Tips for moving 6 tanks?

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Discuss all topics related to freshwater and planted tanks.


Zambize4899
 
Posts: 499
Joined: Sun Feb 24, 2008 4:35 am

Tips for moving 6 tanks?

by Zambize4899

In a month I'm moving my 6 tanks about 30-40 miles to a new house and I'm looking for any experience/tips. My tanks are 7.5 gallons (planted), 2x 10 gallons, 20 long (planted), 29 gallon, and 55 gallons (planted). I've never moved a tank farther than into the next room, and I've certainly never moved one as big as 55 gallons. Particularly as densely planted as my 55 gallon. I'm not looking forward to this big mess.

The types of fish I have include angelfish, pearl gourami, tiger barbs, neon tetras, yo-yo loaches, dwarf chain loaches, dwarf banded barbs, pygmy corycats, emerald green corycats, otocinclus, amano shrimp, pearl blue shrimp, red cherry shrimp, bolivian rams, badis badis, blue tetras, microrasboras, female bettas, and a pet crayfish.

I'm also thinking of taking this opportunity to upgrade my 55 to a 75 gallon.

Any tips or suggestions are welcome.

Z


peterkarig
 
Posts: 111
Joined: Wed Oct 24, 2007 3:06 am

by peterkarig

Z- This is the way I've allways done it.

I moved a 60 gallon tank with gravel and plants from the second story of one apt, 30 miles to another, and up to the 3rd floor.

I emptied most of the water, down to a couple inches, and discarded it.

Put some of the water, wood, and unrooted plants in a 5 gal bucket 1/2 full
Put the fish in the bucket.

Put an air stone into the bucket while moving tank to truck.

Aquired a helper and carried the tank to the truck and set it on card board.

Periodically splashed water on plant leaves.

Take bucket of fish (I put the bucket on the floor next to me so I could observe the splashing)
Drive slowely, accererate slowely, stop slowly.

Bring bucket of fish up first and add air stone.

Splash leaves again and bring tank up with helper.

Fill tank and turn on filters. (insure water perams are similar to origonal)

Add wood, extra plants, decore, etc.

Add fish.

have a cool one and watch the tank and fish acclimatize.!
Last edited by peterkarig on Tue Aug 25, 2009 3:43 pm, edited 1 time in total.


peterkarig
 
Posts: 111
Joined: Wed Oct 24, 2007 3:06 am

by peterkarig

I guess with an upgrade I would take plants in one trip and get the new tank set up, then take the filters and fish and as much water from the old tank to reduce fish shock on the second since this will be a new tank.

I've never lost a fish during any of my moves, and that was 3 tanks after the first couple moves, and I moved 3 times.

Oh yea, I put the filters in another bucket wet, and didn't allow them to dry out since the whole operation only took about 2 hours.

I reduced sloshing in the fish bucket with the wood and plants, and sometimes I put a large net in to help as well, and sometimes I put a towel over the top to help keep the fish from sloshing out as well.

The dumbest thing I did was to put a tank on a dolly. Carrying is the safest IMO.

Good luck!


peterkarig
 
Posts: 111
Joined: Wed Oct 24, 2007 3:06 am

by peterkarig

Oh yea! I'd also separate the crayfish from other fish as the fish during the move.


rubydagger
 
Posts: 2
Joined: Sun Jun 14, 2009 3:55 am

by rubydagger

Z - Go to your local fish store and ask them for some bags or to sell you some bags, like when you get new fish, the bag will have plenty of air and some of your tank water, it will also give your fish some protection,. This also allows you to float the bags in case of a temp change before releasing them in their new home. Ive always been told not to move tank with any substrate in it, it couds stress the seams and leak. Slow down on the feeding for a couple days prior to the move, transport as much of your water as possible. Watch the ammonia and nitrite real close for a while after your reestablished. Good Luck.

Thanks for the advise on the agressive rainbow shark


Snowboss4492
 
Posts: 2098
Joined: Sun Jan 27, 2008 11:24 pm

by Snowboss4492

i dont have plants so the care level would be higher im sure but when i moved my tank from and apartment to the new house

i caught the fish and put them in a clean bucket with tank water, drained the filters and skimmer, siphoned all but a couple inches into 5 gallon water cooler jugs and took down any rocks that might have fallen during the move.....................moved to the house put the rocks reasonably back up refilled the tank with the old water and started the filter...........i did put 4 little cheap hob filters on the tank for a couple hours to get the suspended crap out of the water from the major stirring of the move, acclimated the fish and back in they went..................2 days later a 50% water change and 3 days after that another 59% change and i had 0 loses - -now you do that times 6 and ill send ya a bottle of valium bud, lol good luck

i think i would take down the 55 and disperse everything into the other tanks even if its crowded then set up the 55 at the new house, move the lifestock and plants into it then move and reset everything else up and redistribute to the freshly set up tanks......itll take a week to do it but that seems to be the least stress and you always have a "safe" tank set up at either location while moveing

Boss


Zambize4899
 
Posts: 499
Joined: Sun Feb 24, 2008 4:35 am

by Zambize4899

Thanks everyone. Some things I haven't thought about, pearls of wisdom.

(Boss, I already have my Xanax ready to be refilled. Thank god for the little blue pill.)

Z


Snowboss4492
 
Posts: 2098
Joined: Sun Jan 27, 2008 11:24 pm

by Snowboss4492

lol

Tips for moving 6 tanks?

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