Need advice - moving an aquarium

J

jrwill78

Registered Member
Mar 7, 2006
2
0
0
Marysville, OH
Hi, all. I'm a new member to this site and I look forward to learning alot from the members. It appears to be a very active site.

Here's what I'm looking for advice about: We're in the process of selling our house and will be be making two local moves - once to an apartment while we have a house built, and then to the new house. I have a 20 gallon freshwater aquarium with six "residents". What's a good way to move them and their house? I was thinking about picking up an Eclipse System 12 and getting it cycled in at the new location, moving my fish (how to do?) and then just taking down the 20 gallon until we get in the house. I'm open to suggestions!

Thanks,
John
 
Had to do this last year with my 50g. First move was about 40 miles or so. What I did is bought 4 plastic tubs from walmart. Grey ones about 10g or so capacity with lids for like $3 each. I then siphoned about 3g of water into 3 of them. In one I put my fish. The second held my plants and driftwood. The third I put in the inards of my fluval 404. The fourth I put in the substrate and a bit of rock and such and added just enough water to coat. both moves where fine.

I did however have time to test tapwater at both my previous location and new location before hand to make sure they were fairly close.
 
What fish are in the 20? It could work if theres room in the eclipse or you could just keep your media wet to keep the bio filter alive and set the 20 back up for 6 months at the apartment. You might get a mini cycle but if you move quickly then you should be fine just like doing a big water change.
 
Thanks for the advice

Thanks to all who provided feedback. It sounds like the move shouldn't be too big a problem. I think I'll stick with getting a smaller tank for the apartment since I only have a cory and four other small fish right now. It sounds like I could do a quick move of my 20 gal. tank but I thought it would be easier to just add the second tank. When I get into the new house I'd like to move up to a 40 gal. planted setup so the 12 gal. would be a handy little tank to have on hand if I need a quarantine tank. I also like the idea of getting a couple plastic 5 gal. pails with lids to move the fish and also transfer some water from my current tank to start up the little tank.
 
I had to move a few months ago and I also have a 20gal. with 2 fish. 15 miles to the new location. I bagged the fish and drained the tank into 2 5 gallon buckets and kept the rest of the water in the tank and moved everything at once. took about an hour and a half to set up everything and refill the tank and fish came through ok so far.
 
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