going to move what about my fish

[datkidkevin]

im goin to be moving soon.. and i was wondering how to transport my fish..and my tanks witch i will have to drain..and as well my plants.. help me please.. will i have to start a cycle or can i just put water in it n let it roll..???help me with all and every detail u can give..thanks to all

 

[Aquarium1]

I know if you keep your substrate and filter media wet, you won't have to go through a cycle, although I don't know much otherwise about the moving process. Will be following tho, since I might need to know this one day lol.

 

[datkidkevin]

bump it to the top....

 

[datkidkevin]

yea im goin 2 move in like 2 months so i'd have enough time to prepare

 

[Mark Hewitt]

How long is it going to take you to get there? If it's less than an hour it would be sufficient to put your fish and substrate / filter etc in water tight plastic bags for the duration of the move. If you're talking a several day trek across countries then the advice would be completely different.

 

[meegosh]

First thing we need to know, like Mark said, is how far are you moving. Typically I net my fish and put them in a 5g bucket with tank water and a lid. When I moved a friends tank from Baltimore, MD to Pittsburgh, PA we used a DC to AC inverter to power a heater and sponge filter during the drive. If it is a short move then you can skip running a heater and filter. Drain the tank, bag any live plants with some wet paper towels and put the substrate in another 5g bucket (or more) and cover with a bit of water. Keep your filter media wet during the move and you won't have to cycle it again.

 

[spoonman]

+1 on the advice above. All I did was put my cichlids in a rubbermaid tub, completely emptied the tank to avoid twisting or cracking, kept the substrate and the filter media wet and took it to the new house. Once there I put the tank on the stand, put the substrate and decor back in, temp matched new dechlored water, started the filter up for about an hour, and put the fish back in. That was a 115G tall tank and had no probs. It's easier than you would think. Biggest problem was catching the fish!

 

[dkpate]

I also have to move next month, across the state, and I already got my battery powered air stones, ($8) and will be putting the community fish in a Rubbermaid tub, and the bettas will be going in those 1G plastic ice cream tubs. It is hot enough here that I will not need a heater for them.

 

[datkidkevin]

im prolly not gunna be moving more than an 1 hour away.

 

[Crepe]

1 hour away isn't that bad. Just get a few 5g buckets for the substrate, fish and filter material.

 

[datkidkevin]

what if i go to my LFS and ask for bags the ones they put fish in when u buy them...how long can i keep fish in those bags???? all together everything is gunna sit for a day or 2 b4 i can set anything up. also i have sand in my tank..i wus thinkin about leaving it in the tank becuase i cant really suck dry the sand

 

[dkpate]

I would not keep fish in those bags for a couple days. You shouldn't have the fish in those bags for more than an hour.

 

[datkidkevin]

ok so thats outta the question. what else it out there? but can my plants be in the bags?

 

[dkpate]

Some sort of clean container or the 5G bucket like they suggested.

 

[Allycatz]

I'm also moving in the coming weeks.

My only concern is how to move really shy, skittish fish like my keyhole cichlids and yoyo loaches (who freak out when I change the decor/add new plants). Does anyone have any advice on how to keep them calm during a 1.5 hour move? Should I move them in their pairs or individually in darker containers? I thought about just putting them in containers with their usual hiding places, but worry that items will shift during the drive and end in disaster!

 

[ilovemydragongoby]

good advice given by everyone. my only add on would be that the tank should be the last thing you take down and the first thing you set up. since you`re not moving too far away they should be fine in a rubbermade container.

 

[JohnPaul]

For a 1 hour move, there shouldn't be any problems. Just be sure to keep all your filter media sitting in a bucket of TANK water (not "clean" tap water, unless you dechlorinate it first).

If the tank is small enough, you probably wouldn't even have to remove the substrate. Once the fish & filter media are in bucket(s), drain out any remaining tank water and then just move the tank with the substrate in it. If the tank is too large this won't be possible, but if it's something small like a 10g you should be fine.

 

[datkidkevin]

its a 29 and a 10 gallon

 

[meegosh]

I was able to drain my 10g tank and keep the substrate covered with a bit of water when I moved mine. What I did was have a helper hold a piece of plywood at the edge of the stand, I just slid the 10g onto the board. For my 30g long I had to drain the tank and remove substrate. You don't want to be moving a tank that size with substrate inside! Not only could it break the glass but it can break your back!