Question: Advice for moving tanks

[firedreams]

Hi everyone,

My fiance and I have recently purchased a house and will be moving in a few months. We have 2 aquatic (1 20g-long and 1 10g) and 2 terrestrial tanks (1 15g and 1 5g). Our main concern is how best to move the aquatic tanks.

Our working plan is to drain the aquatic tanks, conserving as much water as possible in large jugs (hopefully at least 50% of the water). Both tanks have sand substrate, and we are hoping that the sand can remain in the tanks while they are moved (the substrate layer is quite thin - about 2cm). Aquatic plants and the animals will of course need to be moved separately. I guess the main question here is: has anyone out there done this before? How much of the original tank water should be transferred? Any particular advice on things to do or to avoid that we may have not considered?

Thanks so much!

 

[Kaysie]

You don't need to keep most of the water. The bacteria for your cycle grow on the surfaces in the tank. I usually take a 5-gallon bucket with a lid and fill it full of all the decorations in the tank, and then fill it full of tank water. Then I drain the tank as low as I can (it helps to have someone tilt up one end).

If you have the means to transport more water, and want to, then by all means go for it. But it's not necessary.

 

[Jan]

I agree with Kaysie. I have moved several times cross-country with fish (my caudates are terrestrial) and used this method for tanks including my biggest challenge, a 155 gallon bow front aquarium which has to be specially crated. Keep your substrate, decorations and filter components (in my case two large bio-wheels) moist with aquarium water. I use 18 gallon rubermaid containers x 3to transport fish and aquarium water (very heavy) to re-establish the tank...which is not alot of water for a 155 gallon tank. This has always worked for me. Tanks are the last thing on the moving van and first off and re-established immediately. The more cycled water the better however, to avoid water quality issues.

 

[firedreams]

Kaysie & Jan - thanks so much for the advice!!

 

[Molch]

also, if you ask at a fish store, they may have some of those hard cardboard triangular corner pads that go on each corner of a tank during shipping. I collected as many as I could get over the years and use them when I ship and transport tanks. They are very sturdy and protect tanks quite well.

 

[Jan]

Kaysie & Jan - thanks so much for the advice!!

You are welcome and best of luck with your move.

 

[firedreams]

Molch - What a good idea! I would not have thought of this. Thanks!