scriabin

Any advice for a newcomer on moving a tank (as in, to a new apartment?) - I'm especially curious to know what to do about the whole nitrogen cycle thing. I can hold on to some of the old water, most of it's gonna have to go and be replaced. What's the healthiest way get my tank healthy ASAP after a move?

Thanks,

Jonathan

Lucy

The water doesn't have that much bacteria, most of it grows on your filter media, filter, plants and gravel so put those in a container of used tank water for the move, try to keep them warm.

When you get to your new place, set up your tank, condition the water before adding it, you should be able to keep the cycle.

Good luck on the move.

scriabin

thanks Lucy!

Any advice for transporting the fish themselves in a non-traumatic way?

clinton1621

Ask for some plastic bags at the pet store (the kind they send the fish home with you in) fill these up about halfway and leave a large air pocket at the top when you tie it off (dont blow into it, remember you exhale carbon dioxide and not oxygen, which is what they need)

You can then further protect them by placing the bags in a cooler to keep them warm and prevent them from being punctured.

Lucy

Just too add to clintons's good advice, using a soft sided cooler is a good idea.
You can use newspaper or packing peanuts between the bags to keep them from moving.

scriabin

Thanks Clinton and Lucy -

So how long can they safely stay in the bags? I mean, I know, the sooner they're out the better, right? But I mean if it's a matter of getting them out of the bags sooner or getting the water to the right temperature first, etc...

clinton1621

Hmm... well, fish are shipped in bags, so technically they can survive for a couple of days... but obviously the sooner you get them out of the bags the better it will be for them stress wise.

Angela_96

If you have the breather bags like the ones people use to ship fish you can put them in them for a long while (one fish per bag) and place them a styrofoam cooler. (they can last up to a day like that) I would put 1/3 water and the rest tie the bag up really fast and it will be air. (that is the way I package the fish up to ship). Like Lucy said the filter media and substrate make up 99 percent of your bacteria for your tank so draining your water will not make a big difference at all. I actually moved my 58g tank after it was cycled using the same principle and testing the water pre and post draining and refilling the tank (keeping 1 inch of water in the substrate and keeping the filter media wet) My nitrate was 10ppm nitrite stayed -0- and ammonia was -0-, my pH has always been 8.0 (of coarse being a lake malawi set up I alter my ph w/ crushed coral) My setting never change (knock on wood).

This method should give you plenty of time to move your tank into the new apartment w/o loosing your fish. I am going to have to find a way in 2 months to drain all of my tanks and move them to put new flooring down in my living room yikes!!! I think I am gong to buy a ton of 5g buckets or bag them up? I dunno?