Moving soon please help!!

[vaquero]

Ok here's the delio. We are moving soon and I need help/advice from members. I need some info on how to move my 55 gallon and 25 gallon tanks. I know I will need to keep my gravel and plants and filters wet. But what about the water?? Should I try to somehow save it. I don't know how to keep it and still be able to move it to use in the tanks when we get to our new place. Do I need it? I just don't want to have to cycle the tanks again. And also, how do I move the fish from two tanks to the new place??? Please help with any knowledge or experience is this matter.

 

[Jess1ca]

Ok here's the delio. We are moving soon and I need help/advice from members. I need some info on how to move my 55 gallon and 25 gallon tanks. I know I will need to keep my gravel and plants and filters wet. But what about the water?? Should I try to somehow save it. I don't know how to keep it and still be able to move it to use in the tanks when we get to our new place. Do I need it? I just don't want to have to cycle the tanks again. And also, how do I move the fish from two tanks to the new place??? Please help with any knowledge or experience is this matter.

I'm totally moving soon too! With 70+ Africans, with babies on the way too. I don't plan on keeping the water. BB isn't heavy in the water column. It's mainly in your filter media or on substrate & decorations. Good luck with the move

 

[blert]

You don't NEED to keep the water, there is no appreciable amount of nitrifying bacteria in the water column. That said, if you want to skip reacclimatizing the fish to the new water, keep at least half of it so it is like doing a 50% PWC instead of 100% new water with a different chemistry than what the fish are used to. When I moved my tanks a bought another 40b to use as a holding tank so I did not have to rush the reset (Petco is having a $/g sale right now). For transporting the fish I used a few five gallons bucket.

I guess it really all depends how far the move is.

 

[vaquero]

ok i planned on keeping the gravel and plants (fake & real ) in the tank as well as keeping the filters wet and in the tank at moving time. I think I should keep some of the water huh? What do I move all of the fish in on moving day so they don't die from the shock of moving??

 

[Bettafanatic]

How far is the move? It's a lot easier to move a few houses away than across the country.

 

[vaquero]

15 miles give or take 2 or 3

 

[blert]

Like I said before, use some five gallon buckets. Fill them about 3/4 full with tank water and put a few fish in each. Put your plants (real and fake) and your decor into the buckets with the fish to help keep them calm. Put all of your substrate into as many buckets as it takes so as to not break your back when lifting them. Put your filter media into large ziplock bags with tank water. Never move the tank itself with anything in it, if you do you are inviting disaster.

 

[vaquero]

Thanks a lot, I will heed your advice and warnings. I will just go find some buckets to make the move easier.

 

[blert]

You can usually find them pretty cheap at a big box hardware store.

Also, I forgot to mention that you need to add tank water to your substrate buckets, just to cover. Everything needs to stay wet.

 

[fonze]

When I have had to move fish tanks and substrate I use three or four thermos cool boxes as they keep the water warm and they have a lid that I tape on. Just remember to leave enough air in the top.

 

[Bettafanatic]

Oh and when using buckets be careful of any jumpers you have. Wouldn't want anyone getting lost.

 

[Zimmanski]

I was freaking out too when I had to move 2 weeks ago, it's no where near as bad as you'd think. I got 3 5 gallon buckets to separate some of the more aggressive fish put all the filters and decorations in with them drove 30 miles, set up the tank with fresh water, put in the decorations, put in the fish, then strained the substrate out of the buckets and put that in. I didn't use any of the old water and immediately water paeans were 0-0-<10. It's not a huge process and I'm sure you and your fish will be fine! Good luck!