Moving Home - Want To Avoid 'new Tank' Syndrome?

[totally tropical]

Just out of the blue I have been given news that I am likely to be moving home. Anyhow, I have a 300 litre tank to move with fish and do not want fish deaths due to new tank syndrome.

I have an adequate temporary spare tank which I plan to have set up and ready for the fish. My only snag is as to how to obtain adequate bacteria in the filter?

I will be transporting all of the water from the 300 litre tank in containers so that takes care of the water issue. I have a standard spare sponge filter which has been used for a few days only (dried out now) - should I submerge this filter and have it running in the 300 litre tank alongside the(overhead trickle filter) in order to start the process and use 'filter start solution' as soon as the spare tank is up and running?

Sorry for my ignorance, just not sure what to do? Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you.

 

[Curiosity101]

Right hmm... few questions...

Why are you moving all the water? 50% should be enough to buffer against the change in water composition.

Is there no way you can set up the 300 straight away?

Can you not run the current 300l filter on the temporary tank?

 

[Tolak]

Bag & transport your filter media the same as fish. Nitrifying bacteria a re slow growing, thus slow to die off with no food as long as they are kept wet. If I remember correctly the die off rate is 12%-15% every 24 hours.

It helps to fast the fish before the move, and to feed lightly the next week. Less food means less waste produced, smaller adult fish should be fasted for 24 hours, larger ones 48 hours.

 

[totally tropical]

Bag & transport your filter media the same as fish. Nitrifying bacteria a re slow growing, thus slow to die off with no food as long as they are kept wet. If I remember correctly the die off rate is 12%-15% every 24 hours.

It helps to fast the fish before the move, and to feed lightly the next week. Less food means less waste produced, smaller adult fish should be fasted for 24 hours, larger ones 48 hours.

Many thanks for your replies.

Curiosity, you are right, 50% of water should be enough, No, unfortunately I cannot set up the 300 litre straight away as the fish need to be re-housed (spare tank) - getting keys a few days early whilst the 300 litre transported on moving day (a few days later). Also, will not be setting up the 300 litre until the very next day after moving, at the very least due to the mess, boxes everywhere, and a well-earned breather!

No I cannot run the 300 litre filter in the temporary tank as it is an overhead filter trickle system (trays with ceramic nodules, etc) which is not compatible in any way to the temporary tank.

Tolak, will certainly take on board your excellent advice regarding fasting the fish which will in-turn produce less waste.

 

[Curiosity101]

Hmm. Then I think the best advice I could give is to follow Tolaks advice and transport as much media from the overhead as possible. And try to slot this into the temporary tanks filter. It really doesn't matter if the temporary filter isn't doing any mechanical filtration. So long as the biological aspect is covered.

In my experience, running filters alongside eachother is a bit hit and miss, and takes a long time for decent colonies to develop on the new filter.

So your best bet is definitely to just empty the new temporary filter and stuff it with as much media from the 300l tank as possible.

 

[totally tropical]

Hmm. Then I think the best advice I could give is to follow Tolaks advice and transport as much media from the overhead as possible. And try to slot this into the temporary tanks filter. It really doesn't matter if the temporary filter isn't doing any mechanical filtration. So long as the biological aspect is covered.

In my experience, running filters alongside eachother is a bit hit and miss, and takes a long time for decent colonies to develop on the new filter.

So your best bet is definitely to just empty the new temporary filter and stuff it with as much media from the 300l tank as possible.

Cheers pal, will do