Moving in 3 weeks...

[Conner]

Any suggestions to make moving my aquariums less painful?

Here's the situation:
I currently have 125g, 90g, 56g, and 20L aquariums (all freshwater). They all have water and fish in them.

I have a 220g acrylic tank at my parents that I will be setting up either Wednesday night or this weekend.

I plan on moving everything from the 125g tank (using rubbermaid/tupperware tubs) to my parents house and putting them in the 220g tank. I will take the 125g tank out to my parents at the same time. I will then bring the fish from the 90g and 56g and combine them into the 125g. Lastly, I will move the 20L (sharing a stand with a 30g snake terrarium) to my parents, just putting the fish into a tub and then setting the same tank back up at my parents.

We will be staying at my parents house for however long it takes to buy a new house. Once we have the new place, we will then begin the process of moving tanks to the new house, using a very similar method.

I do have a battery powered air pump for the tubs, and I've moved large fish that way before (gar up to 20" in length, 14" catfish, and 10" peacock bass), but never this many fish at a time. The drive from my current house to my parents is about 30 minutes, and the drive from my parents to whatever new house we buy will probably be about the same.


Does anyone have any suggestions that might make the move easier? I think I know how I want to do it, but I'd like some tips from people that have actually done it themselves.

Thanks!

 

[love The Jack Dempseys]

Sounds like a good plan to me.

 

[JK47]

Tubs are where it's at, they be your freind. Honestly I think the air pump might be overkill for such a short distance.

 

[Spiritofthesoul]

Hope everything works out for you.

 

[Natalie]

I feel your pain Conner. Moving fish and tanks is never fun. I think you've got the right idea, and a 30 minute move shouldn't require air pumps unless you have the tubs pretty densely stocked. The only thing I would suggest that you didn't mention: fast all of the fish for at least 3 days before the move. It'll really cut down on their ammonia production. Stressed fish tend to dump a lot of ammonia out of their gills, but if their GI tracts are empty then it won't be as big of a problem.

 

[bcfd144]

Sounds like you have a good plan. Only thing I would also do is get you some 55 gallon food grade plastic barrels. Fill them up with your tank water, so that way, you can then use your good cycled tank water at your parents house and not worry about shocking your system with 100% new water.
This way you can atleast fill your tanks up with 3/4 of your old tank water, fill the rest with freshwater from your tap and your system won't shock itself and try to recycle.
Hope that makes since. We moved last month the same way abd it worked out great.

 

[Conner]

I figured the air pump might be overkill, but I've got it just in case. I'm hoping my friend with a truck will be available to move the 125g this weekend, since all I've got is a Toyota Camry, and I'll need to move the 125g as soon as the fish are out of it. I really don't want to have to rent a uhaul for 1 or 2 tanks.