Inftyskn
Aquarium Advice Newbie
I am about to move from my appartment how do you suggest that I go about transporting a 30 gallon tall tank with fish in it. any tips will be very help full. :?
Planning on Moving How ToTransport
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robertmarda
Aquarium Advice Freak
I recently moved from Fairfax, VA to Woodbridge, VA about a 22 mile distance between where I lived and where I moved to. I had to move a 55 gallon tank with fish. I doubt I did everything the best way (as time didn't allow) but I didn't loose any of my fish.
Place the fish in smaller containers with lids you can seal or put them in zip lock bags if you have them. If you are moving a long distance I would get a battery powered water pump to help keep air going into the water while the fish are not in the tank. If you can use a filter from your existing tank for the smaller container while you empty the tank that would be good.
Save as much water from your 30 gallon tank as possible and move it with you. Don't clean the substrate at the bottom of the tank and leave a little water there. Don't clean the filter. Those two places are where most of your biological filter is and you want to preserve as much of this as possible.
Then simply set the tank where you want it and put all the water back in the tank and then the fish. Top fill the rest of the tank.
Be sure to test the water where you are moving to. One of my main concerns was not having my fish go into pH shock. Where I moved from the water came out of the tap around 7.0. Where I moved to the water came out at 7.8. Because I didn't have time to set up a bunch of tanks and gradually treat the water I had to use a lot of pH down. I didn't have the containers nor the time to fill them if I had had them so I only took about 2 gallons of water with me and the fish in that container. I used two containers to keep the smaller cichlids from getting beat up by the larger ones while in a smaller area with no hiding places.
I was able to set up a 10 gallon tank at my new place a few days before the move. This gave me a place to put the fish upon arrival while I filled the 55 gallon tank and made sure the pH and temperature was close to what they were used to. Then I moved them to the 55 gallon tank. I would move the fish as little as possible. You might not need to set up a temporary tank as you will be able to set up the 30 gallon tank quicker than I could set up my 55. For me I felt this was the best way to ensure they didn't deplete the air in that small 2 gallon container before I was ready for them in the 55 gallon tank and to avoid them feeling pH swings as the pH was constantly changing as I put more water in the tank and had to make adjustments.
Once in the 55 tank the all acted like they were in shock and mostly hung out on the bottom of the tank. Some of the fish that usually quarreled over territory were in the tank side by side. I went to bed somewhere around midnight thinking that even after all my effort I was going to loose them all. The red devil even rolled over once or twice (usually a very bad sign). But all the fish survived and are still alive. It is now about 2 months since we moved.
Place the fish in smaller containers with lids you can seal or put them in zip lock bags if you have them. If you are moving a long distance I would get a battery powered water pump to help keep air going into the water while the fish are not in the tank. If you can use a filter from your existing tank for the smaller container while you empty the tank that would be good.
Save as much water from your 30 gallon tank as possible and move it with you. Don't clean the substrate at the bottom of the tank and leave a little water there. Don't clean the filter. Those two places are where most of your biological filter is and you want to preserve as much of this as possible.
Then simply set the tank where you want it and put all the water back in the tank and then the fish. Top fill the rest of the tank.
Be sure to test the water where you are moving to. One of my main concerns was not having my fish go into pH shock. Where I moved from the water came out of the tap around 7.0. Where I moved to the water came out at 7.8. Because I didn't have time to set up a bunch of tanks and gradually treat the water I had to use a lot of pH down. I didn't have the containers nor the time to fill them if I had had them so I only took about 2 gallons of water with me and the fish in that container. I used two containers to keep the smaller cichlids from getting beat up by the larger ones while in a smaller area with no hiding places.
I was able to set up a 10 gallon tank at my new place a few days before the move. This gave me a place to put the fish upon arrival while I filled the 55 gallon tank and made sure the pH and temperature was close to what they were used to. Then I moved them to the 55 gallon tank. I would move the fish as little as possible. You might not need to set up a temporary tank as you will be able to set up the 30 gallon tank quicker than I could set up my 55. For me I felt this was the best way to ensure they didn't deplete the air in that small 2 gallon container before I was ready for them in the 55 gallon tank and to avoid them feeling pH swings as the pH was constantly changing as I put more water in the tank and had to make adjustments.
Once in the 55 tank the all acted like they were in shock and mostly hung out on the bottom of the tank. Some of the fish that usually quarreled over territory were in the tank side by side. I went to bed somewhere around midnight thinking that even after all my effort I was going to loose them all. The red devil even rolled over once or twice (usually a very bad sign). But all the fish survived and are still alive. It is now about 2 months since we moved.
Robert is entirely right.
I might add, however, that Ziplock bags didn't work for me, two of them ended up bursting (only in the "zip" part) in the car, I had to hold them together, water splashing on me during the ride. This may not be the case with you, but I highly suggest specimen bags. They're cheap (and free every now and then) at many LFS. Double bagging is a must.
Make sure to leave plenty of air in the containers, especially if you aren't using a pump.
I also reccomend "Cycle". It comes in a little white bottle, and "cycles" your water. This doesn't at all mean you shouldn't keep the substrate, old water, and filter bacteria intact, but it can help with any fresh water you add to the tank, and cuts down on stress. There is another type of similar thing, Bio-Spira, but this is apparently harder to get. I haven't tried it, myself, but it comes highly suggested from other, more experienced tank-owners.
Good luck with your move!
I might add, however, that Ziplock bags didn't work for me, two of them ended up bursting (only in the "zip" part) in the car, I had to hold them together, water splashing on me during the ride. This may not be the case with you, but I highly suggest specimen bags. They're cheap (and free every now and then) at many LFS. Double bagging is a must.
Make sure to leave plenty of air in the containers, especially if you aren't using a pump.
I also reccomend "Cycle". It comes in a little white bottle, and "cycles" your water. This doesn't at all mean you shouldn't keep the substrate, old water, and filter bacteria intact, but it can help with any fresh water you add to the tank, and cuts down on stress. There is another type of similar thing, Bio-Spira, but this is apparently harder to get. I haven't tried it, myself, but it comes highly suggested from other, more experienced tank-owners.
Good luck with your move!
Menagerie
Aquarium Advice Addict
My husband and I moved with our fish. The move took two days in below freezing temps. We had battery operated airpumps running into large stryofoam coolers lined with garbage bags. The filters were kept wet (not the greatest idea in sub 0C), this was to allow us to quickly cycle the tank. If you can keep your filter intact and substrate damp, there is no need for cycle or bio-spira. Even though we lost our bacteria and an etire filter, the fish did quite well.
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