Hello. I am about to move in with my girlfriend and the biggest question I am having is how move my 37 gallon hex tank. Do I have to take all the fish out? I know I don't want to start with all new water so how much should I leave in? Do I bag up the fish for the ride to the new place (only about 20mins) or should I leave them in about 10gal of water still in the tank (which is still going to be really heavy with the rocks and all)? Should I just bottle up all the water in 5gal jugs, bag up the fish, and just leave an empty tank with only rocks in there? As you can tell, I pretty much don't even know where to start. Anyone who has any idea of how to do this or has gone about it themselves please let me know some suggestions. Thank you all for your help.
Moving Suggestions
- Thread starter TEC5154
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macman7010
Aquarium Advice FINatic
Well TEC this is a tough job and call for anyone, luckily though you dont have multiple or an insanely large aquarium. I would do as you suggested and put as much water as you can into jugs and transport the fish in bags and have an empty tank w/ only rock work to transport.
jcarlilesiu
Aquarium Advice Addict
i would advise to never move the tank with water in it... even with just the gravel and rocks, you are putting torsional forces on your sealed corners. Just move everything out, and save about 50% of the water if you can. Bag up the fish like you said and get the tank running at the new place first priority. On second thought, maybe keeping a little water over the gravel and such would help keep your bacteria safe, but I would be careful of leaving too much because of the weight like you said
lyquidphyre
Aquarium Advice Addict
Ive moved a zillion times it seems like (im in college) and Ive had to move my fair share of tanks.
Best way to do this-
Put your fish in a bucket half filled with water
Put your gravel in other buckets (keeping it moist)
Drain your tank completly
While you do all this, put an air pump/air stone in the tank with the fish to keep the water moving and aerated
Then set your tank back up
Hope that helps
Best way to do this-
Put your fish in a bucket half filled with water
Put your gravel in other buckets (keeping it moist)
Drain your tank completly
While you do all this, put an air pump/air stone in the tank with the fish to keep the water moving and aerated
Then set your tank back up
Hope that helps
graymare
Aquarium Advice Apprentice
I agree with lyquidphyre, I moved a 55 gal with 19 pretty large fish, and did it in the same manner, if you can find 5gal buckets with tops, clean, these work well.
Everyone made the 50 mile trip in excellent condition although I didn't keep any origional aquarium water except the ten gallons in the buckets. Since the farm is on a well I didn't have to treat water before hand and worked great.
Good luck on your new home with your fishies
Everyone made the 50 mile trip in excellent condition although I didn't keep any origional aquarium water except the ten gallons in the buckets. Since the farm is on a well I didn't have to treat water before hand and worked great.
Good luck on your new home with your fishies
Thank you everyone for your suggestions. Where can I buy these 5gal buckets with lids? Hardware store or are there special ones at the fish store? Do I have to put anything in the bucket with the fish? How do I set up this air pump? I was told to save some water to keep the bacteria levels, so how much do you think I should save? It is a 37gal tank. I would think 15gals would be enough. Thanks for all your help!
lyquidphyre
Aquarium Advice Addict
The most important thing that is going to hold your bacteria is your gravel and plants (if kept moist).. as well as your filter media...your water- not so much
You can get buckets at a hardware store.
Use as much water as you need to keep your fish in (half a bucket or so)
There really is no reason to transport the water.
Go to the LFS and buy an air pump, stick the bubble wand in the bucket and let it run while you are taking down your tank.
Unplug it when you are ready to load up the car/truck to move. Put the airstone back in when you arrive to your destination and let it run while you set your tank back up
You can get buckets at a hardware store.
Use as much water as you need to keep your fish in (half a bucket or so)
There really is no reason to transport the water.
Go to the LFS and buy an air pump, stick the bubble wand in the bucket and let it run while you are taking down your tank.
Unplug it when you are ready to load up the car/truck to move. Put the airstone back in when you arrive to your destination and let it run while you set your tank back up
SpaceButler
Aquarium Advice Freak
Liquidphyre's right. Don't go insane trying to keep all the water. It's prefered to not completely change your fish's water at once, of course; but the beneficial bacteria isn't in the water mainly. It's on the filter media and other surfaces in the tank.
Zagz
Aquarium Advice Addict
Moving fish as mentioned above does seem the easiest. I read all moving threads as I am moving in the spring and have 7 tanks to move, one of them 125 gal! Good luck with the move!
graymare
Aquarium Advice Apprentice
I got my 5gal buckets at the corner deli, which serves alot of pickles, as these are fairly easy to rid of the dill smell, and you know there probably aren't any horrifying chemicals absorbed into the plastic. Plus they were very nice indeed when I explained my need for them, they gave me as many as I wanted for free.
They also work well with transporting the gravel and plants.
They also work well with transporting the gravel and plants.
rich311k
Aquarium Advice Addict
Be sure to keep your filter media wet, as well as the gravel. Most of the bacteria is in in the filter.
Fishyfanatic
Aquarium Advice Addict
I wouldn't use buckets that were previously used, especially for food. You could try it, but I wouldn't.
I've moved my 55 twice and a 20h once. Big job.
I use rolling coolers in the 20 gal range for the fish and as much water as it will hold. Line the cooler with a garbage bag big enough to overlap the sides. Fill the bag with aquarium water and then add the fish. Tie off the bag, but make sure to leave a couple inches of air above the water. Close the lid. The cooler will help reduce (or even eliminate) thermal shock. Be kind when you open the lid at your destination, though...fish don't have eyelids! 8O .
As far as the tank goes, I have always vacuumed the gravel real good and then scooped it out with a plastic pitcher. I have several plastic milk crates that I line with garbage bags to put the gravel and other decoration in. Works out well. They are just the right size to be manageable, they stack nicely, are stable, and with the garbage bag liner, they are water-tight.
I also take the opportunity to clean the tank and covers good.
don't ever transport the tank covered with a moving blanket...too easy to loose your grip and get overconfident about banging into things. I move mine completely unprotected, but lay it on top of a thick blacket in the moving van or truck.
Watch those door handles, hinges, screen door hardware...they're tank killers.
Good luck!
I use rolling coolers in the 20 gal range for the fish and as much water as it will hold. Line the cooler with a garbage bag big enough to overlap the sides. Fill the bag with aquarium water and then add the fish. Tie off the bag, but make sure to leave a couple inches of air above the water. Close the lid. The cooler will help reduce (or even eliminate) thermal shock. Be kind when you open the lid at your destination, though...fish don't have eyelids! 8O .
As far as the tank goes, I have always vacuumed the gravel real good and then scooped it out with a plastic pitcher. I have several plastic milk crates that I line with garbage bags to put the gravel and other decoration in. Works out well. They are just the right size to be manageable, they stack nicely, are stable, and with the garbage bag liner, they are water-tight.
I also take the opportunity to clean the tank and covers good.
don't ever transport the tank covered with a moving blanket...too easy to loose your grip and get overconfident about banging into things. I move mine completely unprotected, but lay it on top of a thick blacket in the moving van or truck.
Watch those door handles, hinges, screen door hardware...they're tank killers.
Good luck!
CG...thank you so much for your suggestions. When you talk about the cooler lined with a garbage bag...when you get the fish back out of the cooler should you get them with a net or can you just dump the garbage bag with a little water in there? I would imagine you should net them because a garbage bag with 20 gal of water might tear.
I also have a 6 gal nanocube saltwater...now this might be for a different part of the forum but does anyone have any suggestions on that. I have the sand, live rock, a few pieces of coral, and 4 fish. Its still probably too heavy to lift. But if there are any suggestions please let me know! Thanks!
I also have a 6 gal nanocube saltwater...now this might be for a different part of the forum but does anyone have any suggestions on that. I have the sand, live rock, a few pieces of coral, and 4 fish. Its still probably too heavy to lift. But if there are any suggestions please let me know! Thanks!
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