Can I leave fish in tank when the movers move it onto a cart?

[pettygil]

I have a 40 gallon tank. Can I leave fish in tank when the movers move it onto a cart? I am getting my floors done and they need to move the tank. I will have little water in the tank for the fish, but most of the water will be drained out of the tank, leave 10 to 20 percent of the water in the tank, is that ok to do? I have a hard time catching the fish and want to leave fish in the tank, can I leave fish in the tank when they move it onto a cart? I am confused at what to do. my fish would be without filter for about 15- 24 hours. I have two plecos, and some guppies and cat fish and a few glo fish and 10 red eyed tetras. Can these fish go without a filter for a short time?

 

[pettygil]

Can I leave a little water in tank, or does it have to be comp drained? I do not want to get leeks in my tank. I have a 40 gallon tank, two of them.

 

[Andy Sager]

The problem is the weight of the tank. Water weighs just under 8 lbs per gallon so if you leave 10 gallons of water, you are adding an additional 80lbs to the weight of the tank ( roughly 55-60 lbs) , substrate ( usually 40-50 lbs) and decorations. If your movers can lift that kind of weight, the only real issue is that IF something happens and the tank breaks, you will lose the fish.

It's best if you set up a bucket of water and let your filter(s) run in the bucket to keep the nitrifying microbes in oxygenated water. Set up an air stone in the tanks because a lot of fish in a small amount of water will use up the oxygen quickly.

 

[pettygil]

I am going to empty out my fish tanks. however I only have one net to catch the fish. The tanks have to be moved by tomorrow. Can I put all my fish in one bucket with an air stone? Also any tips on catching fish with one small fish net, is all I have? Could I use a bowl or cup to catch the fish? Also I talked with a guy who knows about fish and he said as soon as poss I need to get the fish back in the tank. So do I wait 24 hours with fish in bucket, or do I wait 7 to 10 hours, which as long as it is going to take, and then put the fish back in right away? I do not want to shock my fish by putting them back into soon, so what should I do?

 

[pettygil]

Oh and this is a pain in my rear end. lol I am sure glad I have a hose to suck out the water, that part is easy, catching the fish is not, they are fast little buggers.

 

[Andy Sager]

Lower the water level to a few inches and the fish will be a lot easier to catch. If you have to use a bowl too, make sure it has no soap residue in it or else you will kill the fish.
I would set the tank(s) back up and let them sit overnight to make sure they didn't crack or leak and them you can acclimate the fish into the tanks. The reason you want to acclimate them is because you are doing an almost 100% water change and guppies & tetras do not like massive changes in their water. Save some water from the tanks while you are draining them so that you can do water changes in the buckets before you go to bed. YOu'll see what you see in the morning.

Yes, moving tanks is a real pain in the asrsticle.

 

[pettygil]

How do I acclimate the fish back into the tank? I am going to drain the water into one bucket. Do I use the water from the bucket to pour back into the tank? The bucket is kind of heavy. I do not have anything else to put the water in. Do I put water back into the tank once I get home, or do I let the tank sit overnight before putting back the water in the tank? Sorry, just a bit confused

 

[pettygil]

Also I bought a water hose to drain and fill the tanks. The only question I have is. Will the water get in the tank from running the water though the other end of the hose in the sink? It needs water to suck up the water in the tank. Is hard to explain, maybe I could test it over the sink to see if water come out the other end. I had to watch you-tube to see how it was done, which is weird. I do not know how it works, but when water is run out the other end of the hose attached to the sink, it helps to suction from the other end of the hose. I think that is how it is done.

 

[Andy Sager]

How do I acclimate the fish back into the tank? I am going to drain the water into one bucket. Do I use the water from the bucket to pour back into the tank? The bucket is kind of heavy. I do not have anything else to put the water in. Do I put water back into the tank once I get home, or do I let the tank sit overnight before putting back the water in the tank? Sorry, just a bit confused

If it's not too late already, just save some water ( 1/2 a bucket's worth) to use for a water change. As for acclimating the fish back into the tank, empty 1/2 the bucket of water and just add a small amount of tank water every 5-10 minutes until the bucket is full. Drain 1/2 the bucket again and repeat small amounts of tank water every 5-10 minutes until the bucket is full then you can dump the bucket of water and fish back into the tank.
As for when to full the tank, you can't test it until you fill it with water. Once the guys put the tank back into place, then you can fill it. ( Probably better to do after they leave tho just in case the hose gets in their way. )

 

[Andy Sager]

Also I bought a water hose to drain and fill the tanks. The only question I have is. Will the water get in the tank from running the water though the other end of the hose in the sink? It needs water to suck up the water in the tank. Is hard to explain, maybe I could test it over the sink to see if water come out the other end. I had to watch you-tube to see how it was done, which is weird. I do not know how it works, but when water is run out the other end of the hose attached to the sink, it helps to suction from the other end of the hose. I think that is how it is done.

If it's anything like the old water bed fillers, there is a twistable bottom section to it. Twist it one way and the water flows through the device creating a suction that pulls water from the tank. Twist the bottom section closed and the water from the faucet will flow back through the hose into the tank.

 

[pettygil]

If it's not too late already, just save some water ( 1/2 a bucket's worth) to use for a water change. As for acclimating the fish back into the tank, empty 1/2 the bucket of water and just add a small amount of tank water every 5-10 minutes until the bucket is full. Drain 1/2 the bucket again and repeat small amounts of tank water every 5-10 minutes until the bucket is full then you can dump the bucket of water and fish back into the tank.
As for when to full the tank, you can't test it until you fill it with water. Once the guys put the tank back into place, then you can fill it. ( Probably better to do after they leave tho just in case the hose gets in their way. )

I am still confused, sorry I am trying to understand. Do I take small amounts of water from the bucket and pour into my fish tank every 5 minutes, until the fish tank is full? Then pour the rest of the water from the bucket into the tank?

 

[pettygil]

If it's anything like the old water bed fillers, there is a twistable bottom section to it. Twist it one way and the water flows through the device creating a suction that pulls water from the tank. Twist the bottom section closed and the water from the faucet will flow back through the hose into the tank.

There is a small lever on it, if the lever is up it pulls the water out, but I have to run water though it, for it to suction out the water out of the tank. I think anyways, then when the lever is pulled again it puts water back into the tank.

 

[pettygil]

This is the hose I have, that I bought from amazon
My fish hose from Amazon

 

[Andy Sager]

There is a small lever on it, if the lever is up it pulls the water out, but I have to run water though it, for it to suction out the water out of the tank. I think anyways, then when the lever is pulled again it puts water back into the tank.

Okay, it's the same type of device I was describing. You close it so that some water runs into the hose then you open the lever and the flowing water will pull the water out of the hose and tank. ( Make sure the end of the hose is in the tank when you are filling the home with water from the sink. (I'd also place your net over the end of the hose so that no fish gets sucked up into the hose. ) When it comes to refilling the tank, do the same thing with the lever that got the water to flow into the hose only this time, don't switch it open so the water runs out into the sink. Turn everything off when the tank is full.

I am still confused, sorry I am trying to understand. Do I take small amounts of water from the bucket and pour into my fish tank every 5 minutes, until the fish tank is full? Then pour the rest of the water from the bucket into the tank?

You need to do 2 different unrelated things. Thing 1: Because you have so many fish in the bucket, there is going to be a lot of ammonia being produced. You are going to dilute that ammonia with the spare tank water you saved before draining the big tanks. You can empty 1/2 of the bucket of water the fish are in and gently pour in the spare water you saved from the tank and you are done with Thing #1.
Thing #2: After you fill up the tanks again and let them sit overnight, THEN you need to acclimate the fish from the bucket water to the new tank water. Once you are finished with acclimating as described in post #9, empty the bucket of the water and fish into the tank.
But here is my question, do you only have one bucket to hold the 2 tanks full of fish? I sure hope not. Each tank should have it's own bucket.

 

[Andy Sager]

This is the hose I have, that I bought from amazon
My fish hose from Amazon

Yeah, it's the same thing that I used to fill my waterbed a bazillion years ago only except it has a lever instead of a twisty bottom piece. You have to be careful not to suck up the fish.

 

[pettygil]

Okay, it's the same type of device I was describing. You close it so that some water runs into the hose then you open the lever and the flowing water will pull the water out of the hose and tank. ( Make sure the end of the hose is in the tank when you are filling the home with water from the sink. (I'd also place your net over the end of the hose so that no fish gets sucked up into the hose. ) When it comes to refilling the tank, do the same thing with the lever that got the water to flow into the hose only this time, don't switch it open so the water runs out into the sink. Turn everything off when the tank is full.

You need to do 2 different unrelated things. Thing 1: Because you have so many fish in the bucket, there is going to be a lot of ammonia being produced. You are going to dilute that ammonia with the spare tank water you saved before draining the big tanks. You can empty 1/2 of the bucket of water the fish are in and gently pour in the spare water you saved from the tank and you are done with Thing #1.
Thing #2: After you fill up the tanks again and let them sit overnight, THEN you need to acclimate the fish from the bucket water to the new tank water. Once you are finished with acclimating as described in post #9, empty the bucket of the water and fish into the tank.
But here is my question, do you only have one bucket to hold the 2 tanks full of fish? I sure hope not. Each tank should have it's own bucket.

I only have one bucket and 1 air stone, so I have to put all the fish in one bucket. Even if I had an extra bucket there would still be a problem cause I only have one air stone. I would have gotten more air stones if i knew what I was doing, and why I needed it. So I keep the fish in bucket for 24 hours, with air stone? So do I add little water from bucket every 5 minutes until fish tank is full, then add the rest of the fish to the tank? sorry I really am trying to understand. could i use hang on the back filter to put on the bucket, wait I can't. I have a cat and I need to use a lid, so cat will not eat the fish, so that idea will not work.

 

[pettygil]

In the next few hours I am going to have to drain my tanks and get ready for the fish move. I am going to have to add my fish after I get back home. I have to do this, as I have way too many fish, for one bucket, and the Ammonia would kill them. I will add the fish in slow, There should not be any leeks in my tanks, if I empty all the water out before the move. If there is a problem I will empty the tank right away. I will keep checking the tanks for a few days, to make sure there is no leeks. I will also remove fake plants, and any items from the tank.

 

[Andy Sager]

I only have one bucket and 1 air stone, so I have to put all the fish in one bucket. Even if I had an extra bucket there would still be a problem cause I only have one air stone. I would have gotten more air stones if i knew what I was doing, and why I needed it. So I keep the fish in bucket for 24 hours, with air stone? So do I add little water from bucket every 5 minutes until fish tank is full, then add the rest of the fish to the tank? sorry I really am trying to understand. could i use hang on the back filter to put on the bucket, wait I can't. I have a cat and I need to use a lid, so cat will not eat the fish, so that idea will not work.

Well lets hope for the best but you really are not prepared for this. I have a feeling those Tetras are going to shred your Guppies. You have 2 tanks for a reason so you should have had 2 buckets for the same reason. It better be a big bucket ( 5 gallons or more. ) If it's a little bucket ( under 2 gallons), you are probably barking up the wrong tree. You can't keep 40 guppies and plecos and Tetras in a small bucket and not expect a disaster. If there is any way to delay this move until you get more buckets and air stones, I would definitely try to do that.

 

[pettygil]

I can not delay it. The maintence guy in the building made it clear they can't delay working on the floors to take out the carpet. I can see if he has any extra buckets, the problem is the fish is going to need oxygen. I only have one air stone. Could I put fish in another bucket without air stone? I think the maintence guy has an extra bucket but it will not have an air stone. There will be no filter, or air stone in the other bucket for the fish, just for the other bucket.

 

[pettygil]

I thought I could leave my fish in the tank, so I did not bother with extra buckets, come to find out that I had to take the fish out of the tank, because I can't have water in the tank, like I thought was ok to do, which it is not. I will buy a few more buckets and air stones, incase this happens again.