Moving A Fish Tank

[busterbrit]

I'm almost done doing a fishless cycle. It should be done in the next week. I just found out we are moving to another place about 10 minutes down the road. So should I add the fish still which they would be in the tank for 3 weeks. Or should I just keep adding ammonia and add the fish once I move?

It's a 16 gallon tank so I figure I would have to get rid of about 60-70% of the water. If I made the move right away I figure the fish would go about 30 minutes with low water and no filter. Is that to long?

 

[Floyds mum]

I'm almost done doing a fishless cycle. It should be done in the next week. I just found out we are moving to another place about 10 minutes down the road. So should I add the fish still which they would be in the tank for 3 weeks. Or should I just keep adding ammonia and add the fish once I move?

It's a 16 gallon tank so I figure I would have to get rid of about 60-70% of the water. If I made the move right away I figure the fish would go about 30 minutes with low water and no filter. Is that to long?

Its the filter that holds bacteria, id say wait before adding fish to minimise any losses due to stress from moving.
And you shouldnt move the tank with water in as it causes stress on the tank and can cause it to "break or leak", empty it completely and bag the filter then move and set up tank when you have moved.

Others might have different advice but thats my opinion hope everything goes ok though

 

[busterbrit]

When I bag the filter should I have water in it?

Since its only a few weeks your advice seems the wisest. Alhough I'm itching to get my fish. I've had the tank for a couple of months and I'm bummed I have to wait another month. Oh well.

 

[Floyds mum]

When I bag the filter should I have water in it?

Since its only a few weeks your advice seems the wisest. Alhough I'm itching to get my fish. I've had the tank for a couple of months and I'm bummed I have to wait another month. Oh well.

Ive bagged with no water in but i suppose its your choice, its just that its the filter media that holds the bacteria and you need to keep it alive, it should be ok withput any water for a while.

As for fish its completely up to you thats just my advice

 

[GuppyGoddess]

Even if you remove 60-70% of the water, the tank is still going to be very heavy. As Floyds Mum stated, moving it can cause it to break/leak. I did move a fish tank three times (it's a 3 gallon and I had emptied out two gallons). Guess I was lucky that it held up.

Since you don't have fish, just wait. You're lucky you have the luxury of not having to stress over moving a tank that has fish already in it. I hope I do not have to move again for many years.

 

[fatheadminnow]

Yes, do not try to transport a tank with water/decor in it. Tanks are designed to be stable in a static position, where the water exerts an equal force perpendicular to all sides of the tank. When you try to move a tank with water in it, the force that was equal through out the tank, is now going to be higher or lower on different surfaces of the tank. This is because of the simple fact that you cannot hold a tank perfectly still when carrying it.

For the filter, right before you start to move the tank, bag the filter media in a bag with 1/3 water and 2/3 air roughly. You do NOT want the filter media to dry out. If your filter media drys out, you can unfortunately assume that all your beneficial bacteria are dead, in which case you will be back to square one in your cycle.

-FHM

 

[busterbrit]

great advice everyone.

Can I leave the rocks at the bottom? It's a biorbe so I'm guessing I need to leave a small amount of water at the bottom for the rocks since those act as part of the filter process.

 

[fatheadminnow]

great advice everyone.

Can I leave the rocks at the bottom? It's a biorbe so I'm guessing I need to leave a small amount of water at the bottom for the rocks since those act as part of the filter process.

Just throw all rocks/filter media in a bag of tank water for the time being. Better to be safe then sorry.

-FHM

 

[natalie265]

I left my substrate in the tank when i moved it recently. No harm done. But, who knows. Maybe better safe than sorry.

 

[drobbyb]

Maybe better safe than sorry.

In this hobby, I think a little of this goes a long ways.

 

[Tolak]

Empty it completely. Then again, maybe not. Guys like me get free tanks that way. 72 gallon bow with a cracked frame, in front of the crossbrace, moved with gravel, a couple of inches of water, and fish;

Welded structural enhancement;

My oscar thanks you;

The seams or glass may go some day on this tank, it's in the basement, on a concrete floor, closest tank to the floor drain.

A little more work now might save you a lot of trouble later.

 

[drobbyb]

Nice plec! Been a while since I saw one that big.