How to move a 90 gal. aquarium?

[Mysticshadows3]

This is a topic I've always wondered about. I have a 90 gallon aquarium at home right now with 12 fish in it.

When I move out, how do I safely transport the fish?????

My bad idea: **Drain the tank, put tank water in a few buckets & put the fish in there, then set up the tank up where I am moving to, fill the tank up with new water, then plop the fish back in after 24 hours cycling??? Wouldn't that shock the fish half to death?? Wouldn't I need to cycle the water again?? How long could the fish survive in those buckets?? That seems terrifying too - being in a bucket with no filtration & water flow**

So, here I am - left puzzled and scared for my fishes lives when the time comes, when I finally have to transport my aquarium.

Any advice?

 

[Mysticshadows3]

Should I get a whole bunch of buckets and fill it with my old water? 9, 5 gallon buckets would be 50% of my water...would that help with the shock?

 

[Miguel4u2]

Well when you move you can drain some water into buckets or buy some bags from your local lfs and put some water in there from your tank, drain your tank but leave a TINY bit of water just enough to cover the gravel to preserve any bacteria there. Dont take the water out your filter if you can to keep the bacteria alive. When you get the tank to the new house, get some water that you should have conditioned the day before and put it in the tank, run your filter, and check for any signs of ammonia. If done correctly your tank should not have to cycle. Try to do this as fast as you can to preserve bacteria and fish.Hope this helped, best of luck 8)

 

[andyjs]

If you keep all the filter media wet the bacteria should still be there, so there shouldn't be another cycle. The water in the tank doesn't cycle, the filtration does. As for the fish in the buckets, you can get bait bucket aerators (Wal-mart usually has them, sporting goods stores should, and fish stores sometimes also sell battery operated aerators) to keep the water aerated during the move

 

[Miguel4u2]

Should I get a whole bunch of buckets and fill it with my old water? 9, 5 gallon buckets would be 50% of my water...would that help with the shock?

I think you should not do that, just condition any water your going to put in the tank. But remember that the beneficial bacteria lives in your gravel and filter.So keep those things wet.

 

[Mysticshadows3]

Well when you move you can drain some water into buckets or buy some bags from your local lfs and put some water in there from your tank, drain your tank but leave a TINY bit of water just enough to cover the gravel to preserve any bacteria there. Dont take the water out your filter if you can to keep the bacteria alive. When you get the tank to the new house, get some water that you should have conditioned the day before and put it in the tank, run your filter, and check for any signs of ammonia. If done correctly your tank should not have to cycle. Try to do this as fast as you can to preserve bacteria and fish.Hope this helped, best of luck 8)

The tank is so heavy, could I put the gravel in a bucket or two with tank water in it?? Would that work just as well?

 

[chesterthehero]

how far are you moving?

but yes.. fish, decor/gravel/sand/plants, media.. move them all in buckets/coolers/toats of tank water... no need to leave anything in buckets for longer than needed...

 

[chesterthehero]

The tank is so heavy, could I put the gravel in a bucket or two with tank water in it?? Would that work just as well?

move the tank empty or be prepared to need a new tank...

 

[Miguel4u2]

The tank is so heavy, could I put the gravel in a bucket or two with tank water in it?? Would that work just as well?

I think The best way to go is to empty out the tank, but first having put the fish, ornaments, and gravel into buckets. Even though i will be a lot of work to carry all that stuff, its worth it in the long run b/c a month of waiting and a lot of fish dead beats a day of labor.

 

[Mysticshadows3]

how far are you moving?

but yes.. fish, decor/gravel/sand/plants, media.. move them all in buckets/coolers/toats of tank water... no need to leave anything in buckets for longer than needed...

My first move is probably going to be about 20-30 minutes away, then a few hours, and after that I plan on moving out of state.

So...I first plan on moving them a little bit away, then quite a bit away. then far far away. Gosh, it would cost a fortune to ship the tank I bet. I'd stick it in the back of a truck & drive it down wherever I decide to go. ^^