The Great Apartment Saga

[Inchworm]

Hi pica_nuttalli

Having just moved 20+ tanks last August, I feel sorry for anyone who has to move theirs. It's a lot of hard work, but it can be done. Since I don't have a car, and the movers wouldn't touch them, they all had to be moved, a few at a time, in friend's cars. The manager said I could get in there almost a week ahead of time to work, as long as I didn't actually live there, and that was the best thing that could have happened.

I ordered 2 new 55 gallon tanks with stands and 2 30 gallon tanks to go on the bottom of them and had them delivered. Then I started moving fish (and filters with bacteria) into them and taking tanks down as I went along. As the smaller tanks came down, they too got moved over. In the end, after the furniture, etc. was moved, all I had to do was to take down and move the last of the small tanks.

I did have some problem with tanks losing their cycling, but all things considered, it could have been worse. If I had to do it again, I'd get some bio-spira and avoid that problem. If you can get the fish out before your actual moving day, it would make things a lot easier for you than if you have to do it either last or at the same time.

Good luck!

 

[pica_nuttalli]

wowzers, i didn't realize that i had gotten all these responses! thanks for all the commiseration and advice guys!

well, no *real* update on the finding of places... my bf is insisting on no ground floor apartments due to the extensive bug problems i had over the past year... but since the bug (roach) infestation has essentially disappeared since my last roomate moved out, i might fight him over that.

my only news is that i got all excited about redoing the 60g this afternoon, so i went out and bought driftwood. B) i got two 2' spars and a couple of larger slate-mounted pieces for $40! next stop: new cannister filter!

 

[Fella]

I've recently moved house, and moving the tanks took longest that's for sure. 1 x 40g, 1 x 25g, 1 x10g and 1 x 15g. I must have a short memory as to just how hard it was as I went after that and bought a 150g

 

[Kris]

Make sure when the landlords say "fish are ok" that they mean it!! I just recently was forced to take down my 45 gallon tall only 2 weeks after setting it up. I live on the third floor and the landlord said that the 500+ pounds was a huge liability and that he needed me to take it down. Try to find a first floor apt. landlords are usually far more likely to let a few heavier tanks slide if they're not going to have the potential to reek havoc on another tenant's expensive audio equipment!

Good luck!

 

[pica_nuttalli]

Well, I have updates. (<-- note plural)

My parents came down Saturday to take a look at my options and help give third and fourth opinions. (Yes, I am almost 22 and my parents still insist on veto rights ) We narrowed it down and picked out the premier location. Of course, this is a complex that looks exactly the same as it did 30 years ago when my Dad lived there if that gives you any idea of what my options were like. Wall unit air conditioning... ick! but sometimes you have to take what you can get.

Some positive aspects are that its on the ground floor, so no worries on a tank falling through someone's ceiling, and its frickin' huge. It's also right next door to my boyfriend so I'm going to save a ton on gas. AND I can move in two weeks earlier than any of the other places that I looked at.

The early move-in was a major selling point because it means that I can bring my stuff in over the course of several days and do some intensive cleaning/decorating without having to worry about contaminating any of the tanks.

So as one might surmise, I'm totally pumped. Speaking of pumps....

In celebration of signing my new lease Monday, I started picking out my new Ehiem filter for the 60g I want to redo it as a river tank with a "current", but I read conflicting reports on how to accomplish this. So I used the customer contact form on the Eheim site to ask about what they could suggest. I'm not interested in dropping $100+ on a system that won't even do what I want.

Eheim got back to me today and asked me about what size tank I had and what sort of critters was I keeping. (I'm impressed by the request for a stocklist.) Hopefully, they'll have some recommendations for me tomorrow!

I can't wait to post before/after pics of the new place!

 

[madmom]

Congrats on the new digs pica.

 

[SamUK]

yea thats great.

cant wait till its my turn.

well i can......

 

[pica_nuttalli]

July 14, quick update on the canister filter... Eheim's recommending the Classic model as a nice sturdy new friend.

--EDIT--
July 16, found a wholesaler in my hometown!! i'm sooooo going to see if they have a mailing list!