Here_fishy_fishy

i am gettinga new apartment that is only 3 minutes away from my house now, i have a 29 gallon, i know that is heavy so how do i move the tank to our new home? i have never done this be4 and need help asap we are moving monday at the moment i only have one 5 gallon bucket do i need more to move the water? my tank is cycled and i am scared if i move the water out i will have to cycle it again! any help would be sooo great.

susitna-flower

Your tank won't suffer if you take 99% of the water out.....keep the filter, gravel decorations, in the tank, in enough water to keep moist....Put fish in bucket with enough water to transport.....set up your tank, and hook up the filter. Place fish in the tank, and slowly add water at the right temp back to tank.

You can check every day for awhile to make sure no ammonia is present.....just to make sure, but things should go smoothly.

Here_fishy_fishy

so should i use my 5 gallon bucket to move my fish with the tank water in it? then set up the tank and put my fish in there as well as the water from the bucket and then add treated tap water to it? are you sure this wont cause it to cycle?

susitna-flower

As long as you keep your filter media, and gravel moist.....don't change the filter material, and set it right back up.....It should be fine. The bacteria doesn't live in the water.....it lives in the media, gravel, on decorations and the glass of the tank....You should be fine.

Don't try to have the whole bucket full either.....just enough you can carry the bucket, and the fish can freely swim around...Hopefully you have a lid....ALSO, make sure the bucket is very clean, and didn't contain soap or any thing that would harm the fish.

Here_fishy_fishy

ok great thanks a million!!!!! i use the 5 gallon bucket for my water changes it is only use for my fishies. ( i do have a lid) well then that sounds easy enough to do. by the way have i told you thank you so so so much !!!!

COBettaCouple

If you can get or have Fish Protector, it's VERY helpful in reducing stress when moving fish. If the bucket of lid is transparent or opaque, then draping a towel over it would be good - thinking it's night time will help them out. And it's best not to feed them before moving them, at least for that day. After they're settled into the tank at the new place, they'll be ready for a meal.