I need advice re: moving

[rugrat]

I am moving someplace temporarily, 3 hrs away. Then I'm moving someplace permanently, probably also 3 hrs away from there... I'll only be in the temp place for the summer.

I don't have anyone local that I trust to keep my fish in the interim, so I guess I have to take them with me.

I have 2 tanks. Their inhabitants are mostly incompatible (all freshwater)

WWYD?

I could take them in buckets w/filter media and bring the empty tanks (w/water on the rocks) and then get them acclimated to the local water @ new place.

Or I could buy a big tank/separator and set that up first (will try for insta-cycle with used filter media and some substrate) then bring the fish?

How to keep the temp controlled in the car? How do you keep things from sloshing around?? Will half of the fish die?

I'm going to admit I'm being selfish here and I am not giving them to the LFS.

 

[xarumitzu]

How big are your tanks? The logistics of moving a big tank are a bit different than moving a smaller one.

I'm getting ready to move a 10G FW tank about 3 hours, you could look at my plan and see if it helps. I'll be sure to let everyone know if it ends up working.

My Moving Thread

Also, if you have a bigger tank I would advise moving the gravel out and transporting the tank empty, you don't want to apply a shearing force to the glass or it could leak in the future. Hope I helped!

 

[rugrat]

I knew I forgot something DOH

I have a 10 gallon, 5 gallon, and a 5g hospital/quarantine that I dont' wanna mix yet (not sure if I will by the time I move)

My plan is to move them in (knotted/rubber banded) plastic bags inside coolers, and take as much of my water as I can in some other type of container. I did read your thread.. just using buckets doesn't sit well with me as I'm sure they'd be sloshing everywhere and I can't sweat it out for temp control w/3 kids and a dog in the car too

I plan to put the gravel, filter media and plants in separate bags with water (no fish) and reassemble when I get there.

This stinks bec my 10g is overstocked and I had been planning to just move to a bigger tank but now I think they will have to stay in there for a big until I'm at my perm house.

This is what I found that I like the idea of. Moving Your Tropical Fish, Goldfish, and Aquarium.

I think I would divide them up so each tank's fish stayed together, and put my plec alone. I think i have 6 coolers.. also 2 5gal buckets (no lids)

 

[xarumitzu]

It seems I forgot something too hehe, I was going to use the plastic bag method and put the bags into the buckets. I also bought a battery powered air pump, drilled a hole in each buckets lid, and ran a small airstone into each bucket. I put water filled bags in and tested it already to make sure it didn't explode

I think you have a solid plan, good luck

 

[rugrat]

So did you rubberband the air-line into the top of the bag? I will have to look for a battery operated pump too

I just wondered if there was a way to baffle the water somehow so it wouldn't slosh so much. Someone tell me this doesn't make the fish crazy and stressy!

 

[xarumitzu]

Yep, that's exactly what I did with the airline. I found my air pump at Pet Supplies Plus. But they have them at Petco and probably any store.

To hel control sloshing I was gonna set the buckets in a storage well in our van and try to cushion them with comforters. And then drive like a grandma too

 

[OrangeCones]

Or you can forgo an air pump and pack fish in Kordon's Breather Bags. No sloshing since there is no air in the bag.

 

[rugrat]

Just read the writeup on them.. interesting product, thanks for the heads up! Not sure how they'd work with my cooler idea, but maybe I can just pump air into the cooler and leave the lid slightly off.