moving houses moving tanks!

[Kromlech54]

Hello, BEWARE THIS IS A LONG POST!!! lol so as it sits now, I have a 26 gal tank that has been running for about a year now, currently stocked with 4 otocinculs, 2 German blue rams, 11 Neon tetras, 7 black skirt tetras, 3 Peppered cory's, and 3 quarter sized angels. It has fake plants and blue gravel with a few other decorations in the tank. I'm using a Aqueon quietflow 30 for the tank with a 100w heater keeping temps at 82° F. 6.4 pH, 0 ammonia, 0 Nitrites, and less than 25 ppm on the nitrates. So overall just went for an amazonian themed tank. I am about to move and recently acquired a new 36 gal bow front tank kit which includes a heater another Aqueon quiet flow 30 and the tank and the hood, which I plan to move all the fish from my 26 gal tank into.n

I have already purchased all the necessary things needed to get the aquarium running such as I purchased a new stand for the tank, eco complete gravel ( because I would like to transition to live plants as soon as I can afford a new t5 ho system.) And decor. What I plan to do to transition the tank is to first I have taken the bio filter piece from the new Aqueon filter I have acquired and placed it in my currently running filter so it can obtain the Benificial bacteria required to keep the new tank cycled, second as soon as the day I get the keys I plan to move the tank into the new house and get it set up and filled with water ( I'm going to syphon 10 gal out of my current tank to help keep some of the beneficial bacteria as well then fill the rest with dechlorinated tap water and get the water to the correct temp i would like it at. As soon as I have a steady temp set I would like to introduce a few of my hardier fish (the corys and the black skirts) and one of the two filters which should already be cycled on the tank. To keep the fish and the beneficial bacteria healthy while I transition them from each tank I decided to use a battery operated air pump which I want to set under the bio filter to produce water flow through it while I move the fish from tank to tank. And when the big moving day comes I want to transition the rest of the fish to the new tank the same way, but using the other bio filter from the other filter I plan on putting on the tank.

So hopefully my new tank will be ready and able to carry all of my fish without any casualties

Is there anything anyone thinks I should do differently? While moving the fish to make it safer for my finned friends while I'm moving them? Or is this a good process and just do this as I have currently planned?

[Rolance]

I think that sounds like a pretty good and thought out plan. I was wondering what would be the best way to move my fish when i move out and your way sounds pretty good. My only question is what are you going to transport the fish in?

[Kromlech54]

I have a total of 3, 5 gallon buckets with lids, was gonna drill a small hole in one lid so I could fit an airline tube through so I can use that battery operated pump then just transport the tank water in the other few.

[frank98284]

hi take some pantyhose and put some of the blue gravel from your old in a pantyhose and hang in side your new tank make sure you keep the rocks in tank water to keep the bb alive while you take it to your new house i have done this a few times and it really helps. good luck

[Rolance]

Good idea with the buckets. Just in case you didnt want to make them, I wanted to let you know they have aerator livewell buckets you can buy for fishin. The ones you put minnows in or shiners. Its pretty much a bucket (I think 3 gallons) with a battery operated pump already attached to it. But your way may be cheaper and more efficient. Just throwing it out there. Good plan though, i wish you luck!

[jkdubs2]

I didn't quite catch everything cuz it was lot to take in but it seems like your plan is good. You could always just take your whole old filter without letting it dry and put it on the new tank. And run both filters for a bit on the new tank until the new filter gets built up with bacteria. This way you could just put all your fish in at the same time and just monitor water parameters. If you plan on keeping fish in both tanks then just put your old filter pad from the old tank into the new filter and the new filter pad into the old tank And you will just go through a mini cycle in both tanks.

[Kromlech54]

Originally Posted by frank98284

hi take some pantyhose and put some of the blue gravel from your old in a pantyhose and hang in side your new tank make sure you keep the rocks in tank water to keep the bb alive while you take it to your new house i have done this a few times and it really helps. good luck

When I was reading the packaging the eco complete it says that it already has been cycled with bb? Not sure if I should trust it or not but I will prolly do the gravel in the pantyhose thing.

[meegosh]

Why transport the old water? Just use new treated water.

I've heard mixed things about eco speeding up your cycle. I personally don't see how, it's sealed and stored at room temp. There maybe something else to it but it certainly isn't live bacteria.

When I used it years ago I drained the water out of the bag and poked some holes in the bottom and rinsed it off. I didn't use the packet of water clarifier either. I already had a seeded filter and it was heavily planted, didn't even see a mini cycle.

[Kromlech54]

Just figured the water would hold some of the bb as well as the rest of the things I'm doing, just wanted to make the smoothest transition as possible.

[meegosh]

The water column contains very little bacteria. The majority resides in your filter, gravel, decor, etc.

[clancy888]

Originally Posted by jkdubs2

You could always just take your whole old filter without letting it dry and put it on the new tank. And run both filters for a bit on the new tank until the new filter gets built up with bacteria. This way you could just put all your fish in at the same time and just monitor water parameters.

i'd do this. actually, i probably wouldn't even bother unpacking the new filter.

i moved two tanks 300 miles and filled old tidy cats litter buckets halfway for the fish and transported the decor in separate buckets with enough water to cover everything.
from taking down the tanks to having everyone back in their homes took about nine hours. i kept a close eye on the water parameters and the ammonia was elevated to about .25 for a few days (for the fresh, had no problems with the salt) and that was it! no casualties!
best of luck!