Need Help with Moving

AnneRiceBowl · Post by **AnneRiceBowl** » Sat Jul 28, 2007 11:58 am

I need help from my fellow caris keepers.

I will be moving August 11 (Friday), and I need advice on how to move my tanks, shrimp, and fish.

Here's what I have to move:

30 gallon long shrimp tank: about 100 snowball shrimp (shrimplets to adults, some females carrying eggs at the present time), 12 Atyopsis moluccensis, and about 30 dwarf cajun crayfish, 60 or so pounds of Eco-Complete, driftwood with plants (Fissidens and Anubias nana) attached, and several varieties of Cryptocorynes, and equipment to include heater, Eheim 2213, and powerhead.

10 gallon: barebottom tank with hornwort and 10 pencilfish.

5.5 gallon: 4 CRS, driftwood with flame moss attached and a wee bit of Eco-Complete.

2.5 gallon: 2 sparkling gouramis, gravel, driftwood with Java moss and Anubias nana attached.

5 gallon: 1 male Betta splendens, 2 dwarf cajun crayfish, a wee bit of gravel, driftwood with Java fern attached, and hornwort.

What would be the best way to transport all of this? I am moving about a 15-20 minute drive from where I am now. Everything must be first carried down the stairs, and then back up stairs (I am moving from one apartment to another). I have a van, so there is plenty of room for buckets and such. I have 3 Sterilite containers and 3 buckets that I can use, and of course, Kordon breather bags, and I can get bags from the LPS if needed.

My main concern is moving the shrimp and crayfish with minimal loss, and also, not losing my nitrifying bacteria.

Any help is HIGHLY appreciated!

ToddnBecka · Post by **ToddnBecka** » Sat Jul 28, 2007 6:57 pm

I'd round up some 5 gallon buckets for the plants and critters. Pack plenty of plants in each bucket to give the shrimp and crays something to hang onto.
Since it's only a short distance, the sterilite containers can be set up in the new location to hold an appropriate amount of the old water so you don't have to shock them with completely fresh water after the move.
Otherwise, simply drain the tanks and leave the substrate intact for moving. As long as it doesn't dry out completely you won't lose the bacteria population. Filter cartridges are good for about 24 hours as long as they stay damp, longer than that and the bacteria will begin dying off.
Plan on spending most of one whole day to get things moved and set back up.

Post by **Mustafa** » Sun Jul 29, 2007 7:53 pm

When I moved within NYC, (much fewer tanks back then) I just emptied most of the water from my tanks, kept the substrate and shrimp in there with about 1 1/2 to 2 inches of water, put the sponge filters in plastic bags (to keep them moist) and move the tanks to their new location. I then placed the sponge filters back into the tanks and filled the tanks up slowly with dechlorinated (using seachem prime) water. Even after 2 days in plastic bags, the filter bacteria apparently had not died. Also, since you are just moving the tanks over, the bacteria in the substrate will still be alive, too, so you will most likely avoid a new cycle. I had no losses (that I could detect) by the way.

Cactus Bastard · Post by **Cactus Bastard** » Mon Jul 30, 2007 7:06 pm

Also worth mentioning, if you have a lot of substrate, make sure you vacuum it very thoroughly. I usually do about 15% water changes (enough to vacuum) every couple days for a couple weeks before a move. The move will obviously kick up any waste that was previously calmly lurking in your substrate. Even if there is enough bacteria there to avoid an ammonia or nitrite spike, your nitrates could still very quickly become toxic.