moved my old 90 several times.

 

[brandon429]

can't thank you enough for documenting that we need all the pattern results we can get

these jobs amount to thousands of dollars at risk, not counting time and love of animals. so critical

your plan is solid, dim the new lights meaning if they ran on level 9 currently, at the new house after cloudless reassembly start them back at 5.

pls take pics we will be here for live time consult pretty much during the move. I was jeeping on top of a six thousand foot mountain cliff the other day and still reefing here via Samsung/ on call ish is a fair and accurate claim.

 

[TCoach]

@brandon429 I will. Still discussing if we'll be moving this weekend or weekend of 4/18.

What are your thoughts on reusing the 92 directly w/o reseal?

 

[brandon429]

I am fully stumped as a vase reefer by handling of aged sealed tanks, if I could laterally request help on that angle I would select @Waters


Reasoning: prior posts, home moves, n stuff

Waters how long do we just keep using old tanks before re sealing? Paul B or anyone we'd enjoy input on that crucial component

@atoll as well I know you have practiced with advanced tanks + years holding water, at what point should the owner of a 90 gallon tank reseal it all or just trust the new seals to just hold up for another ten or so

 

[Waters]

I am fully stumped as a vase reefer by handling of aged sealed tanks, if I could laterally request help on that angle I would select @Waters


Reasoning: prior posts, home moves, n stuff

Waters how long do we just keep using old tanks before re sealing? Paul B or anyone we'd enjoy input on that crucial component

@atoll as well I know you have practiced with advanced tanks + years holding water, at what point should the owner of a 90 gallon tank reseal it all or just trust the new seals to just hold up for another ten or so

I definitely don't consider myself and expert on the topic of using aged tanks , but I personally agree with @nereefpat ....If the tank isn't leaking and the seams don't appear damaged, I would just leave it alone and continue to use after a quick leak test. No sense causing more work for no reason.......I have tanks that are 20+ years old sitting around that still hold water with 0 issues.

 

[TCoach]

Ok, I think we are going to try and go straight to the 92 corner and prevent the double move. I'll have the 90 ready to take over should the 92 show unexpected issues or not pass the leak test.

Move planned for 4/17.

Would love any advice, suggestions on how to improve.

So here are the updated steps:

1. Prior to move: Get 90 ready to accept plumbing. Cleaned out, on stand, bulk head plumbed.
2. Obtain Seachem ammonia alert badge (for safety) (already have safe and prime in house)
3. Order Red Sea combo kit for Ca, Alk, Mg (use my api for ph, ammonia, nitrite, nitrate for now)
4. Get replacement bulk head gaskets just in case they develop leaks due to move.
5. Day before move, have additional 80-90 gallons (2 brute trash cans) of salt water mixed that is temp/salinity matched to old tank. Have additional r/o ready.
6. Pre-rinse the 80 lbs of Caribsea live sand I already have.
7. Day of move:
   1. Move fish into 1 cooler and corals into their own cooler for move with old tank water.
   2. Move live rock into 5 gallon buckets with old tank water.
   3. Drain and discard any remaining water.
   4. Scoop tank sand into buckets
   5. Disconnect tank and move all to my house.
   6. Get heaters, air, and powerheads running on fish, corals and rock.
   7. Setup corner tank and fill with tap water to verify leak free.
      1. Take opportunity to clean tank inside if needed.
   8. Rinse old sand while filling tank
   9. Drain tank and start filling with salt water.
   10. Rinse off base rock in clean salt water to remove as much detritus on it as possible and add to tank.
       1. Treat any aptasia
   11. Rinse off other live rock and remove any undesirables found and add to tank.
       1. Treat any aptasia
   12. Temp acclimate fish if needed
   13. Add fish and corals.
   14. Set up lights (lights off)
   15. Monitor

 

[TCoach]

Specifically, what coolers do you recommend for moving fish and corals as part of my move? While the move is not far (~10 min), the fish and corals will be out of the tanks for several hours while we tear down, setup up, test, and fill.

Do you think I need more think Lowes buckets? We are in SC, and looks like the temps will be in the 70's for highs.

Fish:
Sailfin Tang
2x PJ Cardinals
Coral Beauty
Fire Goby
A Wrasse (forget what type but is 3-4" long)
1 or 2 Clowns (He had 2 but we only saw one on the visit)
Black Sea Urchin

Corals are mostly shrooms, zoas, and a couple of torch or hammers.

Thanks for advice.

 

[brandon429]

in Cooks recent build he’s using dark totes to hold the animals apart, tractor supply type and even wal mart has these:

 

[brandon429]

Build Thread - Cook's 105 Planet Aquariums Crystaline Reef - 48x20

Thanks for the information it a good summary for reference without having to read through the big post. I couldn't read you replies though, I was too busy taking the tank apart. :) I didn't just go for it first thing, I had tested the GHA removal method several months with good results. The...

www.reef2reef.com

 

[TCoach]

Woo hoo. It's getting so close now. UPS brought me my big Christmas present. . (Plus got a Seneye from Amazon since BRS was out.)

Decided to get out of the color matching game and go digital for most of my testing.

 

[TCoach]

@brandon429 If we do the move this Saturday, how much before do you think I can rinse out my new sand and use it Sat w/o re-rinse?

Got 2 40lb bags from local PetsMart for $14/bag!!!

 

[brandon429]

in my opinion though I don't know why it'll sit about a day and even have tiny bit clouding when you use it vs rinsing it and using it right then, not sure why but this wont be harmful. if youll truly psychotically blast rinse it now/whenever then its safe even with a 5% cloud I wont revolt

my best guess on the delay 5% is we're fragging/cracking something and in its weight as it sits there some cleaves happen and silt forms anyway. best guess

 

[TCoach]

Ok, I’ll plan on rinsing either Thursday or Friday so there is one less thing to do on Saturday. Thanks!

 

[TCoach]

Ok, move is on for Saturday.

Met with current owner today, and he allowed me to put my Seneye in the sump. Should give me a good baseline for where the tank is today. It's up and running and reporting to the dashboard.

 

[brandon429]

hey so nice

Jon M was able to track the rip cleans on a 120 gallon setup he did five of them and ammonia never climbed above thousandths on any re assembly, talk about tight rinsing procedure.

its possible to move so cleanly that the actual filtration rate changes 0% from a running reef left in place five years. and they said moves were stressful~

and heres a gentleman willing to rip clean his tank five times over for science.

120 gallon rip clean

I’ve decided to perform a rip clean on my 120 with 100% new water. The tank has been running for 5 years and was battling Dino for several months. I used the bacteria method from elegant corals and worked great I haven’t seen Dino in months now. But I tried several other methods including...

www.reef2reef.com

 

[TCoach]

hey so nice

Jon M was able to track the rip cleans on a 120 gallon setup he did five of them and ammonia never climbed above thousandths on any re assembly, talk about tight rinsing procedure.

its possible to move so cleanly that the actual filtration rate changes 0% from a running reef left in place five years. and they said moves were stressful~

Nice.

Yes, the stress of the move is building. Just want to make sure we get the tank and animals transferred as safely as possible. Can't wait to be looking through the curved front at the beautiful animals.

 

[TCoach]

For those of you who have done RIP cleans and/or moved a tank, does it matter what order you put the fish back in once the tank is ready? I’m thinking we’ll be doing a little slower add to carefully watch the tank parameters and fish as we add them back.

The fish list is on the first post. If there is a potential issue, what order would you add them back?

 

[TCoach]

Ok, move on full progress. Seller boxed up corals and fish so we could make his window. Tank is up and filling as I place rocks on. Seneye is up!

 

[brandon429]

patient is on the table intubation complete gas is flowing watching vitals prepping for surgery.

we need 150 ccs of ringers, stat.