Advice please: I'm moving my tank

This will probably end up as a new tank diary but firstly I have to move my existing 170L fully planted, heavily stocked freshwater tank.

Here's the plan:

i'm moving from Dublin to Galway in 6 weeks. In Galway we are planning to set up a 5 foot x 2 foot x 2 foot 540L display tank as a room divider. This was supposed to happen asap but there are some 'building works' that must happen first to get the room ready so it won't be for a few months.

I originally intended to have the new tank set up first and ready for my existing fish and plants so the move was going to be relatively straightforward.

The second plan was to just move my current tank in one go and set it up again in Galway. I would be a headache but it could be done, I suppose.

i've since decided that it would be easier to have a tank set up in Galway first, just in case my existing tank gets damaged during the move, which would be a disaster. Leaving me with bags of fish and plants and no home for them.

As a backup plan, i've just bought a 3 foot tank from Wackers which I will set up and cycle in Galway ready to accept the fish.

Now, I've never moved fish anywhere before so what's the best way to go about this. I think that I will try to take as much of my water with me as I can to minimise the shock on the fish. I will clone one of my filters (or maybe just seed a new one here and bring it to Galway for the new tank). I assume that this can be done without the bacteria dying, maybe with a battery air-pump or oxygen tablets to keep circulation?

This should give me a cloned, cycled tank. (assuming the water in Galway isn't too hard?)

What I need is advice on moving the fish. What's the best way to do this. Bag them and put the bags in aeroboard boxes? Maybe with a heat pad?

Is it possible to move a tank with the substrate in place or will the bottom of the tank fall out?
If I remove and bag the substrate, can I re-use it? Should I re-use it?

So many questions. Any help is greatly appreciated...

Andy

I think it is much safer to have the 2nd tank and get that set up and then start moving fish. Too much to go wrong moving the original tank and setting it up all while the fish are in bags.

Ideally if you are in Galway before you have to move the fish, get a sample of the water and test for hardness and pH, so you have an idea what to expect. Bringing as much water with you as you can is a good idea, I have some 2 gallon cotainers I can lend you if required.

If you cycle a fileter in Dublin it should make the trip to Galway and still be fairly good if you keep it in water and a battery powered air-pump would be a good idea too.

Bagging the fish carefully, not too many to a bag and leaving at leat 2/3 for air should ensure they make the trip safely. This time of year, despite the poxy weather it is not cold so either wrap each bag in newspaper or use poly boxes if you can get them, you should not need a heat pad.

I would advise against moving a tank with anything in it, just remove the substrate to a bucket and rinse it before you return to the tank in Galway.

Going to be a fun trip, the more you plan the less that can go wrong

Thanks Darragh, i remember you telling me all that the night you collected the Riccia but it's good to have it written down.



I feel much better about it now that I have the spare tank to set up.

I still can't think of it as fun yet though!

What Daragh said is spot on. There are also 25ltr containers you can get in Atlantic Homecare shops, they are food grade 25ltr drums.

I used these when moving house last year. I bagged my large fish and put all of my small corys and tetras in the drums, It worked perfectly plus I had over 100ltrs of my original tank water to put back in.

I'm not sure about rinsing the gravel when you arrive in galway, it might be dirty when you re-fill the tank but it will contain bacteria that will help the tank recover. I'd personally put the gravel back in as is. The water might look cloudy short term but it would benefit the tank long term.

Good luck, it's stressful!!!!

@ Peter OB, I went looking for those containers yesterday and didn't find anything suitable but I'm sure I will. That'll be so much easier than bagging all the fish. Good suggestion, Thanks.

@ JohnH

I'll be in Galway this weekend so I'll bring my test kits and see what the Salthill water is like. I'm guessing it's not soft.
Hopefully, i'll be able to bring enoough of my tank water with me for a start.

I'll look up the CFKS lads when I'm moved. Thanks for the offer of help, btw, hopefully I won't need it!


At the moment, I'll be setting up my new 'temporary' tank as a holding tank and somewhere to grow on the plants i'll need to fill the monster new tank later in the year. I think that the luxury of having a second tank set-up while working on the big one will be worth all the hassle, in the long run anyway.

With that in mind, i've put my order in to aquaessentials for all the bits and pieces I need to get it up and running. All stuff that can be re-used on the big tank later. Hopefully, I should be able to start in 2 weeks or so...

and Darragh has kindly agreed to re-home my big Angel for me, so that's one less fish to move.

Hi Andy,

Welcome to the forum and welcome to the 'Wesht\" of Ireland!
I have nothing to add to the good previous advice you have received. However, I am based 12 miles south of Galway and if you need a hand, don't hesitate to contact me.
Looking forward to maybe meeting you at a Connaught Fish Keeping Society Meeting (CFKS)!

Kindest regards,
Valerie

Thanks Valerie,

Shure 'tis only mighty to be moving Wesht I'll be sure to come along to a meeting as soon as I can.