Moving Home

[egore81]

It is a bit premature but need to think about it. I am moving home in may. What is the best way to move and set up the tank?
I have a 48 ltre tank set up and a 19ltr Qtank (not currently setup)
 
What is the best way to do this?
by the time i move i expect my 48 ltr to be fully stocked

 

[Mikey1]

by the time i move i expect my 48 ltr to be fully stocked

 
 
well to be honest i would quit stocking now, and just stick with what you have....
 
the less fish you need to move, the less chance of loss....

 

[Lunar Jetman]

I agree with Mikey. Why would you knowingly buy fish you're going to put through the stress of moving and risk of loss?

 

[attibones]

My aquariums and I have moved several times. Luckily, the most recent move was only next door. The first move was longer. What you will need to do is first find suitable travel containers for each fish. Hopefully there will be no airplanes involved in your move. The first time I moved with an aquarium, I stored my dwarf gourami in a plastic Rubbermaid tub. It hold about five gallons. I put his water in the tub, put the fish in and sealed him up. I did not give him any air holes and he was just fine for the two hour drive. This was a five gallon tank so I kept all the gravel and decor in the tank. Save your tank for last when it is time to move. Have nothing else in your vehicle. Remove as much water as possible and store as much substrate as you can in bins. You want to keep all the healthy bacteria. Immediately take the tank to its new location and set up.

With my most recent move, I found it helpful to store my betta in their original betta cups with the water from their tanks. My community fish I kept in a large critter keeper in their tank water. Catching the shrimp was the hardest part. If this is a local move, you really shouldn't have too many problems. Every single fish for all of my aquariums (I only had four then) survived. None of my shrimp even died.

 

[This Old Spouse]

I'd hold off getting more fish until you move, unless you're moving somewhere like me where there are no fish shops.

 

[egore81]

thanks for the replys
you right i will stop stocking. Im just so eagar to get it stocked and it would be selfish to put more in before moving. wish I had gotten a bigger tank though.
luckily it is just a move across town so 10 minute drive
I assume i am best to keep as much of the aquarium water as possible? put in in buckets and take it across?
should I keep the filter in water to keep the bacteria alive i assume?
was just a little concerned about keeping the fish warm enough until the tank has heated up again? will a travel container do this for a few hours?

 

[Lunar Jetman]

thanks for the replys
you right i will stop stocking. Im just so eagar to get it stocked and it would be selfish to put more in before moving. wish I had gotten a bigger tank though.
luckily it is just a move across town so 10 minute drive

I understand your excitement and think I'd want to do the same but you're right to hold off. Then you can get going once you move in!

I assume i am best to keep as much of the aquarium water as possible? put in in buckets and take it across?
should I keep the filter in water to keep the bacteria alive i assume?

Yes, yes and yes! I moved last year and tried to keep as much of the water as I could in various containers, although my tank is nearly 300l so it was a bit difficult. What I did was to set up a smaller tank (it was about 50 litres) in the new place temporarily that I could fill it with my tank water, use my filter and get the remaining fish I had in it (I'd not increased my stock for a while) with a heater so that they would be ok.

was just a little concerned about keeping the fish warm enough until the tank has heated up again? will a travel container do this for a few hours?

If you have them in a travel container that's wrapped up and kept warm you should be ok. I was lucky that I had access to the new property whilst I was still in the old one so I moved them over one evening but not everyone is that lucky. Have you got a friend who you could set up a temporary small tank for a few days with?

 

[RCA]

When I moved from South to North I put my fish in food grade containers (I have been advised of people loosing fish with non-food grade, as the plastic can leech) with clip down lids.  I wrapped them in towels to keep in the heat and kept them by my feet in the car for the three+ hours.  I was also advised to open the lid occasionally to let in some fresh air.  The aquarium was at the time very small so I kept the gravel in but removed all the water.  Yes, keep your filter media in water to keep the bacteria alive.  All fish survived.
 
Another way to transport the fish as you are only going a short distance, is ask your LFS for some of their bags, this way it is easier to float them in the tank once it is back up and running again.
 
Is it possible for you to get your bigger tank you wish you had now for your new home?   Any chance you can get access to your new home in advance to set up the tank for the fish, so when you move them it is just a case of transporting them?
 
NB:You can get heat packs from walking shops that will re-charge, and generally stay warm for the time needed - I use these when I collect fish from my LFS.
 
WARNING: I almost set fire to the house when I left the pan of heat packs boiling away and the pan ran dry!  Lost three heat packs and a pan!  This was when I was on the Forum writing about my sick Betta - so the lesson is - do not become distracted when re-charging heat packs!
 
Out of interest what fish do you have to move?

 

[egore81]

Thanks
I will definatly get everything to make sure they are ok with the move. chances are i will be able to set up a temp tank somewhere else but not 100% sure
I would love to get a bigger tank but just looking at houses at the min so hoping i will have room for something bigger. I would like to go as big as possible and maybe get some angelfish and maybe keep the smaller tank for the smaller fish that are incompatible
i will be moving 6 glowlight tetras and some snails

 

[RCA]

Hopefully that should be fairly easy with that number.  Just a thought, my local LFS will take fish in for people that are moving.  I often see a mixed load of fish in one of their bottom tanks and apparently they maybe "fish sitting" for awhile!

 

[egore81]

ok thanks that good to know. think the move will be fine as its not far but with being fairly new to it all want to make sure it all goes smoothly.
Thanks for the help