Moving an Established Saltwater Marine Aquarium Fish Tank With Live Rock, Fish, and Corals
There is no bigger daunting task than the thought of having to move a large aquarium to either a bigger aquarium or move it to another house.
The biggest thing that you need is a game plan to getting everything moved over safely.
Without a plan, you are setting yourself up for failure, and the potential to lose a lot of money and a lot of your hard earned work.
First thing you will need are buckets or Tupperware, and enough of them to transport all of the contents of your tank.
You need to be able to put water, sand, rock and all of your live stock in these containers, so plan accordingly, and I suggest getting more then you think you will need, it is always easier to return then to have to stop half way through and get more.
You will also need to have some extra water ready to replace the water that is lost while in transport.
You need to make sure that the saltwater is at the right salinity, and temperature.
If you are going to be traveling a long distance, you need to get cold or heat packs in order to maintain temperatures for your inhabitants.
You will also want to get some air stones attached to battery powered air pumps in order to get your fish enough oxygen in the process.
To start off breaking down your tank, you should remove all of the pumps, filters, powerheads, and allow them to soak and be thoroughly cleaned.
Once you have all of the equipment out of the tank begin filling the buckets up from your tank.
This is where you are going to need to keep your livestock, attempt to save as much of water as possible, that way your tank will begin running properly when you get it up.
Now, Remove your coral, and live rock, and then remove your fish and inverts, you should try to spread them out in as many containers as possible, to lessen the stress on your livestock.
Also remember that some corals have stingers, and that you want to house these separately.
After all of your livestock is out begin removing the sand and gravel.
You should consider getting new sand as there is a lot of build up in older sand beds.
Now you must clean the aquarium glass, and the break down is complete.
The biggest thing that you need is a game plan to getting everything moved over safely.
Without a plan, you are setting yourself up for failure, and the potential to lose a lot of money and a lot of your hard earned work.
First thing you will need are buckets or Tupperware, and enough of them to transport all of the contents of your tank.
You need to be able to put water, sand, rock and all of your live stock in these containers, so plan accordingly, and I suggest getting more then you think you will need, it is always easier to return then to have to stop half way through and get more.
You will also need to have some extra water ready to replace the water that is lost while in transport.
You need to make sure that the saltwater is at the right salinity, and temperature.
If you are going to be traveling a long distance, you need to get cold or heat packs in order to maintain temperatures for your inhabitants.
You will also want to get some air stones attached to battery powered air pumps in order to get your fish enough oxygen in the process.
To start off breaking down your tank, you should remove all of the pumps, filters, powerheads, and allow them to soak and be thoroughly cleaned.
Once you have all of the equipment out of the tank begin filling the buckets up from your tank.
This is where you are going to need to keep your livestock, attempt to save as much of water as possible, that way your tank will begin running properly when you get it up.
Now, Remove your coral, and live rock, and then remove your fish and inverts, you should try to spread them out in as many containers as possible, to lessen the stress on your livestock.
Also remember that some corals have stingers, and that you want to house these separately.
After all of your livestock is out begin removing the sand and gravel.
You should consider getting new sand as there is a lot of build up in older sand beds.
Now you must clean the aquarium glass, and the break down is complete.
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