Moving tank suggestions

[123456]

Hi all,

Not sure if this is the right section to post this in.

I am going to be moving from one location to another and was wondering if I could get some additional advice/suggestions on what the best way to do it with the lowest stress for the fish.

Here is the scenario:

1) Moving to a new location that is 15 to 20 minutes drive.
2) All fish are in a 150 gallon and will be getting a 300 gallon at the new location.
3) Will have limited time to set up the 300 gallon for cycling prior to having to move the fish from the 150 gallon to the new location.

Was thinking:
1) Set up the 300 gallon, clean and fill with water with one FX6 for now.
2) Moving half the bio balls to the FX6 300 gallon and let it run for 2 days. (150 gallon has a build in "sump" in the back of the tank, so it cannot be moved without the tank)
3) Test the water in the 300 gallon.
4) Move the 150 gallon rocks and drift wood to 300 gallon.
5) Minimize feeding in the 150 gallon.
6) Continue testing 300 gallon and doing 25% to 50% water changes if needed.
7) If all is good, then move all fish and the rest of the substrate and bio balls to 300 gallon.

Unfortunately, I will have as little as 3 days and maybe as much as 7 days to accomplish this.

Note: Fish I am moving:
9 Frontosa (6 to 11 inches)
4 Geophagus (5 to 6 inches)
1 albino Gibbiceps pleco (8 inch)
5 Roseline sharks (5 to 6 inches)
1 Rubber pleco (4 inches)
1 Tigrinus catfish (12 inches)

Please let me knog if anyone has any suggestions or a better "Plan of attack" for this move.

Thank you all in advance.

 

[skjl47]

) Moving to a new location that is 15 to 20 minutes drive.
2) All fish are in a 150 gallon and will be getting a 300 gallon at the new location.
3) Will have limited time to set up the 300 gallon for cycling prior to having to move the fish from the 150 gallon to the new location.

Was thinking:
1) Set up the 300 gallon, clean and fill with water with one FX6 for now.
2) Moving half the bio balls to the FX6 300 gallon and let it run for 2 days. (150 gallon has a build in "sump" in the back of the tank, so it cannot be moved without the tank)
3) Test the water in the 300 gallon.
4) Move the 150 gallon rocks and drift wood to 300 gallon.
5) Minimize feeding in the 150 gallon.
6) Continue testing 300 gallon and doing 25% to 50% water changes if needed.
7) If all is good, then move all fish and the rest of the substrate and bio balls to 300 gallon.

Hello; I moved about a 50 minute drive away a few years ago. Three to seven days is fine and enough.
I agree with setting up the 300 with new water and new equipment. Have it run a day to check for leaks and equipment operation. This also should give time to get the temps right. If the 300 setup is good then you will have some options.

Not much point in moving driftwood and rocks to the 300 days before the fish. Can be same day just a few hours before fish are added. Same for bio-balls, if they do not go into the new 300 filter then get mesh bag or such and float them in the 300 for a week or so. These things (seeding material) will have the needed beneficial bacteria (bb) on their surfaces. Keep them wet all the time in buckets or such.

Note - the bb are alive so moving them into a tank without fish a couple of days early just deprives them of food briefly. They likely will not die off in two days but will not be helped. Basically put this "seed" material in the new 300 the same day as the fish. Pretty much any solid surface from the old tank should have some bb on it.

I would feed well in the 150 the day of the move and the day before. I would not feed when in the new setup for a few days.

You likely will not get all the bb from the old tank moved into the new 300 so may have a short ammonia spike while the bb population catches up. It would be nice if the sump of the 150 could be run on the new setup but I gather that will not happen.

You do not need to move the old tank water to put into the new tank. Use new water in the 300. The old tank water can be useful to keep the bb loaded material wet.

There are other ways to do this move that are fine so expect other suggestions.

 

[aroijuana]

If I were you.. I'd put the fx6 on the 150 for two weeks then just transfer that over to the 300 that should do it.