Best Method To Move Fish To New Tank?

[KISSfn]

I just bought a 120G (454L) tank, dimensions 48.5 inches (123cm) long X 24.5in (62cm) wide X 25.5in ( 64cm) tall. This will replace my 50G (189L) and I want to put it where the first tank is located. What would be the best way to do this? Thanks!

 

[fluttermoth]

Get as many containers as you can!

Switch off all your electrics!

Empty out about half the tank, putting as much water as you can in your containers. You don't need to keep much water, but it does help prevent any issues with pH or hardness shock.

Carefully pull up your plants and put them in one. Take out all your decor and put in another. Now catch the fish and put them in one of the containers as well. If you have a lot of fish, you might want to put them in two or three. Cover the fishy containers with towels or blankets to keep the heat in and the fish calm.

Remove heater/filters and put in one of your containers to keep the filter media wet.

Now you strip down the old tank and put the new one in it's place. Add substrate to the new tank, the water from your 'spare' containers (ie, the ones with no fish in). Replace your plants and decor, heater and filter. Add the water and fish and then top up until the tank is full.

Switch all the electrics back on.

Have a nice cup of tea (or a beer, or two, or three) and spend the rest of the day fiddling with the plants and decor 'cos you don't like where you put them

 

[KISSfn]

I was hoping and glad to hear from you because I consider your amount of knowledge genius! No offence to all the other great members on this forum.
What size containers do you recommend? I have 28 fish so how many per container? I think I will go the beer route after the move is complete! Many Thanks!

 

[CezzaXV]

The bigger the container, the better. If you're able to run a filter and a heater in the container as well, even more so.

 

[fluttermoth]

Gosh, thanks!

I've just been in the hobby a long time and moved a lot of tanks

As to size of containers, whatever you can pick up cheaply. It shouldn't take you more than a couple of hours to do, so it's not vital how big the ones for the fish are; the three gallon builders buckets are good and usually quite cheap. I'd put half the fish in one and half in another

 

[AbbeysDad]

The Moth may be a bit conservative. I think the extent to which you need to preserve the old water is perhaps relative to how well or how poorly you've maintained the tank and filter. If your tank maintenance and water change routine has been good, there may not be a significant chemistry difference between tank water and supply water. Also, if you were to save it all, half again would be new, fresh water anyway - In any event, I think drip acclimation should be able to allow the fish to adjust to the new water slowly enough so as not to cause stress.
So you need to turn everything off, partially fill a bucket with tank water, move the fish, tear down the old tank, setup the new one w/used and new water as required, acclimate / xfer the fish, and enjoy your new fresh water ocean!

 

[fluttermoth]

('The Moth', love it, thanks )

You're probably right, I just like to err on the side of caution, plus I have a lot of buckets and a water meter, so I don't like to waste perfectly good water

 

[Alm0stAwesome]

Get as many containers as you can!

Switch off all your electrics!

Empty out about half the tank, putting as much water as you can in your containers. You don't need to keep much water, but it does help prevent any issues with pH or hardness shock.

Carefully pull up your plants and put them in one. Take out all your decor and put in another. Now catch the fish and put them in one of the containers as well. If you have a lot of fish, you might want to put them in two or three. Cover the fishy containers with towels or blankets to keep the heat in and the fish calm.

Remove heater/filters and put in one of your containers to keep the filter media wet.

Now you strip down the old tank and put the new one in it's place. Add substrate to the new tank, the water from your 'spare' containers (ie, the ones with no fish in). Replace your plants and decor, heater and filter. Add the water and fish and then top up until the tank is full.

Switch all the electrics back on.

Have a nice cup of tea (or a beer, or two, or three) and spend the rest of the day fiddling with the plants and decor 'cos you don't like where you put them

Excellent and concise post, thanks!