Need opinion as im about to move

Im getting ready to move my tank on this coming sun the only issue is that movers will be moving my tank as well as mine and my gf's stuff. So the real issue comes here im in the military and have to be at training clear through sunday night and my gf knows absolutely nothing about caring for my tank except when to feed. The possibility of everything coming out of my tank and draining all the water out just cant happen or everything will die for sure.

My question is if I leave the tank half filled with water and all my live rock covering most of the sand bed to minimize movement how many water changes and how big should I do? or what should I do I dont want everything in my tank to die.

 

How big is this tank please?

If this tank has been established for a couple months or more I would not attempt to keep the sand bed but rather get get some new stand and seed it with the old.

I may have mis understood the post, but I think getting a container (storage) like rubbermaid, from walmart or equiv and using that in the transfer rather than the tank would be the way I would go.

As far as how much water to change that really depends on the size of tank, age, bio-load, how long it sits in transit. If it's a small tank like 40 gallons I would have at least 20 gallons made up just to be safe.

 

Tank size is 75 gallon and its been running for almost a year. I cant be there to actually move my tank, so I cant take the inhabitants out and that is where the delimma beings. It will only be in transit for 10-20 mins at max just 10 miles across town.

So can I take the sand out and leave everything in while its being moved? Or try to have the tank moved carefully and try not to disturb the sand bed and to help the sand bed to not move place all my live rock on it to maybe cover it?

As for bio-load its a smaller 2 clowns, a lawnmower blenny, royal gramma, 2 goby and 2 shrimp, many live rocks covered in zoas including red hornet zoas, GSP, Large Devils hand, Meteor Shower Cyphastrea and a few other small coral.

Thank you for you help.

 

Put all the livestock in buckets or some container and put a powerhead/airstone on them. Drain the tank. Don't worry about the live rock unless you have a lot of coraline algae you don't want to die. Don't let the movers do anything except move the tank. Also, it's not a bad idea to just start over with new sand once you move.
I was in the military a couple years ago and had to move from Maine to Texas. I put all my fish/coral in buckets with airstones and they rode in the back of my truck for 4 days and everything lived. The live rock was dried out and in buckets as well.......good luck

 

The only issue is that I wont be there to take everything out of my tank and I leave tomorrow for school but I have managed to teach my GF how to take water out and put it in so she can manage that part. Thank you for the help though

Since everyone is saying the sand is the issue im thinking that taking most of the sand out now shouldnt be a issue that way it doesnt get mixed up in the move? I just replace it on sunday night or monday when I get home.

 

errr...this is a bad situation. is there any possibility you can move it yourself when you get back for monday? im not even sure the movers will touch it if it has anything in it. even with only 20G of sw and 75# of rocks its still like 400# total. you may have to call a buddy to help you or bribe someone here. as corailline mentioned, a rubermaid for your live stock is the best way to move. a small powerhead and a heater will be able to maintain them for a bit while you set back up.

GL!

 

Yes your telling me and I have to be out by the 1st so bad situationa ll the way around. The movers said they ahve a special truck and have moved tanks before.

 

call you LFS, one that you trust they may be able to help you out, hold you live stock for you untill the tank is set up again. you would have to do this today though. desperate time, desperate measuses.

 

You do not need to take the sand out. I bought my tank from a co worker after it had been up for a year. We moved without a single problem. Used most of the old water...2/3 and there was no issues what so ever.

Your real problem is that you will not be there to do it... and that is a big problem. You can't keep the stuff in the tank because it is just too darn heavy. We drained my 90g with about 2" of water covering the 3" sand bed... and that was HEAVY. I'm mean it was not a real problem, but it was not a walk in the park.

Moving a tank that is full of what ever puts a lot of stress on it... so you can't keep your live rock in it or half full of water without a strong possiblity of damage even if you can lift it.

you need to take out the rock, it does not need to be submerged. just cover it with wet towels in a container. Empty as much water and the movers can carry. Even a few inches will be enough for the fish but you will be stirring up the sand bed and I doubt the fish will be happy is a poop blizzard. Get it filled up as soon as you can. I didn't even bother with heaters. Get to the fish store and get some water on heand in case anything happens before the LFS runs out for the day.

Moving a tank is not that difficult.... doing with out you there and nobody knowing what to do is going to be a problem. Moving mine took the better part of a day from siphon to running.

 

Okay that is reasuring I have 65 gallons of fresh water made up already, and will get a larger tub tonight for most of the LR. My gf can move LR in and out of the tank that is no issue.

Thank you