Some Moving Advice, Please.

Yanks15 · Aug 3, 2010

I've read on the forum before about transporting fish on short trips. I have a slightly longer trip, approx. 12hrs, to move my fish. What is the best way to do this and save the fish and the filter? Or is it easier to sell everything and start over? I hope one of you has been succesful in doing this and can lead me in the right direction.

Thanks.

Curiosity101 · Aug 3, 2010

Bag all fish seperately/small groups depending on fish. Place them all in a poly box with those polystyrene 'S' things. Also bag up your filter media in a little bit of tank water and put that in with the fish.
Box up all decorations etc (and plants can just go in an air tight bag on top).
Empty tank of gravel/sand and box seperately if possible.

Load car with entire set-up inc fish and then make sure it can be the first thing to be set-up at the other end.

The only problem will be if you are going somewhere with drastically different water params as it could shock the fish. In the case you could be in for quite a bit of acclimatising.

It depends on the fish and type of set-up as to whether it is worth it in my eyes...

Yanks15 · Aug 3, 2010

Thank you for the advice, Curiosity. The water is my biggest concern after the the possible trauma to the fish. The fish are nothing special as far as species, but they are mine all the same and I really would like to keep them. I may have to go there before I actually move so I might be able to test the water first and then make my decision at that point. I regulate my water here now with a reef mix ( epsom/baking soda/instant ocean ) because the water will not hold steady. Starts @ 8pH out of the tap and will hit 6pH in a couple days. If I stay with the same procerdure there, will it matter what the water is?

Curiosity101 · Aug 3, 2010

Yes because the only reason you're adding the things you'd adding is to increase the KH value which is the ability of the water to buffer and therefore hold a higher pH.
It's not really the best things for freshwater fish to be subjected to that many additives...but there we are.

How big is the tank? All I'm wondering is whether it might be worth you switching to bottled water for a week or two. That way if you buy the same brand for when you move you can refill with water that is the same and then acclimatise to the local water over the following weeks as and when you do your normal water changes.

Yanks15 · Aug 3, 2010

The tank is 20 gals. I've been dealing with KH problems from day one here. I got the reef mix info from the forum and the fish have been fine for the past 2 years. I would try the bottled water if it wasn't for the cost. I'm hoping that the water tests OK and I can move them without much problem. Otherwise, I will probably sell them because I really don't want to move them only to lose them from stress of the move or water issues. And I thought moving my kids would be hard!

Mark Z. · Aug 3, 2010

What about getting four empty 5-gallon water jugs and bring your water with you?

Curiosity101 · Aug 3, 2010

Mark Z. said:
What about getting four empty 5-gallon water jugs and bring your water with you?

That's what I was thinking. You don't even need to take 100% of the water with you to be honest. So long as you take a good percentage (75%) then you should be ok to just top up when you arrive.

Sesshis_grl · Aug 3, 2010

Do you need to keep the gravel submerged in tank water? I know bacteria lives in there too..

sorry to steal your thread =( I'm moving too

Curiosity101 · Aug 3, 2010

If you have a filter on your tank then this is where the bacteria accumulates. You can basically forget about the rest of the tank. So long as you keep your cycled filter pads wet then that's your job done.

Yanks15 · Aug 8, 2010

Update...... after going over the logistics of the move and the probability of having to move again shortly after getting there, I found a new home for all my fish. A good friend of mine was interested in them so they now have a new home with a bunch more friends and I don't have to be worried about them. I am taking one tank with me so when I finally land somewhere permenatly, I can resume the hobby. Thanks for all the ideas. It will be a little wierd not having them :sad:

but I can always start over :good:

.

Yanks15 · Aug 8, 2010

Any ideas of how I might be able to sustain the bacteria in the filter? I have an AC filter with sponges. Could I keep the filter or just sponges submerged in a bucket of tank water and sustain the bacteria by adding a little food or ammonia? Would make it easier to get the tank up and running down the line and I can still be able maintain a tank ( in a way )