advice pls. Moving about 45 minutes away

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kallmond

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Oct 21, 2009
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Hanover, PA
Next weekend I'm moving about 45 mins north of where I live now. I've got a 55g, 2 10's a 29L and a 5. The 55 gallon is 12 cichlids and 4 baby clown loaches growing out for my currently empty 110.

The smaller tanks all only have 2 or 3 fish in them, That plan is to drain them down below half and carry them out mostly set up. I have a 2x12 piece with handles to go under the 29L. I have 2 pieces of plywood cut to go under the 2 10's and the 5 gallon i'll just carry.

Any advice on moving the 55? I was thinking of splitting them into 2 rubbermaid containers with about 10g of water in each (so, 8 fish each). I have an inverter in the truck, so I could plug in an air pump if necessary.

My plan is to put the rocks into a 3rd container with enough tank water to cover them.

Originally my goal was to move everything from the 55g to the 110g as part of the move, but test fill last week showed 2 leaks in the 110, and I don't have time to properly repair it this week with all the packing and closing and inspections and appraisals and my regular job.

So, I'm looking for any tips or tricks, lessons learned, or "Omg whatever you do don't...."

Thanks!
Kirk
 
You pretty much covered it all. 45 minutes is not that far, all the sloshing of the water would stress the fish, but not really hurt um' and it will break the water surface area. But, I would wait to set up the 110 or the 55 at your new location first, then transfer the fish, once all is good with the 55 or 110 at your new spot.
 
My plan had been to set up the 110 in the new house (thats why I bought the 110), and then move the fish there and store the 55g. But alas, the 110 leaks, and I have 3 days to get moved out of my current house. (Close on the new one this friday, have to be out of the old house by monday morning)

So, I'm going to have to take the 55 apart, move it and the fish, set it back up and put the fish back in it.
 
By rocks do you mean the substrate? I usually just leave that in the tank with an inch or two of water. It's heavy but I've done it with a 75g. I did that with the 75, two 29s and two 10s for a two hour trip with no problems.
 
It has about twice this much rock work in it now, plus large gravel substrate. I don't think I could carry the tank plus all the rock with no water...

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Have you checked the PH at the new place?
Is it the same, or on the same municipal water works as the old place?
If it is that's going to make the move 500% easier...

Take ALL the rock work out and put it in a rubbermaid tote...

Use the inverter to run the canister filters with the hoses in that tote. Put all other "media" in there too. (the media out of HOB's, sponges, Powerhead filters Bio-ballsw, SCRUBBIES etc.)
This will keep your Beneficial Bacteria alive.

I would use an airstone in another tote for the fish.

I always have made the "fish trip" a separate run, so I can do the tanks from start to finish.

As long as the PH is the same in both locations, break down the tanks and put the fish in one (or more) totes.
Put the rocks decor in another tote and then all the filtration like above, and then plug that all in. It has to go on the truck first, and it will come OFF the truck last....
Empty tanks are hard enough to move, anything left in them might turn out to be a hassle. Like if you have to tip it on end, to get around a corner or something.
They go on next, and make sure to pad them with blankets. Wrap the tops in Blankets too. DO NOT let them ride on the tank. One little bump and you might just have the top poke a hole in the bottom of the tank.

If the stands can fit put them on now, otherwise get the tanks, filters and fish to the new place and plug them in, just like they were on the inverter for the ride.

Next are the stands, once you got them to the new place, make sure to level them...

then just reverse the order that you broke everything down in...you have enough tanks that this is going to be an all day thing, without interuptions, so plan for it...it is impossible to be doing all the other stuff you have to do when you move, AND the fish. There just arn't that many hours in a day...

I personally would get a supply of SeaChem "STABILITY" and use it just like it says on the label after you get everything set up...you can't get better insurance for keeping your fish alive after moving their filtration...

Good luck with the move Bro...I'm glad It's you and not me doing it this time...;):D
 
Thanks Zennzzo. I haven't been able to check the PH in the new place, and it is on a different water system than where I am now. I have asked a couple of friends with fish from around the area and its pretty much all high PH super hard coal-mine water here in this part of pennsylvania so I'm hopeful the new place will be similar. I can carry about 50 gallons of water from the old house to the new one in totes and buckets to help ease the change. Thats also why i'm trying to carry as much tank water as I can.

Stability is a GREAT idea, thanks for that tip.

I surely hope this isn't a whole day process, I have 2.5 days to move a 4 bedroom house with mostly my wife and I as the muscle. I fear you are right though.
 
Maybe you can make arraignments for an extra day somewhere...I have tried to do it in less than one day, but it just takes time to break-down and set-up...
and you got a 4BR to move too?!

better call all your markers in, from the o'l buddies...
sounds like you're gonna have to buy alot of beer! :nilly:
 
You'll be fine. I would empty the tank completely, put things in bins, and save as much of the tank water as possible.


I helped my brother move his 150 gallon tank to his new apartment (over 2 hours away) and he had NO loses. He completely emptied it and stored things in 5 gallons buckets and bins.


Good luck and congrats on the home sell. I hope you walked away with some equity!!!
 
I've got a couple of friends that can help for a trip or two here and there, but almost all of my friends work weekends. Due to the sale of our house (in only 3 days of being on the market) and our rush to close on the new home, the best I could work out was this one weekend to do all the moving. The new owners are moving in to my current house on monday. I have 3 pickups and 3 trailers lined up. I hope the weather is good!

Alexmuw, we made a pretty nice profit on our current house, in 5 years after subtracting closing costs on the 2 places, we about doubled what we put down on the house. Basically my house was a decent part-time job for the last 5 years. Of course all of that went to the new place.. Bigger house, nicer neighborhood, and lower monthly payment (thanks to larger down-payment). If I can do this every 5 years I'll have a nice house in about 30 years!
 
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