Need Advice for Moving Day

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K

Keeper of the Ropes

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Mar 29, 2006
803
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Texas


So we have our move out date now - July 1st. I'm looking at having to move 3 tanks total. I've got a 10g (home to about 60 guppy fry), a 20g (4 young angels, a pair of swordtails and a whole bunch of african clawed frogs) and a 30g (big mix of stuff ranging from a lone violet goby to 3 brown knifes to a few golden wonderkill). I don't know if I should try to save some of my water or not worry about it. I've never had to move before with fish I actually cared about. What are normal moving procedures?

<*<>{ KOTR <*<>{
 
Drain tanks, trying to keep at least a 5 gallon bucket of water from each tank. (Keep more for bigger tanks). If you are able to save some water, it not only gives a place to transport the fish, its just like doing a large water change. When I move my 55, I'll keep at least 25 gallons.
 
I was thinking about keeping water but I don't know what to put it in. How did you keep 25 gallons? I know I could use gallon jugs, but if I keep 50% of my water, then I'd need 30 jugs for all the tanks combined.

<*<>{ KOTR <*<>{
 
5 gallon buckets with lids, I believe home depot sells them. You can borrow them from your lfs if you are nice to them.
 
I try to keep atleast half the tank water from my 55gal when we move. I use 5gal buckets with lids. I got mine from the local taco time since they throw them out for free. I stick my fish in a huge cooler with my heater and air pump. My truck has a power inverter to run them in it aswell. Also depending on how far your moving you might want to do a PWC to help keep the ammonia levels down forom fish waistes. I normally dont feed my fish 2-3days before a move to limit the waiste and have moved about 10 times in the last 6 years thanks to military without losing a fish. I also wrap my cooler in a couple of comforters to help keep the temprature more balanced. The tank is the first thing we setup on arrival to our new destination everytime.
 
I have always heard that it&#8217;s the gravel and the filter not the water that is important. All of your bio filter is on the decorations in the tank not the water itself. I just moved across town so I used 5 gallon buckets to keep my gravel and dec's in, with enough water to keep it all covered. I didn't bother keeping my HOB filter itself wet but I removed its bio wheel and put it in a bucket with other dec's. I was lucky that I was upgrading tanks so I did the move in phases by setting up the new tank a few days in advance and then using a chain method of always making sure a tank was ready for fish to move directly into. I was really nervous about the move, but it turned out to be less traumatic than I thought.
 
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