Moving...what to do

[Vikesfankevin]

Hey guys so I am moving in about a month and not sure the best way to go about moving my fish. I know I am getting a 55 gallon so I have 2 different ideas. Oh by the way I have a 10, 20, 29 gallon.

1-Move the 20 and the 29 by draining the water into a cooler and putting the fish in there and trying to get it set up asap. I'm kind of worried about doing this because of the getting the water back into the take with the fish without hurting them.

2-Get the 55 gallon set up and transfer the fish from the 20 and 29 into that right off the bat. Here is the problem, I get the keys for the new place on Aug 15th and have to be out of this place Aug 30th. That would put the new tank right in the middle of the cycle. If I put some of the water from the 29 in the 55 to start a cycle would it speed it up? Would it be safe to put the fish in the tank in the middle of a cycle, or at least would it be safer than option number 1?
The fish in the tanks are-
Neons-29g
Black Neons 20g
Glowlight Tetras 29g
Gold Tetras 29g
Hatchets 29g
Cory Cats 29g and 20g
Bristlenose Pleco 29g
Yoyo Loaches 29g
Clown Loach 29g
Rainbow Shark 20g
Angel Fish 20g

Thanks guys

 

[spoonman]

I see 2 options.
1. Drain the two tanks that are set up now when you move. All you have to do is keep the fish in buckets and keep the filter media wet. Take the tanks to the new house and set them up with new dechlored water and the old filter media. This, at worst, will cause a mini-cycle and the fish will be fine. Then when you are ready, upgrade to the 55.
2. Do the same as option 1 but use the filter media from one of the current tanks and use it in the 55 and do the same. This should also only cause a mini-cycle.

I moved a 115G tank between houses and cleaned all the substrate and all the decorations and put in all new water. All I did was keep the media wet and keep the fish in buckets and kept them airated and all was fine. Of course make sure the water temp matches to prevent shocking the fish. Good luck with the move and if you have any questions dont hesitate to ask. Alot of good people on this site to help you out.

 

[BigJim]

If you can, start running the filter system for the 55 now in a box or a cooler with the old water from water changes and a rock or something from an established tank to start establishing the bacteria in the filter. When you get the 55 set up, drain the water level in your established tanks as low as you feel comfortable with and start filling the 55 with the old water. Top off with dechlorinated water and let the tank be for a while. I recently swapped my 29 from gravel to sand and had to put the fish and filter in a 20L temporarily. I filled the 20L from the 29, then when I was ready, I put about 10 gallons of water from the 20L back into the 29, topped it off, and let it sit for two days to let the sand settle. After adding the fish back to the 29, I checked the ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate levels at least once a day for a week and I never saw more than a hint of ammonia.

 

[spoonman]

The rock and filter media is very important. If you are going to run the filter from the 55 now, run it in one of the smaller tanks that you have set up now to get the bacteria from the tank. There is next to nothing in the water that is beneficial to your tank. All the bacteria that you want to keep is on the rocks, glass, filters and decorations. IMO there is no reason to move water.

 

[mgamer20o0]

move the fish and the filters into the new tank and call it a day. you dont need to cycle the 55 gallon really. if you are dumping them all into the 55 the filters should just about do it. you might have a mini cycle but it shouldnt last too long. dont worry about the water. if you can move the gravel and decor over even better.

 

[Nippy Fish]

If you can't run the 55g filter ahead of time, then when you set up the 55g, put the old filters on the 55g (along with any new filter) and let them run for a couple of months. That will give the new filter time to grow some yummy good bacteria. You may even want to keep one or both of them on your 55g as extra or as a backup. I have a smaller, backup filter on my 55g and it serves as a growing area for more bacteria, too.

 

[FishEggs]

are you combining both tanks into the 55? if you have the filter you will be using on the 55 start running it on one of your larger tanks. then when you move just keep all the filter media wet with tank water and it wont be a problem. i used new water in my tank and acclimated the fish to the new water just like bring them home from the fish store. might get a very small mini cycle but fish will be fine.