Moving Fish Help- Update Move Is Going Ahead! Yipee!

[Spishkey]

ok i may be a bit premature posting this but id like to be prepared, there is a 90% chance me are moving to a house in the next two months, if not in 2 months then definatly by the end of the autumn/ mr bank manager approved our loan yipee!!

any how i like to plan ahead and the only problem i see is moving all our fish i will highlight any questions so they are easier to see. they most probably are simple questions i could answer myself but my head is spinning so fast with thinking too much, i cant actually think straight.....!

we have three large tank (turtles, community tank and oscar tank) these will have to be taken out onto the balcony and lowered with a lifting machine down the outside wall. we live three stories high (eek!) they will not fit in the lift )))6ft tanks and a lift 1/2cm shy of 6ft!! just doesnt go!(((( the smaller tanks will be a lot easier to do as they will fit in the lift.

any how i know the normal 'routine' of moving fish is to take down the tanks last, move them and set them up first at the new house before anything else, taking as much water with you as possible.

this is not going to be possible!

firstly will will be renting the lifting machine for just half a day (cheaper) so tanks have to be dismantled the night before or at least half emptied.
so fishies will be in either half their water or buckets over night? will this be ok?
we cannot take nearly 2000L of water with us, is it so bad giving them totally fresh new water as long as i keep media wet?
would it be a good idea to maybe test water in the new house first and see what we get?what should i test for exactly, ph and nitrate or more things?

how is it best to keep the fish stress free as poss?? its gonna be at least 12 hours in buckets if not more, im most worried for the oscars.

what is the best material to protects aquariums on the move? is there any special way to move large tanks easier?
how is best to transport plants? do i have to keep there in water or will keeping them damp in plastic bags/soggy paper be ok?

what is the best way to acclimise so many fish? is it likely any bacteria will die (pumps being off for about 6-10 hours, no fish in with them etc)

is there anything ive not thought of?

in total about 200+ fish will have to be moved,

 

[Spishkey]

no advice?

 

[Bigbadbaz]

Is the cost of the lifting machine and transpotation of tank to new location going to be more than the cost of a new tank?
If so what about buying a new tank and seeing if you can get it set up before you move?
Plants will be ok in bags with tissue, is there anywhere you could leave the big fish for a few days whilst you move? (lfs??)
other than that all I can say is good luck!

 

[Spishkey]

sorry should have said its three large tanks of 6ft. buying three of those would be very expensive plus the lifting machine will be used for various furniture too that wont go in the lift nice idea though, would probably work if it was just the one tank!

in total its 6 tanks we have to move 3 large three small

i wouldnt trust anyone with my big fish (numerous threads of mine about that will explain why, i just got them back after three months!) but i may ask an lfs for some bags/ties/equipment/poly boxes etc, thank you for the help!

 

[minxfishy]

The best advice I can offer is to get some large strong tubs, put as much water in them as you lift (with the machine obviously), place the fish in them, keep the heaters and filters running in them as long as possible, only unplug as you move them and then plug them back in as soon as you can the other end. The fish will be fine for a good while like this and hopefully as the media will be in tank water you wont lose much if any bacteria (assuming most of these large tanks have externals running on them).

When you go to acclimate the fish, fill the tanks the other end with 3/4 new water, then slowly add new water to the tubs whilst taking out jug fulls of the water from the tub to the tank, to get them used to any ph change (which may or may not be much).

It will obviously require some planning in advance, write down an order of things to be done a few weeks before the move to get things straight in your head and to refer to as you go along, so you dont forget anything.

Also dont feed for at least 24 hrs before the move and then again 24 hrs after introduction the other end.

If you can wrap the tanks in some polystyrene or bubble wrap inside and out to take the pressure of the glass. Just move them slowly and carefully, in fact plan that ahead too, making sure doorways etc are wide enough. I would also say, remove any gravel or sand as this makes them heavier.

Plants will be absolutely fine in plastic bags with some tank water just enough to keep them damp.

Obviously once things are set up the other end, you will need to test the water daily for any spikes in ammonia or nitrIte, and do any water changes accordingly.

Hope some of the helps.

Good luck Spishkey, let us know when your moving

 

[Spishkey]

eek none of the large tanks have externals they are all in built 3 or 4 chamber filter things powered by strong powerheads? all the media is in these chambers and will have to be removed into tubs of tank water for the move?

 

[minxfishy]

Ah ok, put the media into some nets or similar and just keep an airstone running underneath them for as long as possible in the tubs with the fish.

 

[Spishkey]

ive seen battery powered airpumps on ebay.com but they dont ship here, not seen them on ebay.be or uk?, anyone know where i can get them?

 

[Honeythorn]

Could you ask your LFS to temorarily house your fish ( with a "not for sale/we're on holiday " sign on the tanks of course ) while your own tanks and as much of your own water as possible is moved to the new place? It'd only be for 2-3 days, surely there's one lfs you can trust?

I think it would make things easier on the fish rather than being crammed in buckets overnight.

 

[Spishkey]

i dont think just one lfs would have enough free tanks unfortunatly. theres 150+ fish in the main community, 2 oscars, 4 large catfish, 4 adult crayfish and as of yesterday around 500+ baby crays which i now have the task of housing seperatly before they eat each other!
then theres the betta tank and tankmates, 50+ guppys, the turtle and his tankmates

thanks all for the tips and suggestions so far it really is a dilemma for me

 

[Spishkey]

UPDATE TIME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



have just had the call we've been waiting for - the loan is approved the house is ours!!!!!!!!!!!!! yippee!!!!!!!!!

so i have a couple of months to plan this big move!!!!


have still been unable to track down battery powered air pumps/filters??? any ideas people and most importantly any more advice for moving fish??

its going to be hot hot summer when we move now so i have to take that into consideration. fish will be out of the tank and in buckets for up to 18 hours eeeekkk!!!!

will need to keep these buckets cool in the summer heat? i most worried about the oscars

oh god im so happy!!! im in heaven!

(anyone wanna see a pic of the house? i feel like showing off hee!)

AND theres even room to build my much wanted/needed fish house on the property. so i shall be needing ideas for that too!!!


*does a happy dance*