Moving tank?

[Cilantro]

I will be moving an hour away from home in a couple of weeks to go to college and was wondering what would be the best way to move my tank?

 

[BillD]

Depends on the size, but in general drain tank, saving some water to keep the filter elements alive during transport, put said elements in the water. Fish and plants should be bagged up or placed in other containers for transport. Substrate can be moved to a pail. Once in new place set up, add water and substrate, set up filter, add plants and fish.

 

[HUKIT]

I normally use coolers to transport fish, I never bag them either. I just add tank water to the cooler and toss the fish in. Moving a only a hour away is pretty easy so keeping the filters and substrate wet shouldn't be a problem.

 

[Cilantro]

Thanks bill and hukit you were both of good help and I will probably try hukits way for now

 

[jetajockey]

with a small tank, 10-20g, I drain the water out completely but leave the substrate in and bag all the fish up in fish bags if its just a few of them. The cooler method works great also as mentioned above.

 

[Cilantro]

Would a white styrafoam cooler work to move them?

 

[jetajockey]

Yes, I often put my wild collected fish in a cheap gas station styro cooler to transport them home.

 

[Cilantro]

Ok anf what about a air pump or will they be fine without one

 

[jetajockey]

Depends on how long of a trip it is. I have a battery powered air pump that I run in my bait bucket that I keep the fish in before I put them into the cooler, but I don't run aeration on the cooler because the cars movement keeps the water turning over . Make sure to give them plenty of water and dose it with prime for good measure.

 

[Bl80]

How far you moving? When I moved a few years ago ( on the coldest day of the year none the less, I put them in 5 gal buckets with lids. We put them on a board an bungied in the back seat with blankets weaved between. The temp if air kept temp of water pretty good. Substrate was in buckets too and in another vehicle with water ti keep it wet. It was only an hour trip ( more that day bc of weather) but filled aquariums and etc then added fish and all were fine. Everyone survived just fine. You fig they are shipped all over every day. Pretty hardy lil buggers