Questions and Concerns About Moving

[soul-hugger]

Hello..,

I am planning to move in the near future, from a very small town back to the city, and I have a few questions and concerns. The move is about a 35-45 minute drive, 69km, not sure of the mileage.

First of all, I would love to hear of how any of you moved, and of some of the trials and successes you may have had, as well as methods you used to move your fish and loaches, along with tanks and media.

I am also incredibly concerned that the community I live in presently uses Reverse Osmosis, and the city does not. There is at least a hundred-fold difference in the hardness of the water; the GH and KH, though the pH is similar. So far I have not had any trouble with converting fish from the hard to the soft, but now I wonder how they will fare converting back. I have considered that I may have to use distilled water for the first while, or look at other ways of softening the water. What do you think?

Another big concern I have is that it is very cold out. Though I have had no problem keeping a bag or two of New Fish warm, I wonder about how I'll manage to move all my fish, and what would be best to move them in. Presently I work at my local Co-Op, and they sell insulated grocery bags. I thought these may make a good outer layer while they are in transit.

That is all I can think of at the moment, but I'm sure there will be more. I would like to be as prepared as possible when the time comes to move.

Thanks,
soul-hugger

[Ashleigh]

Hi soul-hugger

I moved all my clown loach over to Wales with me when I went to uni, they travelled 2.5hr drive and 2/3hr ferry. All I did was put the larger individuals into a poly box which was lined with paper and a large bag. Smaller individuals were doubled bagged with 2-3 sharing depending on size and placed in a polybox. I only used tank water and they travelled fine. No deaths/outbreaks of anything. I have also used the same method whilst moving house. Fish waited in boxes while tanks were setup


As for water, Ive never really played about with mine-Ive been lucky water readings are around the same. I would suggest to try and sofen water and gradually increase hardness (wait for others to post back about this 1st to confirm!)

[Mad Duff]

It was some years ago that I moved house but I got as many big buckets and poly boxes as I could get hold of and on the morning of the move I bagged all the fish and placed them into the poly boxes, after the fish were bagged I then moved all the filters and plants into another container and then filled them with water and took as much of the tank water with me as I could and I left just enough water in the bottom of the tank to cover the gravel.

Everything was then placed in the van and moved and set up again at the other end, 7 tanks in all and no problems or losses and then we did the pond as well

[Emma Turner]

Hi soul-hugger, this old article of mine might be of interest/help: http://www.fishkeeper.co.uk/read_articl ... =4&search=

Hope all goes well,

Emma

[soul-hugger]

Thank-you, Ashleigh, this is reassuring. I'm glad your fish took the move so well. I think you're right about changing the water over slowly. I may even start to look for an RO unit. I have had such success with my fish, especially the Tetras, who love soft water, that I'm not sure I want to change it on them. My Tetras are among the most shiny, healthy Tetras I have ever seen. Even the Phantoms, for any other Phantoms I have seen, even in books, have somewhat ragged fins, but in these the fins are perfect; the male's dorsal long and flowing, the females' being red, even into the body. For quite some time I have wanted to increase their schools, but have been stopped because the fish in the store don't look as healthy as my own. I am certainly not trying to brag, actually quite the opposite, for I fear my success may have to do in large part with the RO water.

Certainly the fish will be one of the last things I move. Hopefully if all goes well I'll be able to set up the tank in a relatively short time. I'm hoping to have a good plan so I know where everything will go so the set-up will be quicker. The fish in my three tanks are not so incompatible that they couldn't be housed together for a short time if need be. Perhaps it would help if I make a list of the fish I do have, so you can see what I'm dealing with:

In a 20 Gallon:
5 Black Phantom Tetra
4 Kuhli Loaches
3 Black Skirt Tetra
3 Glowlight Tetra (I'm considering giving these to my daughter <if I can part with them> for her 10G, and then she can get a couple more to increase the school.)
1 Honey Gourami
1 Clown Pleco
Snails, including 3 Assasins
Plants

In a 55 Gallon
3 Weather Loaches
3 Kuhli Loaches (oblonga)
3 White Tetra
2 Golden Barbs
Snails
Plants

In a 10G Quarantine (they have been healthy for 3 weeks and should be past the quarantine by the time I move)
2 Schistura Loaches
Snails
Java Fern

I have found when buying New Fish, a double bag inside a plastic tobacco tub or a coffee can has worked really well to keep the container upright while travelling and give them relative darkness as well. I was thinking with a few fish or less to each bag, this may work for moving, and then as a final layer, I could put them in the insulated grocery bag. The grocery bag is one of those environmental fabric bags with an extra layer of something shiny to keep things either hot or cold. It has a flat bottom so it can stand up. The other thing I wondered is; if I could get enough buckets, would the plastic bags be necessary, or could I just put the fish in ice-cream pails with some tank water, wrap them in a towel or something, and then put them in the grocery bag?? Would they get jostled about too much this way?
The filters: should I transport the media in some tank water or by themselves without the water? I could insulate these as well to keep the bacteria from dying in the cold.

Moving is such a crazy time, because there is so much to think about!!

soul-hugger

[soul-hugger]

Thank-you very much Emma and Mad Duff!

I was writing this last for so long I hadn't even seen your comments yet!

Thanks for the link, Emma, I will definitely read it!

soul-hugger