Moving Please Help

[tankedagain]

hi eveyone,
I have a 20 gal. high tank with 2 grown mollies and two babies( wonder how that happened lol) 1 sworfish 1 cory( plan to get more after move) and a nice sized pleco. we will be moving about a half hour away next weekend. I would like to change gravel to sand at the same time if possible. I don't have a spare tank, so i was thinking of bagging the fish for the move(30 minutes) then when we get there putting them in a 5 gal bucket with a filter hanging on the side and tank water in the bucket while i set up tank with sand , clean tank ect. Will this be ok or will it be too much at once for the fish, i'm stressed enough don't want them to be also.Any tips or help will be greatly appreciated.

 

[rocknurworld2006]

hi eveyone,
I have a 20 gal. high tank with 2 grown mollies and two babies( wonder how that happened lol) 1 sworfish 1 cory( plan to get more after move) and a nice sized pleco. we will be moving about a half hour away next weekend. I would like to change gravel to sand at the same time if possible. I don't have a spare tank, so i was thinking of bagging the fish for the move(30 minutes) then when we get there putting them in a 5 gal bucket with a filter hanging on the side and tank water in the bucket while i set up tank with sand , clean tank ect. Will this be ok or will it be too much at once for the fish, i'm stressed enough don't want them to be also.Any tips or help will be greatly appreciated.

should be fine except if u can keep water heated and keep an eye on temp!

 

[Colin_T]

If you use a big bucket, 20-40litre plastic rubbish bins work well, the temperature will stay more stabile.
Buy and clean the sand a few days before you move. Then you can use it straight away and it will save you time setting up the tank.
Try to keep as much water as possible from the tank. It can be transported in plastic water containers or buckets. Double dose any new water going into the tank after the move, just in case the water is different in the new house. Also run the taps for a couple of minutes before collecting water from the new place. If the water has been sitting in the pipes for any length of time it might have absorbed some copper form the piping that could cause problems to the fish.
Don't feed the fish the night before you move. This means their guts will be empty and they won't cause as much mess in the buckets/bags during transit.
Don't feed the fish on the day you move. They will be fine for a few days without eating.
Monitor the ammonia and nitrite levels for a couple of weeks after the move and keep the feeding down during this time. This should allow the filters a chance to settle down and re-establish after the move, (if they need to).
Clean the filter about a week before you move. A clean filter will hold more oxygen and make less mess when it is restarted.
Clean the gravel a few days before you move. It will mean less mess.
Put the pleco in a bucket on its own. Use a second bucket or bag for the other fish. Try to bag the corydoras separately from the others so it doesn't stab them with its pectoral spine. If you use plastic bags for the fish then double or triple bag them.
Move the house furniture first and do the tank last. Allow at least half a day to do the tank.

 

[tankedagain]

again thanks everyone......tankedagain