Moving... A Long Way!?

I think that would be possible. Had a bit of a change of plan now and think we will be moving the tank with the first batch of stuff on Friday - so I guess we'll move it straight onto the floor in the new flat first and move it on top of the stand the next day. However if we could just add the heater and filter in the bucket and add the fish in before moving them into the tank the next day that would be a lot easier!

Good luck Jesnon - Im sure it will all be fine, just try to stay calm 

With the plants, I just uprooted them the day before and left them floating in the tank. I didn't acutally take anything out until I was ready to strip the tank down next day (Sorry, I don't think I was clear in what I meant when I said about it to you). Though of course, its entirely up to you how you do it - Im sure you've got your plan well rehearsed in your mind.

With regards to your gravel, Im sure Sue will give you sound advice, as always! Im actually quite interested to hear what she says on that one. Im 50/50. Yes it sounds logical to change over to sand whilst you've got a great opportunity to do it, but on the other hand, I would think that's the last thing you want to do (losing all that biofilm on the gravel) during a move. Oh, by the way, I found that it was an ideal time to give all my gravel a good clean - I put the gravel in a bucket of dechlorinated water brought up to temp (as though for a water change) in order to save as many microthingamies as possible and gave it a good swirl-round. Wow, the amount of gunk that came out was amazing!

Hope you like your new home and settle quickly 


EDIT:   afterthought as usual - I used a small dustpan & SOFT brush (Tesco £1, bought specifically for the job - not one I brush the path with!) to get the gravel out. I'm not sure how big your tank is, so it may or may not be a worthy/practical tip.

If you just had the endlers, I'd say take the risk of changing the gravel when you move. But you also have shrimps, so I'm going to say wait to change the gravel as a mini cycle could harm the shrimps.

If you are going to move the tank first this is the way I'd do it.
Bag the fish, shrimps, plants and filter/filter media as late as you can leave it. Put some water into another bag and leave it open for now. Put as much remaining tank water in the bin as you can without sucking up any muck from the gravel. Follow Chucklett's idea for washing the gravel, then put it into the last bag and tie it. Throw away the mucky water left in the tank and in the water change bucket. Move. When you get to the other end, put the gravel, fish, shrimps, plants and filter into the bin together with the heater. (If the water has cooled too much during the journey put the heater in first and wait till it's warmer before moving the fish). If you think it is possible, I think I would roll down the bag with the gravel so you expose as much as possible without it all spilling out and leave it like that in the bin as it'll make it much easier getting it out of the bin before the fish. Or even put the gravel in a plastic tub in the bottom of the bin. You need to allow the bacteria on the gravel assess to oxygen and ammonia/nitrite so you can't leave the gravel in a tied up bag for a couple of days. Once you've got the furniture sorted, put the tank where it's going, then put the gravel in the bottom. Part fill the tank from the water in the bin, move the fish, shrimps and plants into the tank, empty the bin and top up with new water. And the filter and heater.
Don't forget to unplug the heater half an hour before taking it out of the water.

You will lose some bacteria. The inside of the tank itself will have some, and if that dries, they will die. Similarly the filter casing if the whole thing won't fit in a bag and you have to take the media out. The tank has been cycled quite a few months now, so the biofilm, with the bacteria in it, should be well embedded into the filter media so they should come though with little damage.
Feed the fish very lightly for a few days after the move and keep an eye on your water.
I would also be inclined to do several very small frequent water changes (even if you don't need to because of a mini cycle) just to get your fish acclimated to Southampton water.

Once you know the bacteria have settled down completely and the fish are back up their normal feed, that's when I'd change the gravel. It is going to mean more messing about with the tank, but I'd rather do that than risk the shrimps.




When you do get around to changing to sand, the best advice I can give you is wash the sand very thoroughly. It usually had a huge amount of dust in it. At least with an Edge, you won't have too much to clean 

Good luck with your move, Jesnon....I will be keeping my fingers crossed for you

Hi Jesnon,

I have been a daft bat, and posted about your moving on the wrong thread....(I'll be back on Steve's list )
Anyway, I've put it over on the 'I'm back' thread. Honestly, if I had a brain I'd be dangerous

Hi Jesnon.     This may, or may not, be of any use to you, but I am sort of mid way between you and Southampton.   Do you come anywhere near Shrewton on your way, as I will be home on Friday and Sunday if you wanted to drop the fish off here, to save them doing a long journey in one go.   Perhaps you could send me a pm if you think it would help and we can arrange something.  Cinders.

You can move the tank and stand both tomorrow?

It shouldn't take long to sign the contrats. My younger son has done that recently - and the letting agent will want to go home on Friday evening.

You could bag the fish/shrimps tomorrow, put the media in a bag of water and the cleaned gravel in another bag of water. And put as much of the rest of the water as you can get out clean into the brew bin (do that before tackling the gravel.) All bags one third water and two thirds air. If your dechlorinator dectoxifies ammonia, add some of that to the fish and shrimp bags as well. Fish and shrimps both travel overnight in the post so as long as you can set the tank back up sometime tomorrow evenng, they should be OK. The bacteria on the media and gravel should be OK as well - remember it is now know that they can go a lot longer without food than we used to thnk. And they'll have oxygen from the air in the bag.

It is going to be extra hard work for you tomorrow evening as you must get the tank set back up on its stand before you go to bed.


The other option would be to take up Cinders' offer. Bag up the fish, shrimps, media etc, then set it back up at her house. Then go and collect it at a time to suit you both.

I would probably panic in your situation. I haven't moved with a tank (yet). But I have moved my 125 litre from one side of the lounge to the other and the process is the same, just quicker. I used a 60 litre dustbin and put all my fish and decor-with-plants into that. Luckily for me, my filter fit in and could be run in the bin so I could take my time getting the stand perfectly level.


Something I have forgotten to mention - don't clean the filter media. Just bag it, goo and all. At the other end, you'll probably find the bottom of the bag full of muck. Lift the media out of the bag, put it back in the filter and then pour the water, muck and all, into the filter. Once it's attached to the tank of course. That muck probably contains bits of detatched biofilm complete with bacteria and you want to save as much as you can.

Thanks Sue! And again Cinders for your offer! I'm not onroute to Southampton but during the moving chaos (long story) the stand is still back in Bristol. so unfortunately it's going to be a case of setting it up in southampton on the floor before moving it again tomorrow to put on the stand. Ugh!

Emptying the tank, moving the fish etc.... Traumatised! My poor fish and shrimp. Also I forgot how damn quick they are! It took me so long just to catch and bag them all!

It may be 22 years since we last moved, but in the first 15 years after we married, we moved 5 times. Most of the moves were job related and my husband's employer paid for a removal company but even then it was stressful. On 2 occassions I spent the first night in the new home sleeping on the sofa bed after huge rows with my husband just from sheer exhaustion.
I do feel for you. You will get sorted in the end.