Moving House - Need Re-assurance

moeldner · Apr 3, 2006

OK - so I'm moving house this weekend - my partner and I have finally bought our own place.

I will also be moving my tanks. The betta tanks I'm fine with, but my 215L has me worried.

This is what I will be doing:

- all fish will not be fed 24 hours before moving
- fish/plants/filter material will all be bagged in tank water and tranported in an esky to help maintain temperature
- gravel/wood will be transported "dry" (i.e. will not be in tank water or any water at all) - my piece of wood is far too big for any sized bucket that could be carried with water in it. The gravel weighs at least 30Kg's too.

My problem is that I don't think I can tranport muh of the tank water - everything I've been told seems to indicate that I should try and save at least 1/2 the tank water to help prevent the fish from getting too shocked during the move (fish are in my sig).

The problem is I don't have anything to transport easily 100L of water.

So too my questions:
a) Will it be OK to use mostly new water and re-acclimatise the fish slowly (i.e. as I would for new fish), or
B) should I be making more of an effort to try and take the water with me?
c) is there anything I've forgotten?

Please provide some piece-of-mind for my move

bunjiweb · Apr 3, 2006

If it was me I would be aiming to take half of the old water with me. If that means 50L then you can easily buy 2 x 25L water carriers.

Top the rest up with cold water and acclimatise the fish very slowly to the new tank.

Personally I would leave the gravel in the tank and bag up the filter or filter media as you would a fish so as to conserve bacteria so that you have little or no ammonia spike. Ok so the gravel weighs 30KG, the tank should be able to easily hold the weight as long as you aren't chucking the tank about! I moved a 4ftx15" tank with gravel in up 3 flights of stairs and had no problems at all.

Ben

moeldner · Apr 3, 2006

Thanks for the feedback

1/2 the tank is 100L of water, not 50.

As for the gravel, the tank will be in the back of the car during ht trip - would the weight of the gravel in the tank as we drive over the inevitable bumps in the road cause the base to split?

The Tank is an Aqua-one AR980.

emma12321 · Apr 4, 2006

Hi,

You should find this topics helpful http

/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=129060 remove as much of the gravel as possible as its a huge risk just lifting a tank that size with the gravel still in.

Emma

Good luck with the move

ajbettle · Apr 4, 2006

u have got alot of sensitive fish tho eg- ottos, cardinals - but it has to be done! lol

moeldner · Apr 4, 2006

Thanks for the link - appreciate it.

moeldner · Apr 9, 2006

Moved the tank successfully on Saturday - no fish deaths in transit, and all still looking healthy this morning. The ottos and cardinals were very pale for a few hours, but they are back to full colour today, and all the fish are eating well.

My only concern was one of my bettas was very lethargic and woulnd't eat last night, wouldn't come off the bottom of the tank, but he was far better this morning.