Can you guarantee no die off when transporting the live rock from one house to another across town or even from another city?
If any sponge on the live rock, for instance, dies from exposure to air while being lifted out of the tank or during transport, it will release ammonia so then you'll go through a mini-cycle. Anemones and clams are not the sort of creatures you want to "test" your new set up with. A) more sensitive than say soft corals. B) more expensive and difficult to replace than soft corals. C) the water will be totally different (new water in a new tank versus old water in a mature tank).
I've set up a lot of "instant" reefs in my day, just switching tanks around at home or helping someone move or even buying someone else's setup and moving it to my place. Instant reefs always entail some level of risk that something will go wrong and if you're not prepared, then things die, perhaps a lot of things die.
This is why it is not considered a good calculated risk to do this with sensitive species like anemones and clams. I have done it a lot with softies and lps though, which are usually hardier.
For this sort of switchover, I would suggest siphoning half your water out into some containers for future water changes and top up with clean water from the original tank. Keep it ready in case a big water change suddenly becomes necessary.
Transport all the rock full submerged in coolers (I use 2 of my rolling 72L capacity "7-days ice stays frozen" coolers for moving rocks, etc.). Temperatures are cool nowadays so use coolers for transporting each item/specimen.
Find out parameters in the other tank and try to match (i.e. same pH, temp., etc).
Siphon out water you plan to keep first, before disturbing the tank by lifting up rock or moving sand.
Basically treat it as a big 50% water change.
Have a back up plan, like a nearby reefer buddy who could hold your clam or anemones if you experience a mini-cycle or something.
Good luck,
Anthony
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