Here is how I have done such moves in the past:
In the week before:
1) Extra water changes that emphasize gravel vacs. This removes more debris from the tank so that when the water is churned up there is less crud.
2) Clean the filters, but not just a day or two before, make it a week before. Give them some recovery time, but reduce the amount of debris.
3) Assemble all the items needed. New substrate should be washed (if needed) Don't forget a carpenter's level and shims to be sure the new set up is plumb, level and square!
4) Fast the fish at least one day, the day before the move. (I had not done this, but it sounds good.
The day of the move:
1) Prepare some new water for the tank in the garbage cans (I actually have 2, total capacity 50 gallons) making whatever chemical adjustments needed so this water matches the current tank water for GH, KH, TDS, pH and temperature. An aquarium heater can go in these containers to keep the water warm, the filters might run on these containers, if you want.
2) Turn off, unplug etc. all the equipment.
3) Run good clean tank water into as many containers as needed. Do not stir up the bottom while doing this.
4) Put stuff from the tank into containers:
...a) Fish into as many containers as needed. (Lost of good ideas above) containers covered, and in a place where they will stay at the right temperature.
...b) Filters and other major bacteria populations in a container. Large stuff like driftwood could go in the garbage cans of new water, or the bathtub with a wet towel over them. Pour more water over them once in a while. (I have a small pond, and put such large things in the pond)
...c) Live plants in as many containers as needed to keep them from getting crushed.
...d) Remove other equipment and keep it safe (heater, thermometer...)
...e) Finish draining the tank water and do another gravel vac, getting pretty aggressive about cleaning the gravel, stirring and mixing to get rid of as much debris as possible. Lifting the gravel through the water works well, too. Keep the gravel damp if it is going to be re-used. LOTS of bacteria on it.
5) Move old tank and stand aside, sweep the floor behind/under.
6) Set up new tank, stand and equipment such as power strips, or anything that goes behind the tank. Make sure it is plumb, level and square.
7) Add the new substrate, then the old on top (if this is your plans. Old gravel has a lot of beneficial bacteria, and this bacteria will thrive with lots of water movement by being placed on top of the new substrate)
8 ) Put a plate of plastic bag on top of the substrate and add water to the tank by pouring it in on top of this. Water will flow gently into the substrate, and not stir up too much dust. Add nitrifying bacteria to this water, so it is well circulated by the time you are ready to add fish.
...a) If you will be planting the tank just add water deep enough to BARELY cover the substrate, then plant, misting the plants as needed. When the planting is done, then add more water to approximately half fill the tank.
...b) Few or no live plants, or just floating ones then go ahead and half fill the tank, setting up decorations (rocks, driftwood, plastic logs...) as you go. Set up equipment, locate heaters, power heads, filters and so on, too.
9) Add anything else before the fish.
10) Add the fish by netting them out of their buckets, do not save the water in these containers. (Since the tank is not yet covered, the water is only half full, so there is less chance of the fish jumping out) If there are any dominant fish or extra pushy ones add these last.
11) Finish filling the tank.
12) Plug in, turn on equipment.
13) Covers, lights.. Keep the lights off the rest of the day. Do not feed.
Next few days:
1) Feed lightly if the fish are acting unsettled. Feed lightly if any ammonia shows up.
2) Keep lights off if the fish are acting unsettled. With live plants, though, lights will need to be turned on.
3) Monitor the equipment to be sure it is functioning. Temperature is stable, filters running...
4) Monitor the water parameters. There may be a minor, very short term spike in ammonia, but unless it goes over .25 or lingers for more than a day I would not do a water change. (I had this happen in one tank, and it took a couple of water changes to keep the ammonia low)
Upgrading to a 6x2x2 from a custom 4 ft tank
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The answer is no. They won't get ich if ich is not already present. Stress alone does not cause ich outbreaks. Undiagnosed ich + stress causes ich outbreaks. Stress only gives ich the opportunity to spread.ey wrote:
Finally, is there a probable risk that the loaches may get ich during the move? They have not had ich but could they get it if they get stressed during the move?
If the fish do have ich it needs to be completely eradicated sooner or later.
mick, I could never understand why it is good to fast fish once a week. the reason is my loaches always seem to be starving 24/7 so i was worried that by fasting them once a week, they would start eating the smaller fish (tetras)!mickthefish wrote:you guessed the reason for not feeding them, i'd upm your fasting to at least once a week, it does do the fish good as they get to used to food being thrown at them and sometimes you'll see them take some but not all you put in for them.
the filter should be ok for an hour or two, but the quicker you can get it running again the more bacteria will be saved.
mick
the tetras and even bristlenoses never seem to get a chance to eat any of the food i put in....even after feeding the loaches their share (and more) of frozen bloodworms, granules and sinking wafers, when i then feed some crushed flakes for the tetras, the loaches will still come for it even though they are already developing a fat stomach!
the bristlenoses never get any of the algae wafers/pellets, even when i put a handful in after the lights go out, the loaches will eat them all within 30 seconds of me putting them in....i've even tried chucking in 20-30 (cracked, not whole) algae wafers in the tank at once, but again the loaches will devour it.
Based on the feeding frenzy of the loaches, thats why i didnt think fasting them was a good idea.
Ive fasted my clowns for up to two weeks. This may not be ideal, but I would rather do that than trust anyone to feed them bar the other half. Although a little hungry upon my return, they cope well 
Have you tried putting several blanched veg into the tank at late evening for your plecs-I find that this is the eaiset way to get my Bristlenose's enough food, the clown loach also get some frozens at the same time to try and distract them. I found as the bristenoses realised there was enough food arund, they started to push some of the loaches out of the way during feeding, now they hog any courgette thats put in
It took an age for them to get round to it, but they got there in the end
Ashleigh
Have you tried putting several blanched veg into the tank at late evening for your plecs-I find that this is the eaiset way to get my Bristlenose's enough food, the clown loach also get some frozens at the same time to try and distract them. I found as the bristenoses realised there was enough food arund, they started to push some of the loaches out of the way during feeding, now they hog any courgette thats put in
It took an age for them to get round to it, but they got there in the end Ashleigh
Hi Diana,Diana wrote:There is a garbage can called the Rubbermaid Brute (USA). Holds 32 gallons, and wheels are available. If you get at least one of these you will be saving quite a bit of the original water. Useful for water changes later, too. As noted above the water does not contain nitrifying bacteria. Most of the bottled bacteria stuff does not contain nitrifying bacteria, either. Do not waste your money. Look for Nitrospiros sp.
Holding water still for an hour or two will not make it go bad.
Holding fish in small containers for an hour or two you start to worry about the build up of CO2 and the lack of O2 in their water. You need more air in the container, not so much water. If these were 5 gallon buckets I would say maximum of 2 gallons of water, and put the lid on. You could put a little more water in there and run a bubbler.
Temperature is important. The stress of the move, combined with chilling may well bring on Ich.
To reduce some of the results of stress you might add either a little salt to the water, such as 1-2 teaspoons per 20 gallons or else use a product called Stress Coat.
Another method that helps is to use a combination of Amquel Plus and Nov-Aqua. Just a few drops. Amquel Plus will help neutralize the nitrogen products and Nov Aqua may help with stress.
Nitrifying bacteria in the filters will be fine for an hour or so. If you think it will be longer (and it probably will be longer, unless you have some experienced help) then set up the filters to run. I use a storage bin with flat sides (square or rectangular storage bins work well) and can get several filters running with maybe 10-15 gallons of water. HOBs can hang on the flat sides, and canisters' tubing can be clipped to the sides. If you do not want to actually run the filters, but are still concerned about the nitrifying bacteria you can simply dump all the media into such a container. Cover the container, these bacteria do better with less light. Tank decor can go in such a container, too, though the amount of bacteria on a smooth ceramic mermaid is pretty small, a nice chunk of driftwood would be biologically very active and well worth keeping wet.
First of all, thanks very much for your input and advice and sharing your experience. I want to plan the process as best as I can so as to minimise the stress the fish have to go through during the move. By planning well, I’m hoping I can reduce the risk of anything going wrong and also minimise the time the fish will be out of the tank. I'll only be getting help from my friend who has no clue about fish so hopefully everything goes smoothly.
I will look for the garbage can you mentioned, though I don’t remember seeing one called Rubbermaid at the hardware store. 32gallons is a lot so will definitely be something I want to get. How come there are no nitrifying bacteria in the water taken from the tank? Is this because the filters aren’t running once I take the tank water out to the container? I will look for the Nitrospiros product, should this be used on the tank water sitting in the container before I put that water into the new tank?
For the containers where I’ll be storing the fish, I’m planning to fill the 60L containers 75% full and putting some air stones in there to create water movement. I’ll also keep some of the driftwood, pvc pipes in the container so the loaches can all hide in it to reduce their stress.
If the move is going to take 1-2 hours (from taking the fish out from old tank to putting them into the new tank), then no doubt the temperature will fluctuate without a heater. I’m going to put one heater in each of the containers to keep it constant, but as I’ll be keeping the containers outdoors during the transfer, I’m hoping it won’t be a very sunny and hot day; otherwise the fish are going to burn from the sun.
I can get stress coat here, should I use half a dose for the loaches? Should stress coat be used when the loaches are being kept temporarily in the containers? Once they go into the new tank, should I add some stress coat too? I was deciding between using stress coat or melafix. I will look into Amquel Plus and Nov-Aqua, but have not seen these two products here in Aust.
I will want to keep the Nitrifying bacteria for as long as possible, since it sounds like a safer bet to keep the filter running, I think I will keep all 3 filters (2 canisters and 1 HOB) running during the move. I’m just worried at how hard it will be to create a siphon started with the canister filters when in the container.
If I am to keep the filters running, should I keep the filters running in the containers that are storing just tank water, or keep the filters running in the containers that the fish are kept in? The reason for asking is because I will be re-using the water saved for the new tank, however, the old tank water which the fish are kept in won’t be used at all since a lot of waste would be produced during the time they are kept in the container.
Diana,
I have responded to your post by having my questions below the relevant step/point, my questions/comment is in bold and italics.
Cheers
Here is how I have done such moves in the past:
In the week before:
1) Extra water changes that emphasize gravel vacs. This removes more debris from the tank so that when the water is churned up there is less crud.
What do you mean by crud?
2) Clean the filters, but not just a day or two before, make it a week before. Give them some recovery time, but reduce the amount of debris. If I have 3 filters running, should I clean all 3 a week before the move or only some of them?
3) Assemble all the items needed. New substrate should be washed (if needed) Don't forget a carpenter's level and shims to be sure the new set up is plumb, level and square!
Do you know where I can get a carpenter's level or shims from? Would a hardware store have these? I have not used these before and would want to make sure the tank is straight and level as my current one is slanted towards one side.
4) Fast the fish at least one day, the day before the move. (I had not done this, but it sounds good. I will definitely be doing this.
The day of the move:
1) Prepare some new water for the tank in the garbage cans (I actually have 2, total capacity 50 gallons) making whatever chemical adjustments needed so this water matches the current tank water for GH, KH, TDS, pH and temperature. An aquarium heater can go in these containers to keep the water warm, the filters might run on these containers, if you want.
2) Turn off, unplug etc. all the equipment.
3) Run good clean tank water into as many containers as needed. Do not stir up the bottom while doing this.
4) Put stuff from the tank into containers:
...a) Fish into as many containers as needed. (Lost of good ideas above) containers covered, and in a place where they will stay at the right temperature.
...b) Filters and other major bacteria populations in a container. Large stuff like driftwood could go in the garbage cans of new water, or the bathtub with a wet towel over them. Pour more water over them once in a while. (I have a small pond, and put such large things in the pond)
...c) Live plants in as many containers as needed to keep them from getting crushed.
...d) Remove other equipment and keep it safe (heater, thermometer...)
...e) Finish draining the tank water and do another gravel vac, getting pretty aggressive about cleaning the gravel, stirring and mixing to get rid of as much debris as possible. Lifting the gravel through the water works well, too. Keep the gravel damp if it is going to be re-used. LOTS of bacteria on it.
I agree with the points above, but I was thinking if it would be better to actually take out all the existing gravel from the tank before I start taking water/fish/driftwood from the tank? The reason is if I was to take the fish out before the gravel, that translates to a longer duration that the fish will be out of the tank and in the container, where they would no doubt be stressed.
That's just my thought though, do you think this might be better or is there a reason why gravel is taken out last?
5) Move old tank and stand aside, sweep the floor behind/under.
6) Set up new tank, stand and equipment such as power strips, or anything that goes behind the tank. Make sure it is plumb, level and square.
I assume this will be achieved by using the carpenter's level and shim?
7) Add the new substrate, then the old on top (if this is your plans. Old gravel has a lot of beneficial bacteria, and this bacteria will thrive with lots of water movement by being placed on top of the new substrate)
8 ) Put a plate of plastic bag on top of the substrate and add water to the tank by pouring it in on top of this. Water will flow gently into the substrate, and not stir up too much dust. Add nitrifying bacteria to this water, so it is well circulated by the time you are ready to add fish.
...a) If you will be planting the tank just add water deep enough to BARELY cover the substrate, then plant, misting the plants as needed. When the planting is done, then add more water to approximately half fill the tank.
...b) Few or no live plants, or just floating ones then go ahead and half fill the tank, setting up decorations (rocks, driftwood, plastic logs...) as you go. Set up equipment, locate heaters, power heads, filters and so on, too.
9) Add anything else before the fish.
10) Add the fish by netting them out of their buckets, do not save the water in these containers. (Since the tank is not yet covered, the water is only half full, so there is less chance of the fish jumping out) If there are any dominant fish or extra pushy ones add these last.
11) Finish filling the tank.
Since I would only be taking out about 350L of water and the new tank having a capacity of 650L, should I only fill the new tank with the water that I saved from the old tank, plus put some tap water (conditioned) in the tank such that the new tank is only half full, and then gradually add water within 3-4 hour intervals? This is so that this gives the filters to adjust the water so there wont be any shock to the fish if I was to add so much more new tap water.
12) Plug in, turn on equipment.
13) Covers, lights.. Keep the lights off the rest of the day. Do not feed.
Next few days:
1) Feed lightly if the fish are acting unsettled. Feed lightly if any ammonia shows up.
2) Keep lights off if the fish are acting unsettled. With live plants, though, lights will need to be turned on.
3) Monitor the equipment to be sure it is functioning. Temperature is stable, filters running...
Would two 300W heaters be sufficient for the 650L tank or would I need another heater in there? It is spring here and the average temp is around 18-28C during the day and night.
4) Monitor the water parameters. There may be a minor, very short term spike in ammonia, but unless it goes over .25 or lingers for more than a day I would not do a water change. (I had this happen in one tank, and it took a couple of water changes to keep the ammonia low)
I have responded to your post by having my questions below the relevant step/point, my questions/comment is in bold and italics.
Cheers
Here is how I have done such moves in the past:
In the week before:
1) Extra water changes that emphasize gravel vacs. This removes more debris from the tank so that when the water is churned up there is less crud.
What do you mean by crud?
2) Clean the filters, but not just a day or two before, make it a week before. Give them some recovery time, but reduce the amount of debris. If I have 3 filters running, should I clean all 3 a week before the move or only some of them?
3) Assemble all the items needed. New substrate should be washed (if needed) Don't forget a carpenter's level and shims to be sure the new set up is plumb, level and square!
Do you know where I can get a carpenter's level or shims from? Would a hardware store have these? I have not used these before and would want to make sure the tank is straight and level as my current one is slanted towards one side.
4) Fast the fish at least one day, the day before the move. (I had not done this, but it sounds good. I will definitely be doing this.
The day of the move:
1) Prepare some new water for the tank in the garbage cans (I actually have 2, total capacity 50 gallons) making whatever chemical adjustments needed so this water matches the current tank water for GH, KH, TDS, pH and temperature. An aquarium heater can go in these containers to keep the water warm, the filters might run on these containers, if you want.
2) Turn off, unplug etc. all the equipment.
3) Run good clean tank water into as many containers as needed. Do not stir up the bottom while doing this.
4) Put stuff from the tank into containers:
...a) Fish into as many containers as needed. (Lost of good ideas above) containers covered, and in a place where they will stay at the right temperature.
...b) Filters and other major bacteria populations in a container. Large stuff like driftwood could go in the garbage cans of new water, or the bathtub with a wet towel over them. Pour more water over them once in a while. (I have a small pond, and put such large things in the pond)
...c) Live plants in as many containers as needed to keep them from getting crushed.
...d) Remove other equipment and keep it safe (heater, thermometer...)
...e) Finish draining the tank water and do another gravel vac, getting pretty aggressive about cleaning the gravel, stirring and mixing to get rid of as much debris as possible. Lifting the gravel through the water works well, too. Keep the gravel damp if it is going to be re-used. LOTS of bacteria on it.
I agree with the points above, but I was thinking if it would be better to actually take out all the existing gravel from the tank before I start taking water/fish/driftwood from the tank? The reason is if I was to take the fish out before the gravel, that translates to a longer duration that the fish will be out of the tank and in the container, where they would no doubt be stressed.
That's just my thought though, do you think this might be better or is there a reason why gravel is taken out last?
5) Move old tank and stand aside, sweep the floor behind/under.
6) Set up new tank, stand and equipment such as power strips, or anything that goes behind the tank. Make sure it is plumb, level and square.
I assume this will be achieved by using the carpenter's level and shim?
7) Add the new substrate, then the old on top (if this is your plans. Old gravel has a lot of beneficial bacteria, and this bacteria will thrive with lots of water movement by being placed on top of the new substrate)
8 ) Put a plate of plastic bag on top of the substrate and add water to the tank by pouring it in on top of this. Water will flow gently into the substrate, and not stir up too much dust. Add nitrifying bacteria to this water, so it is well circulated by the time you are ready to add fish.
...a) If you will be planting the tank just add water deep enough to BARELY cover the substrate, then plant, misting the plants as needed. When the planting is done, then add more water to approximately half fill the tank.
...b) Few or no live plants, or just floating ones then go ahead and half fill the tank, setting up decorations (rocks, driftwood, plastic logs...) as you go. Set up equipment, locate heaters, power heads, filters and so on, too.
9) Add anything else before the fish.
10) Add the fish by netting them out of their buckets, do not save the water in these containers. (Since the tank is not yet covered, the water is only half full, so there is less chance of the fish jumping out) If there are any dominant fish or extra pushy ones add these last.
11) Finish filling the tank.
Since I would only be taking out about 350L of water and the new tank having a capacity of 650L, should I only fill the new tank with the water that I saved from the old tank, plus put some tap water (conditioned) in the tank such that the new tank is only half full, and then gradually add water within 3-4 hour intervals? This is so that this gives the filters to adjust the water so there wont be any shock to the fish if I was to add so much more new tap water.
12) Plug in, turn on equipment.
13) Covers, lights.. Keep the lights off the rest of the day. Do not feed.
Next few days:
1) Feed lightly if the fish are acting unsettled. Feed lightly if any ammonia shows up.
2) Keep lights off if the fish are acting unsettled. With live plants, though, lights will need to be turned on.
3) Monitor the equipment to be sure it is functioning. Temperature is stable, filters running...
Would two 300W heaters be sufficient for the 650L tank or would I need another heater in there? It is spring here and the average temp is around 18-28C during the day and night.
4) Monitor the water parameters. There may be a minor, very short term spike in ammonia, but unless it goes over .25 or lingers for more than a day I would not do a water change. (I had this happen in one tank, and it took a couple of water changes to keep the ammonia low)
Thanks for the clarification chefkeith. It's comforting to know ich doesn't come about through undue stress.chefkeith wrote:The answer is no. They won't get ich if ich is not already present. Stress alone does not cause ich outbreaks. Undiagnosed ich + stress causes ich outbreaks. Stress only gives ich the opportunity to spread.ey wrote:
Finally, is there a probable risk that the loaches may get ich during the move? They have not had ich but could they get it if they get stressed during the move?
If the fish do have ich it needs to be completely eradicated sooner or later.
Are there any other potential diesease that the loaches or other fish can get as a result of stress? If you think about it, the loaches usually get stressed whenever you do a big water change so the only difference here I guess is they will be transferred to a bucket, and the stress levels will be longer compared to a routine water change.
How important is it to get something like Stress Coat or Stress Zyme? Would this reduce the loaches' stress levels during the move?
Thanks for the suggestion Ashleigh. I have tried that before and tried it again a few days ago. It didn't work as I tried putting one in before the lights went out and another one after the lights went out, but both times the loaches will fight amongst themselves (clowns on clowns, and clowns on yoyos) for the veges. I tried distracting the clowns with frozen worms but I could only distract them for so long that once they finished the frozens, they went straight back to the veges!Ashleigh wrote:Ive fasted my clowns for up to two weeks. This may not be ideal, but I would rather do that than trust anyone to feed them bar the other half. Although a little hungry upon my return, they cope well
Have you tried putting several blanched veg into the tank at late evening for your plecs-I find that this is the eaiset way to get my Bristlenose's enough food, the clown loach also get some frozens at the same time to try and distract them. I found as the bristenoses realised there was enough food arund, they started to push some of the loaches out of the way during feeding, now they hog any courgette thats put in
Ashleigh
I will persist with this as there is no other way I can think of. Hopefully the BN's wont starve to death as algae from the tank just wont be enough.
How important is it to get something like Stress Coat or Stress Zyme? Would this reduce the loaches' stress levels during the move?
Nope. They use the word stress in their product just to sell more. If you provide good clean water and good filtration to the fish, you'll never have a need for products like these. They do nothing but add unnecessary junk to the water.
Nope. They use the word stress in their product just to sell more. If you provide good clean water and good filtration to the fish, you'll never have a need for products like these. They do nothing but add unnecessary junk to the water.
hardware store will carry carpenter's level and shims. If you need to shim the stand to make it level be sure to provide support over the full length of the stand. Lets say one corner needs 2 shims to stabilize it, then halfway down the side you might need one shim, and so on.
32gallons is a lot so will definitely be something I want to get.
I do not know what brands are available in Oz, but there ought to be a garbage can on wheels. Perhaps a specialty item at janitorial supply stores. I know hotels use a lot of them for everything from garbage to laundry.
How come there are no nitrifying bacteria in the water taken from the tank?
Nitrifying bacteria live in complex colonies with many other microorganisms in a protein layer called polyfilm. The many species of microorganisms develop this layer by secreting proteins. You can feel this layer on things that have been in the water for a few days or longer, for example most of the surfaces in the tank, including all the equipment that is under water will grow this film. It feels very slippery. In nature, nitrifying bacteria that drifts in the water gets washed downstream, and dies. Nitrifying bacteria that grabs hold of whatever surface it contacts will stay alive, and reproduce. So, over the years the nitrifying bacteria that hangs on to surfaces survived.
I will look for the Nitrospiros product,
Tetra Safe Start ought to be available. Dr. Tims One and Only is the other one that has the right bacteria, but I do not know how available it is.
should this be used on the tank water sitting in the container before I put that water into the new tank?
I would add the bacteria to the water as you are adding it to the tank. Do not put it into the bucket(s) or garbage can that is holding water temporarily.
If the move is going to take 1-2 hours (from taking the fish out from old tank to putting them into the new tank), then no doubt the temperature will fluctuate without a heater. I’m going to put one heater in each of the containers to keep it constant, but as I’ll be keeping the containers outdoors during the transfer, I’m hoping it won’t be a very sunny and hot day; otherwise the fish are going to burn from the sun.
If it is a warm day then you ought to put the containers in the shade, not the sun, and do this in the cooler part of the day if at all possible.
I can get stress coat here, should I use half a dose for the loaches? Should stress coat be used when the loaches are being kept temporarily in the containers? Once they go into the new tank, should I add some stress coat too?
Put half a dose in the storage containers only. It is a good product, but no sense in overusing it.
I was deciding between using stress coat or melafix.
These are 2 TOTALLY different products, with NO overlapping features. Stresscoat is for helping with the various ways that fish react to stress. Melafix is a mild antibiotic. Does not actually kill bacteria but slows their growth. I would not use it in a tank where the nitrifying bacteria may be compromised.
I will want to keep the Nitrifying bacteria for as long as possible, since it sounds like a safer bet to keep the filter running, I think I will keep all 3 filters (2 canisters and 1 HOB) running during the move. I’m just worried at how hard it will be to create a siphon started with the canister filters when in the container.
I set up a bin of water on my deck, and set the canister below the deck, about 2' lower than the water. If you can put the water storage container a couple of feet above the canister then you should have no problem. Perhaps build up some platform by stacking up some bricks or old lumber? Maybe you have a flight of stairs that would work? I have also done this at my front door. Bin of water inside the entry, and the canister filter on the 3rd or 4th step. Yes, it is horizontally away from the bin, but the important part is the vertical distance.
I do not think I would run these on the bins with the fish. This is probably going to be too much water movement for them. You could try it, especially if you can slow the water flow so the fish are not getting churned about.
the old tank water which the fish are kept in won’t be used at all since a lot of waste would be produced during the time they are kept in the container.
This is good. The fish storage water will have a rather high level of ammonia and stress hormones and should not be reused to fill the tank.
32gallons is a lot so will definitely be something I want to get.
I do not know what brands are available in Oz, but there ought to be a garbage can on wheels. Perhaps a specialty item at janitorial supply stores. I know hotels use a lot of them for everything from garbage to laundry.
How come there are no nitrifying bacteria in the water taken from the tank?
Nitrifying bacteria live in complex colonies with many other microorganisms in a protein layer called polyfilm. The many species of microorganisms develop this layer by secreting proteins. You can feel this layer on things that have been in the water for a few days or longer, for example most of the surfaces in the tank, including all the equipment that is under water will grow this film. It feels very slippery. In nature, nitrifying bacteria that drifts in the water gets washed downstream, and dies. Nitrifying bacteria that grabs hold of whatever surface it contacts will stay alive, and reproduce. So, over the years the nitrifying bacteria that hangs on to surfaces survived.
I will look for the Nitrospiros product,
Tetra Safe Start ought to be available. Dr. Tims One and Only is the other one that has the right bacteria, but I do not know how available it is.
should this be used on the tank water sitting in the container before I put that water into the new tank?
I would add the bacteria to the water as you are adding it to the tank. Do not put it into the bucket(s) or garbage can that is holding water temporarily.
If the move is going to take 1-2 hours (from taking the fish out from old tank to putting them into the new tank), then no doubt the temperature will fluctuate without a heater. I’m going to put one heater in each of the containers to keep it constant, but as I’ll be keeping the containers outdoors during the transfer, I’m hoping it won’t be a very sunny and hot day; otherwise the fish are going to burn from the sun.
If it is a warm day then you ought to put the containers in the shade, not the sun, and do this in the cooler part of the day if at all possible.
I can get stress coat here, should I use half a dose for the loaches? Should stress coat be used when the loaches are being kept temporarily in the containers? Once they go into the new tank, should I add some stress coat too?
Put half a dose in the storage containers only. It is a good product, but no sense in overusing it.
I was deciding between using stress coat or melafix.
These are 2 TOTALLY different products, with NO overlapping features. Stresscoat is for helping with the various ways that fish react to stress. Melafix is a mild antibiotic. Does not actually kill bacteria but slows their growth. I would not use it in a tank where the nitrifying bacteria may be compromised.
I will want to keep the Nitrifying bacteria for as long as possible, since it sounds like a safer bet to keep the filter running, I think I will keep all 3 filters (2 canisters and 1 HOB) running during the move. I’m just worried at how hard it will be to create a siphon started with the canister filters when in the container.
I set up a bin of water on my deck, and set the canister below the deck, about 2' lower than the water. If you can put the water storage container a couple of feet above the canister then you should have no problem. Perhaps build up some platform by stacking up some bricks or old lumber? Maybe you have a flight of stairs that would work? I have also done this at my front door. Bin of water inside the entry, and the canister filter on the 3rd or 4th step. Yes, it is horizontally away from the bin, but the important part is the vertical distance.
I do not think I would run these on the bins with the fish. This is probably going to be too much water movement for them. You could try it, especially if you can slow the water flow so the fish are not getting churned about.
the old tank water which the fish are kept in won’t be used at all since a lot of waste would be produced during the time they are kept in the container.
This is good. The fish storage water will have a rather high level of ammonia and stress hormones and should not be reused to fill the tank.
38 tanks, 2 ponds over 4000 liters of water to keep clean and fresh.
Happy fish keeping!
Happy fish keeping!
What do you mean by crud?
Mulm, Debris, Decomposing waste...
If I have 3 filters running, should I clean all 3 a week before the move or only some of them?
Depends on how fast they fill up with debris. I would try to clean them all once in the 2 weeks before the move, but none in the last few days. Give the bacteria several days to a week to recover from the cleaning.
Do you know where I can get a carpenter's level or shims from? Would a hardware store have these? I have not used these before and would want to make sure the tank is straight and level as my current one is slanted towards one side.
Hardware store.
I agree with the points above, but I was thinking if it would be better to actually take out all the existing gravel from the tank before I start taking water/fish/driftwood from the tank? The reason is if I was to take the fish out before the gravel, that translates to a longer duration that the fish will be out of the tank and in the container, where they would no doubt be stressed.
That's just my thought though, do you think this might be better or is there a reason why gravel is taken out last?
Take gravel out last because no matter how good a job you have done with the gravel vacuuming in the days leading up to the move there will still be a lot of debris in the gravel. This debris will get into the fishes' gills and can cause problems, and if the tank gets so cloudy you cannot see the fish it makes catching them much harder. There will be a certain amount of debris stirred up when you remove equipment and decorations, and a lot of stress to the fish when their favorite hiding place is gone. Then you are suggesting adding more stress of a scoop going in and out of the tank when the fish have nowhere to hide... No. Do not do this. MUCH better to catch the fish and put them in a dark, quiet place as early as possible in the procedure. You are weighing two forms of stress, and the lesser stress is the way to go.
I assume this will be achieved by using the carpenter's level and shim?
Yes, carpenter's level shows you which end is higher and which end is lower. Shims are this strips of wood or plastic that you put under the low end of the stand to bring it up to level. Shims can be broken or cut wherever you want, whatever size is right to make things level. Shims go between the floor and the stand, not between the stand and the tank.
Since I would only be taking out about 350L of water and the new tank having a capacity of 650L, should I only fill the new tank with the water that I saved from the old tank, plus put some tap water (conditioned) in the tank such that the new tank is only half full, and then gradually add water within 3-4 hour intervals? This is so that this gives the filters to adjust the water so there wont be any shock to the fish if I was to add so much more new tap water.
You can add the new water much faster than 3-4 hours. Make sure the new water is as similar to the old water as possible (KH, GH, pH, temperature) and add it faster. The sooner the stress is over and the fish left alone, the sooner they can start to recover.
Would two 300W heaters be sufficient for the 650L tank or would I need another heater in there? It is spring here and the average temp is around 18-28C during the day and night.
Hmm... I think in American gallons and degrees F. Let me think...
5 watts per gallon works well for a small tank, 3 watts per gallon is OK for a larger tank when the air temp is as much as 15*F different from the tank. (air temp in the low 60s, perhaps 65, tank temp upper 70s to 80.)
First translation:
5 watts per 4 gallons for small tanks, or 3 watts per 4 liters for larger tanks, when the difference in temperature is ROUGHLY 8 degrees C.
650l tank would need something like 500 watts, so your plan of (2) times 300 watts sounds great. Watch it at the low end (if your temperature drops into the teens) to be sure the tank is staying warm.
Mulm, Debris, Decomposing waste...
If I have 3 filters running, should I clean all 3 a week before the move or only some of them?
Depends on how fast they fill up with debris. I would try to clean them all once in the 2 weeks before the move, but none in the last few days. Give the bacteria several days to a week to recover from the cleaning.
Do you know where I can get a carpenter's level or shims from? Would a hardware store have these? I have not used these before and would want to make sure the tank is straight and level as my current one is slanted towards one side.
Hardware store.
I agree with the points above, but I was thinking if it would be better to actually take out all the existing gravel from the tank before I start taking water/fish/driftwood from the tank? The reason is if I was to take the fish out before the gravel, that translates to a longer duration that the fish will be out of the tank and in the container, where they would no doubt be stressed.
That's just my thought though, do you think this might be better or is there a reason why gravel is taken out last?
Take gravel out last because no matter how good a job you have done with the gravel vacuuming in the days leading up to the move there will still be a lot of debris in the gravel. This debris will get into the fishes' gills and can cause problems, and if the tank gets so cloudy you cannot see the fish it makes catching them much harder. There will be a certain amount of debris stirred up when you remove equipment and decorations, and a lot of stress to the fish when their favorite hiding place is gone. Then you are suggesting adding more stress of a scoop going in and out of the tank when the fish have nowhere to hide... No. Do not do this. MUCH better to catch the fish and put them in a dark, quiet place as early as possible in the procedure. You are weighing two forms of stress, and the lesser stress is the way to go.
I assume this will be achieved by using the carpenter's level and shim?
Yes, carpenter's level shows you which end is higher and which end is lower. Shims are this strips of wood or plastic that you put under the low end of the stand to bring it up to level. Shims can be broken or cut wherever you want, whatever size is right to make things level. Shims go between the floor and the stand, not between the stand and the tank.
Since I would only be taking out about 350L of water and the new tank having a capacity of 650L, should I only fill the new tank with the water that I saved from the old tank, plus put some tap water (conditioned) in the tank such that the new tank is only half full, and then gradually add water within 3-4 hour intervals? This is so that this gives the filters to adjust the water so there wont be any shock to the fish if I was to add so much more new tap water.
You can add the new water much faster than 3-4 hours. Make sure the new water is as similar to the old water as possible (KH, GH, pH, temperature) and add it faster. The sooner the stress is over and the fish left alone, the sooner they can start to recover.
Would two 300W heaters be sufficient for the 650L tank or would I need another heater in there? It is spring here and the average temp is around 18-28C during the day and night.
Hmm... I think in American gallons and degrees F. Let me think...
5 watts per gallon works well for a small tank, 3 watts per gallon is OK for a larger tank when the air temp is as much as 15*F different from the tank. (air temp in the low 60s, perhaps 65, tank temp upper 70s to 80.)
First translation:
5 watts per 4 gallons for small tanks, or 3 watts per 4 liters for larger tanks, when the difference in temperature is ROUGHLY 8 degrees C.
650l tank would need something like 500 watts, so your plan of (2) times 300 watts sounds great. Watch it at the low end (if your temperature drops into the teens) to be sure the tank is staying warm.
38 tanks, 2 ponds over 4000 liters of water to keep clean and fresh.
Happy fish keeping!
Happy fish keeping!
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