Moving tank long distance

Well, I recently decided to get back into the hobby, I setup a 29g AIO with some other bells and whistles a few weeks back, I plan on moving long distance in probably the next year. My overall plan is to get a somewhat establishment built up and few corals grown, as well as experimenting with some fish breeding.

I wanted to know if its "realistic" to have my fish and corals boarded at lets say a local aquatic store. I've never really heard of anyone doing it, and I couldn't find much on it, however I'm completely open for recommendations. I didnt know if there was a farmary or business that did something like this were you can send them your stuff to house. I really would need at least a week to setup a tank, and more than likely two, as I don't think my saltwater/live rocks going to make it more than 3-4 days. Any inputs helpful as I really would like to make this as easy and as hassle free as possible, both for me and the fish.

 

I have no idea how other people feel about this but I would never want any of my livestock touching my LFS water.

When I move my stuff I plan to buy a bunch of coolers on sale before winter hits and drive them to my new location.

 

I doubt I'll have too much in $$$ value worth of stuff so I'm not too worried, although I do see your point.

 

My LFS has an entire tank setup for a customer! Looks to be around 120 gallons. Fully stocked mixed reef. At least doing it this way it is completely independent from their water.

Now they also have a couple 300 gallon tanks setup that are being used for boarding as well, but they are tied into their water obviously.

 

A lot of lfs will also come in and maintain tanks, though it's expensive. If I were you, I'd try to find a friend that would do it. Maybe you can get to know some people at a local fishkeeping/reef club before the move?

 

Best advice would be to sell just about everything except equipment and start over. My gf and I spend $600 to overnight all our live stock and 80% of the corals were dead upon arrival because the people at UPS opened the boxes and repackaged it, still pissed off till this day about that. Spent weeks on phone with them about it and never got anything resolved. I could of just sold them, but being my first tank and everything grew extremely well I got so attached I didn't want to start over, but rather continue. I would suggest you don't go through that because all though it's possible, it is a lot of work.

Good luck!

 

My LFS's water I trust. Their setup is way nicer than mine haha.

 

Surprising UPS would do that, but I'd believe it...Kind of weird though when its aquatics and its actually registered in the agriculture database. I know I wouldn't have too much of an issue because my livestock isnt going to be worth that much, essentially to ship it either. I think I would have a box layed out, because shipping them will be weightless almost, that and I plan on possibly doing my own pre postage for an overnight/early am; just so nothing goes wrong. I agree though for the most part I'll be starting over with a large tank. Is there anyway to keep liverock/saltwater from going stale? even If I had them in buckets for close to a week?

 

Only way I can think of transporting liverock and saltwater fresh would be to put it in a large plastic tub about 35 gallons or so. Hang a light over it and add a powerhead. Of coarse this would all be in a big van.

 

I worked at a LFS (Reef Shop) that would do this for customers and I also had a personal experience where the seem on my 125 split open and all the water came out on the floor.

Another LFS I dealt with took my fish and corals and held them until I had the new tank set up and running. (of course the sold me the new tank).