# MOVING! Need help figuring out what to do with my tank.



## Jimbo (Apr 23, 2013)

I am moving across town and need to figure out what to do with my 57 gallon planted tank.

Here is a link to the journal for it. It has changed a lot over the last couple of months and I am going to update it before I do anything to the tank.

*Fauna*
2 x German Blue Rams - 1 regular male and 1 long finned female
9 x Wild Caught Cardinals
7 x Emerald Eyed Rasboras
5 x Harlequin Rasboras
3 x Salt and Pepper Corys 
1 x Albino Cory - big guy
1 x Clown Pleco
5 x Pink Ramshorn snails - may be more
2 x Amano Shrimp
1 x Stupid Zebra Danio - I hate this guy

*Flora*
Hygrophila sp. Brown/Thai
Staurogyne Stolonifera
Juncus Repens
Rotala Nanjenshan
Christmas moss
willow moss
Weeping moss
Java Moss
Rotala colorata
Hydrocothyle Tripartita
Val.Nana
Blyxa Japonica
Pogostemon Erectus
Ludwiga Brevipes
Needle leaf fern
Dwarf Hair Grass
Glosso
Big Java fern on drift wood
Big leafed Anubis - unsure of what type

I think there may be some other random plants in there too. I am going to put up an updated picture in my journal. There is a little bit of algae on a bunch of the plants and a good amount on some of the back plants. Nothing a little dip or TLC won't fix though, I just haven't had time to properly take care of it over the last month and I was away a lot at Christmas which started the algae.

So my questions are:

*Should I try to keep the plants and fish? I would need another tank at least and I'm not sure how to properly move all the plants and how much of a mess it would be/*

*Should I keep some of the fish and plants, get a little tank for awhile and then restart the big one after a bit?

Should I find a home for the fish and try to sell the plants and start from scratch? I do love a new project.

Or something else?*

I really appreciate any advice or suggestions. I've kicked this one back and forth a lot and now I have less than a month to figure it out. Thanks!!


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## Tazzy_toon (Jul 25, 2011)

When i moved, i used a rubber made and some ice cream buckets, it was only a 33g though! But you could use a 5 gallon pail or 3 with a lid for the fish and plants, get an air stone or sponge filter. As i said, mine was smaller, but i know people that have done this with larger tanks using rubbermaid containers as temp tanks til they could set up or even as hospital quarantines. 

But it's really up to you how much you want to put in to it. If you are not able to get it set up within 24 hrs, maybe rehoming would be better. I'm sure there are people out there with more then my one experience though. Good luck.


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## PaulCheung (Apr 18, 2011)

I bought my 70g tank as a complete system from Craigslist. In a way, it is similar to what you will go through.

I have a 20 g at home and served as my holding tank. I put all the new fishes to the 20g and put the carnister from 70g to use right away. So even though the 20g tank is overcrowded but the filtration should be fine for a few days. The plants were put in a laundry sink temporary while waiting for the 70g to be ready. The plants were not happy but will survive.

Then it is just a matter of rebuilding the 70g tank and move the fishes and plants 70g.

I think you will need to borrow a 30g (or bigger) as your holding tank.

You can consider this is your great chance to change up your substrate, your aquascaping.

Good luck.


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## Reckon (Jul 25, 2012)

Your plants will do fine for 2-3 days, either in a water bucket or in sealed plastic bags. Best to keep them some place dark so they don't start trying to grow or photosynthesize. 
After 2-3 days then they will slowly start to deteriorate. The point of no return is usually after day 5.

Just curious, which part of "across town" are you moving to?


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## Jimbo (Apr 23, 2013)

Reckon said:


> Your plants will do fine for 2-3 days, either in a water bucket or in sealed plastic bags. Best to keep them some place dark so they don't start trying to grow or photosynthesize.
> After 2-3 days then they will slowly start to deteriorate. The point of no return is usually after day 5.
> 
> Just curious, which part of "across town" are you moving to?


Yeah that makes sense. I am not sure if I can do it in 2 or 3 days. I have to get everything packed and ready to go before the move as I have to travel for work the weekend that we actually move. It's possible that I could swing it but it'd be tight. I think realistically I will need a 2nd tank set up to pull it off.

I am moving near Oak and Douglas. Into a much bigger place. Pretty excited about it. It's about 5 blocks to work which will be great.


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## Steve (Mar 27, 2013)

Do you have any friends nearby that could temporarily hold your tank for a week or two while you get unpacked and what not? I know there are a few people who tried to move their tanks but were unsuccessful because they couldn't devote the time needed due to other issues in their new house.


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## Jimbo (Apr 23, 2013)

Steve said:


> Do you have any friends nearby that could temporarily hold your tank for a week or two while you get unpacked and what not? I know there are a few people who tried to move their tanks but were unsuccessful because they couldn't devote the time needed due to other issues in their new house.


I don't really have anywhere that I could keep a tank for awhile. It will most likely be a couple of weeks before I can set it up again. I think if I want to keep any of this, I should buy a smaller tank that I plan on using later, like a 60p or something, then transfer some of the plants and fish into it and try to sell the rest. Or sell all the plants and try to rehome the fish.


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## Algae Beater (Apr 21, 2010)

I moved my 57 gallon, and 2 other tanks over a year ago. It was a relatively local move. I had a friend help with the tanks, he drained them as low as possible to about 1-2" of water and we moved the tanks as is. Only lost one too out of over a hundred fish in various tanks.


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## Jimbo (Apr 23, 2013)

Algae Beater said:


> I moved my 57 gallon, and 2 other tanks over a year ago. It was a relatively local move. I had a friend help with the tanks, he drained them as low as possible to about 1-2" of water and we moved the tanks as is. Only lost one too out of over a hundred fish in various tanks.


That is very impressive. I moved a 16 gallon tank to my office and it only had an inch of water plus the substrate and it was heavy. This tank completely empty is very heavy and has a couple inches of substrate in it. And my new building doesn't have an elevator so I don't think just moving it will work.

I think I am going to try to either get a small tank that I will use down the road and set that up with some of the fish and plants and sell/rehhome the rest or just start from scratch. I am not sure how I'd go about selling the plants and rehoming the fish though.


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## nao (Jan 23, 2011)

a couple of decades ago i was driving down a side street in vancouver, on the opposite side of street was coming an auto with atleast 4ft tank on auto hood, about 1/2 full, and 2 person sitting on car hood holding end of tank, with a look that said "this is not a good idea"-some memories you just cannot forget, i did'nt have tanks then, but the memory still makes me laugh, .I have many syphons, just tubing to suck substrate, it lets me put tank together in original form. i watched a video of adding sand, they used a 2 ltr bottle, i use a 500ml water bottle, should work with larger substrate. basicaly fill bottle with substrate put it close to bottom, No clouding, i don't no why


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## Trouble (Apr 27, 2010)

*I will buy some of your fish.*


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## Jimbo (Apr 23, 2013)

Trouble said:


> *I will buy some of your fish.*


I think realistically I will sell my fish and plants and start over in the new place. It will be too much of a zoo to try to do anything else and I'd rather take the time and do it right.

Which fish are you interested in? I would like to ideally sell them all but a few of the smaller ones which I will move to my small tank at work.


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## bonsai dave (Apr 21, 2010)

I have a spare 90 gallon acrylic tank and stand you can use for while if you change your mind .


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## Trouble (Apr 27, 2010)

*Depends on the price and how far you are from me to.
I just got 2 baby angels today and wanted to get cardinals.
I have had the mean Cichlids for so long I am so out of touch with what can go with what.

2 x German Blue Rams - 1 regular male and 1 long finned female (If they can go with Angels)
9 x Wild Caught Cardinals
7 x Emerald Eyed Rasboras (if they can go as well)
5 x Harlequin Rasboras
3 x Salt and Pepper Corys 
1 x Albino Cory - big guy
1 x Clown Pleco
1 x Stupid Zebra Danio - I hate this guy

So depending on price. My eye was on the cardinals. I have many different catfish.*


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## SeaHorse_Fanatic (Apr 22, 2010)

I can loan you a tank with glass lid (roughly 25g I think) that you can use as a holding tank. All you need to do is set it up at the new house ahead of time, bring a pail of your old tank water to mix with the new water (basically it'll be like a big waterchange) and then the night before the move, transfer all the plants and livestock into the holding tank, plug in your heater and old filter to the new tank, and completely drain your display for the move. That way you don't have to worry about dealing with the fish and plants on the actual move day. Then a week or two later, after your display is reset up in the new house, clean up my tank and bring it back. Very unstressful way to move a tank.


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## Jimbo (Apr 23, 2013)

SeaHorse_Fanatic said:


> I can loan you a tank with glass lid (roughly 25g I think) that you can use as a holding tank. All you need to do is set it up at the new house ahead of time, bring a pail of your old tank water to mix with the new water (basically it'll be like a big waterchange) and then the night before the move, transfer all the plants and livestock into the holding tank, plug in your heater and old filter to the new tank, and completely drain your display for the move. That way you don't have to worry about dealing with the fish and plants on the actual move day. Then a week or two later, after your display is reset up in the new house, clean up my tank and bring it back. Very unstressful way to move a tank.


You know... you're right. That does sound like a nice way to move. I really appreciate the offer of a tank loan.

Here's what I think I am going to do. I think I'll put half the fish into my tank at work, which will work out well... don't know why I didn't think of it earlier. Then I will buy a tank that I will use down the road either way, probably an ADA or DoAqua 60p and put the other half into there at the new place and a good bit of the plants then set up the the big tank at my leisure. I think I over though this one a lot.

Anyone have a lead on a nice rimless tank? I think I can order ADA and DoAqua through Aquariums West but I'd rather get something a little cheaper.

Thanks for all input everyone!


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## Trouble (Apr 27, 2010)

*I guess that means no fish for me then?*


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## charles (Apr 21, 2010)

Jimbo said:


> You know... you're right. That does sound like a nice way to move. I really appreciate the offer of a tank loan.
> 
> Here's what I think I am going to do. I think I'll put half the fish into my tank at work, which will work out well... don't know why I didn't think of it earlier. Then I will buy a tank that I will use down the road either way, probably an ADA or DoAqua 60p and put the other half into there at the new place and a good bit of the plants then set up the the big tank at my leisure. I think I over though this one a lot.
> 
> ...


I have a 12g rimless for $60.


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## Jimbo (Apr 23, 2013)

Trouble said:


> *I guess that means no fish for me then?*


Yeah sorry. I think I am going to try to keep them all. Except the zebra danio. I hate that fish.



charles said:


> I have a 12g rimless for $60.


Interesting. That's a little smaller than what I had in mind... what are the dimensions of it?


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