Moving

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Deb

Aquarium Advice Apprentice
Joined
Oct 13, 2003
Messages
15
Location
Wisconsin
Sorry if this goes through twice - I don't think I did it right the first time! I was wondering if anyone could give me advice on moving our 65 gal aquarium from Arkansas to Wisconsin without doing harm to our fish. I appreciate all comments and suggestions.
Thanks
 
Not sure but if I had to move them that far I'd get a 5 gal bucket with a lid, drill a small hole in the lid (for an air hose), get a ac inverter to plug into your cig. lighter, and that way they will get some o2 from the bubble exchange at the surface. Might want some stress coat also. I don't know how far that is in distance/time but they ship fish all over the us so I think a 4 or 5 hr trip would be ok as long as you do the air hose thing. (Any of the experts now is the time to step in to correct me.)
 
Welcome to AA! I have done this type of thing before, years ago. I moved from Virginia to South Florida, about a 16-hour trip, with my fish in Igloo coolers. I had an old crummy car and there was quite a bit of sloshing around due to the bumpy ride, but I think that actually helped matters and kept the water aerated. I am assuming you know how to secure your tank itself for the move, but are concerned about the fish and the other contents of the tank.

I would line some large rubbermaid type tubs with contractor cleanup bags (heavy, heavy duty plastic) and put your gravel and decorations in them, and the fish in coolers. You can get battery powered air pumps used for keeping sport fish or bait fish alive at a sporting goods store, or the LFS, and I would use those for the fish, and they really ought to be fine assuming you make your journey as quickly as possible. I am not sure, but your biobugs may or may not survive the trip. If you had tons of room on the moving truck I would get large new trashcans and run battery powered pumps in them with your gravel and filter media and fish in together, so the chances would be better for avoiding a cycle when you reach your destination.

You need to check the water conditions of your new location, and see how they match your current ones, and adapt the fish slowly. Bring as much of your old tank water as you can in 5-gal jugs or whatever you can find. Also, this goes without saying, but be sure wherever you set up your tank can handle the weight. I am sure I have left something out, but you should be able to swing it! Good luck, and let us know how it goes!
 
You can get battery powered air pumps used for keeping sport fish or bait fish alive at a sporting goods store,

I sure didn't know that. :D
 
A long time ago, I moved my three large goldfish from Florida to Virginia and back in one summer (I was in school in Florida and came up to the DC area for a summer internship).

Before the trip, I got a small corner filter powered with an airpump and used it in my tank for a while so that the filter media would collect the good bacteria. I stopped feeding my goldies a week before the move so that they would be producing less waste during the trip. I bought a battery powered airpump at my lfs, hooked it up to the small corner filter and put that with my fish in a five gallon bucket with a lid. I drilled holes in the lid.

On the other end, I set the tank back up and put the small corner filter back into the main tank. I don't know whether the good bacteria died off my gravel, but I didn't have any problems - maybe because of the small filter that went in with my fish. The trip was long, and on the way to VA, it was even longer than it should have been because my car broke down. My biggest worry was keeping the fish cool enough after I lost the AC! They were probably in the bucket for 20+ hours, and suffered no ill effects. They lived for several years after their move.

Good luck with your move!
 
i like the ideas about cooler and holes in the lids.... but air pumps and/or filters would be better replaced by just doing water changes

keeping the fish in a cooler will deff help their water stay warm or cool, esp when having to stop for the night!

having a large water surface area will benefit the gas exchange greater than a small surface area and a bubbler... plus dont' forget to open the lid once in a while, to allow fresh air into the space above the water.
 
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