Semester ending and need to take tank home

[FallenRedeemer]

Have a small 10 gallon take up at my dorm room in college. The semester is ending and I need a way to get in home. It's about a 45 to 50 min drive home. I currently have 2 fish in the take and one live plant. I was just wondering what ideas everyone had on the best way to transport everything home. Thanks

 

[JesseMessykinn]

Bucket of the tank water. Id use a 5gal bucket, Ive transported my fish when I moved; They did fine. They were in the bucket for around 4 hours, 3 w/o heat and bubblers. Moved 3 hour drive away, just make sure its the Last, and first thing you take down/set up.

 

[gabysapha]

And make sure you don't transport water in the tank as the tank may break.
That's great that you have a dorm tank! I couldnt set one up because i'd have to transport them for 7+ hours on a bus! But with my own apartment I got 4 to make up for it

 

[bruinsbro1997]

Simply empty out the tank of water, save a little for the fish and plants, put them all in a bucket or cooler or some other container, keep your filter cartridges wet in tank water, drive home, start up again, fill with new water, add dechlorinator, start your filter assuming it is established with a colony of BB, re-acclimate fish to tank, let them in, watch water quality for a few days, and you're done.

 

[maxwellag]

Imo it would be better if the bio media was kept in the same container as the fish. It would benefit both.
-the bio media by giving it an ammonia source, so it has a higher chance of staying alive
-the fish because they produce ammonia and too much of it will kill them, so the bio media converts it

 

[FallenRedeemer]

I see your point about having the filter media in with the fish but it's only a hour drive at most and I'm not sure how big of a container I'll have for the fish.

 

[mfdrookie516]

A ziplock bag to keep the media damp is all that's needed. Just try and prevent any big temp swings. If it's cold outside, wrap it in a towel or something just to be safe.

 

[maxwellag]

I see your point about having the filter media in with the fish but it's only a hour drive at most and I'm not sure how big of a container I'll have for the fish.

Well if its only a ten gallon tank it can't have much filter media, so adding it shouldn't make much of a difference at all.