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Starting Over

Hi Everyone,

My wife and i are close to moving to a new home, after thinking about how to handle my reef tank we thought about selling it lock stock and barrel and starting over with a new design. Those of you that know my story, my 57g is intended to be a "temporary" tank to enjoy the ocean while we decided if NJ was for us or not. The new design would probably be a custom tank with sump closet and frag tank....etc.

Has anyone done this? Any suggestions? Craigslist for 50 cents to the dollar?

Thanks & Cheers!
Keith
 
It's hard to sell everything in one shot, I've seen many people create threads that they only want to sell their tank all together but only having to break it up due to no one either having enough fund to buy the whole thing or people just want one or two items. You can always try and if the price is fair someone might snag it all in one shot. Good luck with the sale Keith, I would definitively want some of your corals.
 
When I sold my house in NJ I sold everything cheap to members just to "give back." I still REALLY miss my setup there........ It did go fast when you sell cheap though. I didn't have a problem.
 
Honestly Keith,

You pretty much have 2 options.
1) Sell complete setup.
2) Break down the tank and sell the individual components and pieces.
3) Keep your tank as a FOWLR during the move if you want to keep your fish.

If you sell the complete setup you will take a pretty good hit on the price because its a smaller market of people looking for a "turn key" system.

If you break it down and sell the corals and the fish seperately chances are you will make more money back to put to your next system. The only problem with this is it takes a lot of time and effort to deal with the masses. People will try to nickle and dime you, have you meet them somewhere etc. The thing you do have going for you is that you are in a good location with lots of people always looking for stuff.

If you keep your tank as a FOWLR it will give you the option of keeping atleast your fish if you have any that you area fond of and don't want to give up.

If you have anything you really dont want to get rid of I would be more than happy to hold on to them during your move and once your new tank is setup give them back. And as always if you need help when moving day arrives just toss me a pm.

Whatever you do good luck and I wish the best to ya. Can't wait to see your new setup once you get that going.
 

Tazmaniancowboy

Officer Emeritus
Officer Emeritus
Keith, I knew your tank was a temporary turned permanent fixture! I did not know you were looking to move though. Are you staying in NJ? Have you found something, or still hunting?

I agree with AJ, IF you put anything up, the hounds will crawl out of the woodwork, ask you to part it out, and nickle and dime you. Then you will have to make time to meet with a bunch of people and prepare things as they come. My personal opinion is not to sell. When you do get a new place it would be easy to set this back up immediately while you collect and build a new system and then just transfer it to the new or incorporate it like Brian suggested. If you need temporary housing for live stock, I am sure it can be worked out.

The final decision is yours, but I would hate to see you sell or break it up!
 
When we moved in 2010, members of the club helped us break down, move, and set our systems back up. Last summer when we moved to our house, we hired Ethan at AO to help us with the move. We had trouble with our SPS on this last move (our fault), and we lost three fish (an anathia did not survive, and we didnt put our cover on tightly enough and a yasha goby and a helfrichi jumped in the first week in the new house) but the rest of the animals in our tanks have done well.
I vote for keeping your animals and moving them to a new home in your new home, if possible.
 

Fish Brain

Officer Emeritus
Officer Emeritus
2 Questions.

1.) Are you staying in Jersey?

2.) Are you thinking about selling just equipment and keeping livestock, or selling everything?
 
If you need help with the move and IM able IM more than willing to help. heck I cleared out Olivier whole garage the one night after work lol and that stuff was heavy

Sent from my mind.
 
Hi Everyone,

GoodMorning Everyone. We are staying here in NJ. Our businesses are doing well and we have a nice extended family, like our sweet club! It appears we are going to be able to stay relatively close to our base here in Branchburg, but we have not found anything yet. My lease here is up in June, so we need to have found a place in a month or so.

With tanks of the past i moved, I spent more energy moving my tank than moving my stuff, so I'm trying to be more thoughtful this time.

I will do a hail mary for about a week on Craigslist - if I cant sell it turn key complete for what i think is reasonable. Then i think I'll follow the common advice, move the system and inhabitants, then build a new one, then relo the critters into the new tank.

I'll post progress and thanks for the help!
 

malulu

NJRC Member
if i ever moved, i would:
- get a new home (with overlap of a month)
- get a bigger tank, set it up in a garage (as in June, weather are not cold nor too hot yet)
- will not setup plumbing yet, just heaters, power heads to circulate the waters, with lights, often water change
- move the fish & coral over from old tank to new tank. (also start to sell off the item that 100% not need)
- may be live rocks on the side, make water circulate with them too.
- once the old tank is empty, move it over to new home, next to new tank
- move fishes and corals back to old tank when time allow.
- PLAN ahead as much as possible...
- setup the new tanks to the final locations, with plumbings in places, live rocks, sands...etc
- final move the fish & corals to the new setup...

"sounds" a lots of work, but with members help, should not be too bad...
this will allow to plan what are needed and what don't needed anymore for sales easier...

good luck on your hunt for the new perfect home.
 
Thanks Malulu - i like the idea, depends on how much cash is in the cave after the home purchase and paying a few movers. If it works out, your plan sounds pretty darned good.

And i will definitely keep folks posted and take you up on the offer for a hand.
 
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