help with moving

[sharrah27]

In about a month I will be moving.Just about 10 minutes away.I have a 20 gl and a 55 gl. What's the easiest way to move them without losing my bacteria?I have bio wheels and bio fiber. Could I carry everything in a bucket with tank water? About how long would I have? thanks. Any help greatly appreciated.

[Galaxie]

Buckets with lids should be perfect for the fish and filter media. If you keep the temperature stable, the fish can easily live long enough for a 10 minute move. ..and I've heard the bacteria will survive at least 24 hours. If it takes more than a few hours, I would aerate the fish water. (Just scoop some up then pour it back in from about 2 feet high. A few minutes of this is good aeration.)

[staceyanna]

When I got my fish & aquarium from another person 2 months ago they gave me the fish in a 5 gallon bucket (5 total, silver dollar, 2 raphael cats and all the tetras in my sig). They lived in there for 2 whole days fine and I didnt aerate the water or anything, they just sat there in my entryway swimming around fine. I had the lid cracked so I peeped in every hour or so to check up on them. This was while I was trying to move the 38g tank and stand all by my lonesome. Took me 2 days!

There were some directions of what to do in the case of a hurricane and extended power outage posted here last week. It states the fish should be fine for couple of days without filtration, or even power, You can aerate if they show signs of oxygen deprivation, like coming up to the top of the container, gasping for air, etc. But for a move a few hours or even a day they should be fine.

Someone correct me if I am mistaken though!

[Pretender]

You can invest in an inexpensive battery-powered air pump with airline and airstone to keep the water aerated. I wouldn't be concerned about the fish having enough O2 in that time, but am thinking more about the filter media. In addition to placing your filter media in the bucket, you might want to take some of your gravel and decorations in the bucket, too.

Even though the drive is only ten minutes, the fish and bacteria are going to be in the bucket a while as you break down and reassemble the aquaria.

[Holly9937]

As long as you can get everything set back up relatively quickly, aeration should not be an issue. However I do think I have heard that it is better to keep the filter media damp as opposed to submerged, that way they get air. Just don't forget to use a dechlor. on the water in the tank before you add your filters back on ;)

[abnscout82]

If it were me, and because it is just 10 minutes away... I would use buckets like suggested and take out most of the water and the fish and put them into buckets. I would leave the gravel and decorations with some water in the tank, carrying it carefully. When you get to your new place and get the tank in place, you just need to put the water back in and then the fish. For 10 minutes the fish will be fine in the buckets. Heck, by the time you pay for the fish, drive home, let the water temps match and then get them into the new water it is easily an hour in a little bag...

[Jericho]

If it were me, and because it is just 10 minutes away... I would use buckets like suggested and take out most of the water and the fish and put them into buckets. I would leave the gravel and decorations with some water in the tank, carrying it carefully. When you get to your new place and get the tank in place, you just need to put the water back in and then the fish. For 10 minutes the fish will be fine in the buckets. Heck, by the time you pay for the fish, drive home, let the water temps match and then get them into the new water it is easily an hour in a little bag...

I would have to agree with this... I rescued a few fish from somebody and they had put the fish in a tuppaware container for over 24 hours with nothing but water before they contacted me. I would say that they were in there about 36 hours before I was able to pick them up (and no I did not know they were in a small conatiner). I just floated them in a bag in the tank and then moved them to a small 2 gal. tank that I have in the bagged water. I then scouped them out with a net and set them free in the 60 gal. tank. They were all fine, so your move will be just fine as abnscout82 described.

If you are wondering why I put them in the 2 gal. first, I have leared to never trust any water that is not my own. I never pour any other fish water in my tank, I will warm the water to tank temp and then seperate the fish from the water. I may be paranoid but I do not want to risk foul water when it only takes a couple of seconds to avoid it all together.

[Holly9937]

I wouldn't move the tank with any water or gravel in it though. It puts too much pressure on the tank, I would rather not risk it. Put the gravel into a container, even rinse it with the old tank water to get it really clean if you want.

[Jericho]

I should follow up my other post that I was refering to fish. With the tank you can get your 5 gallon buckets you use for cleaning and put your gravel in there and keep it wet. If you have a glass tank you do not want anything in there while you move it. If you have plexi, they are more forgiving but you do not want heavy stuff inside and take a chance of damage.,

[TheMightyQueenPixie]

Whenever i move, i leave the fish to last...Get all the furniture done and out of the way, so you can get right to the tanks and not have to be gone for hours loading up again.