Any suggestions for moving an aquarium?

Question

I am moving tomorrow and would like any pointers on making the move easy, for me and my fish. Here is my plan: 1. net and bag all fish and place them into a cooler to keep the temp stable. 2. drain the tanks. 3. remove the rocks and sand and put them into a rubbermaid container. 4. break down the filters and put the media into a container with tank water. 5. move all of the stuff into the new place. 6. set everything up as quickly as possible to minimize the stress on my fishies. Am I missing anything? Anything that I could do differently? Thanks in advance.

Answer 1

You're planning well! I would suggest though that you bag the fish before putting them in the cooler - they will slosh around less and be less stressed by the trip. Good quality freezer bags work fine, just make sure there's plenty of air in the bags as well as water. Also after the trip you are going to have to dechlorinate the new water - make sure you have instant dechlorinator drops on hand, and float the fish-bags in there for at least 20 minutes to equalize temperature before releasing them. If you open the tops of the bags during this process the fish will get more oxygen.

Don't be surprised if you lose 20 - 30% of your fish - despite your best efforts, some fish just don't move well. Other than that you should be fine. Good luck!

Answer 2

How big is the tank, fresh or saltwater, and how far are you moving?

The easiest way to reduce the stress on the fish and make the move quicker is to save as much of the water as you can. This also depends on how big the tank is. When you drain the water, put it into buckets or coolers (depends on how much you want to spend too, unless you have some extra buckets/coolers).

If you save the water you have in the tank, you'll have a protective measure for your fish when you put them back in.

Leave the sand and any small rocks in the tank with a little bit of water over the top. This will keep the bacteria and anything else in the sand alive. Just make sure to take anything out that might be able to move around and break the glass.

What kind of filters? If they are like the Whisper hang on back filters, keeping them wet in another container is a good idea. If it's a canister filter, just turn it off, but don't drain it. Same thing for a wet/dry filter. Just drain enough out of it to be able to carry it. Your idea is fine, but this is just a way to make a little less work for you when you set everything back up.

As for the fish, again, it depends on what you have. The easiest way that I have found is to get a bucket(5 gallon?) and either paint it black or put a black trash bag around it. Just transfer the fish from the tank into the bucket. You can use a cooler too, just make sure it's clean, and you won't have to worry about bags. The key to any of it, is to keep the fish in the dark.

Once you get to your new place, put an airstone and pump in the bucket, and set everything back up and let it run for a couple hours to clear the water, then put the fish back in. If you saved enough water, then all you have to worry about is making sure the temps are the same, otherwise you can drain most of the water out of whatever the fish are in, get some airline tubing, tie a knot in it, and drip water from the newly set tank into the container to acclimate the fish.

Good luck with your move.

Answer 3

If possible, bring the fish to the local fish store and let them put some pure oxygen in the bag with the fishes, they can stay alive along time in a bag with o2, thats if they have that. I wouldn't take the sand out, will cause too much crap that has been lying in the bottom to surface. If you can try to save some of the water that is not with the fishes, at least 50% would help. Other than that, move the tank to the new location, make sure its balanced right, put in rocks, start pouring in the old water, preferably without disturbing the sand, add new water with dechlor(if its saltwater check salinity, and temp, of course after it has mixed well.), start filters and pumps, get good circulation, and just wait awhile for everything to settle down, check ammonia, nitrate, double check salinity,and temp, and if everything checks out fine, than float fish bags in the water, i would prob have stress guard in the water with bagged fish just for precautions, and hope everthing goes well.

Answer 4

Actually you have it pretty well covered, I just didn't bother with taking the gravel and sand and rocks out ,just the water. I put the fish in plastic bags in a styrofoam container which I copped for free behind a pet shop when they delivered new fish. They can stay alive for quite a while in the plastic bags with plenty of air forced in. I set up with new bottled water, what a job!! but saved the media and used filters to condition the water and add the right bacteria back. So, you have a good plan.Good Luck

Answer 5

If your tank is 33 gallons or smaller, you can simply just drain the water until there is just enough left in the bottom for the fish, then you will still be able to carry it (with two people) and then add water once you get to your new house. At least this is the way I've always done it, but if your tank is larger than that then your way would work better.

Answer 6

You have probably already thought of this:
Don't forget that you will need to condition and regulate the water before returning them to the tank! Also, I am assuming this is a fresh water, not a salt water tank? I hope so..

Good luck!

Answer 7

make sure the bags a big enough. i lost one large goldfish in a move just last mo. had it for 14 yrs.the other three made it though.we had a 3 hr. ride.

Answer 8

Sounds good to me. Just make sure you have extra water available in case you have any spikes in your aquarium when you set it up again.

Answer 9

sounds to me like you have everything in hand.if possible , make the tank your last move out item and first move in item.

Answer 10

You already answer your question.10 points for you.