# Noob picking up a stocked 55 tomorrow, moving it 3.5 hours



## SpaghettiCat (Apr 12, 2009)

I am a noob to all of this but have been reading all the forums and one book in the last few weeks. I found this:

1.5 year old 55 gallon tank with: 
Custom heavy duty Pine Stand Cabinet
250 watt submersible heater
Twin light bars
2 Emperor 400 power Filters
Flagstone structure
Beautiful 3M color-quartz black substrate
15+ beautiful, active and breeding Demasoni Cichlids
2 gorgeous Elongatus Usisya Cichlids
5 striking Electric Yellow Lab Cichlids
All get along very well and happily, these are fully colored and textbook quality cichlids that I have raised. $60 for all fish adoption, or $200 for the tank, all equipment and fish.










What is the best way to move these and get them back into their tank with the least chance of any problems.

Anything else I need to get or helpfull suggestions would be highly appreciated.

Rich


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## lotsofish (Feb 28, 2008)

It will take a while to individually bag each fish (1/3 water and 2/3 air in the bag) and put in stryrafoam containers but that would be the best way to move them. If you don't have fish bags, I'd use dark rubbermaid tubs with some air holes. Hopefully if the fish are in the dark, they might not be aggressive to each other in the confined space. Be careful if you use rubbermaids since they may not seal very well.

Keep the bio-wheels wet during transport and you should be able to save the bacteria culture. Remove the water from the tank for transport but if you can take some of the water in a separate container, you might avoid shocking the fish with different conditions if your water isn't similar the the water they have been in.


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## hey_wood1981 (Apr 7, 2004)

It appears that the front corners of the tank are off the stand. Hopefully someone else will chime in but from what I've read and been told all four corners of a tank, especially one of that size should be on the stand.


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## SpaghettiCat (Apr 12, 2009)

I do have a 120 quart cooler I can take along. Should I mix treated tap water with a little tank water? How much tank water should I bring home? I know to keep the filter stuff wet so I dont loose the biological goods. But what about when I get them home,l how much new water to old etc?
Can I keep the gravel in the tank with a little water on the trip home? I was thinking that I would just take the rocks out.


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## Joels fish (Nov 17, 2007)

That little bit of overhang shouldn't pose much of an issue, I'd be more concerned about what looks like the back hanging off and the front crossing the open section in the center of the stand unsupported. Obviously the custom stand was for a different tank. Still not too big a problem to correct . Cut a piece of 1/2", or 3/4" plywood to fit the dimentions of the tank and put it under the tank on the stand. Paint to match the tank trim or the stand and it will hardly be noticable.


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

I would worry about the lack of support for the frame of the tank as well.

How far are you moving them? If it's just an hour or two I use 5G buckets with lids (like cat little buckets...well cleaned of course) and a battery operated bubbler. Use the existing tank water in the buckets...don't fill more than 1/3 full (better if the fish thrash around in shallow water to keep it oxygenated).


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## SpaghettiCat (Apr 12, 2009)

Thanks, I can cut the plywood before I leave tomorrow Morning so Its ready when I get them home. I just found this article
http://www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/moving_tanks.php Looks like it is dated today


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## SpaghettiCat (Apr 12, 2009)

DJRansome said:


> I would worry about the lack of support for the frame of the tank as well.
> 
> How far are you moving them? If it's just an hour or two I use 5G buckets with lids (like cat little buckets...well cleaned of course) and a battery operated bubbler. Use the existing tank water in the buckets...don't fill more than 1/3 full (better if the fish thrash around in shallow water to keep it oxygenated).


It's about 3.5 hours I think I have a battery operated bubbler somewhere too.


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## Joels fish (Nov 17, 2007)

SpaghettiCat said:


> I do have a 120 quart cooler I can take along. Should I mix treated tap water with a little tank water? How much tank water should I bring home? I know to keep the filter stuff wet so I dont loose the biological goods. But what about when I get them home,l how much new water to old etc?
> Can I keep the gravel in the tank with a little water on the trip home? I was thinking that I would just take the rocks out.


I'd just use enough water to let the fish stay upright in the container. once you get them home you can start adding treated tap water to aclimate them to the new water chemistry (every towns got its own ) . For the biological media, just put it in a container big enough to hold it and keep the media submerged in water. Any thing will do so long as it holds water. I wouldn't worry about taking old tank water with you. Just use what you'll need to transport the fish and media , the rest is just more work. As long as you take the time to properly acclimate them the fish will be fine without the old water. Think of it as a really big waterchange :lol: . I also wouldn't suggest leaving the sand in the tank. The sand will be wet and heavy. This added weight can litterally cause the bottom to break, or stress the seems enough to cause leaks. A nice 5g bucket or two should hold all the sand, plus it makes the tank a whole lot easier to move . :thumb:


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## lotsofish (Feb 28, 2008)

Since its only a 55 gallon tank, it might not be so heavy that you need to remove the gravel. If you can move it with a slight amount of water, it will probably be ok. Remember, you are dealing with glass so make sure you support the tank from the bottom while moving it. The top plastic frame is easily broken if you try to lift the tank by it.

The more tank water you bring home, the better since it is what the fish are used to. Still, if you were buying new fish, they would have to acclimate to your water, so don't over worry yourself about toting water home.

Mix the water you bring home with your water. You will need to get your water up to temperature and also make sure there is no chlorine by using a water conditioner. Then, you might take some of the water you mix up in your new tank and add it to the water the fish were transported in to acclimate them before releasing them.


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## SpaghettiCat (Apr 12, 2009)

The move was a success, thanks to all. No casualties at all and everything went as planned.
I left just the gravel in the tank and removed everything else, I put the fish in a 5 gallon pail in the front seat (floor) and put the heater in it to keep them at 78Âº I watched them closely and they never came up for air or looked distressed. I was going to stop for a battery powered bubbler if they did.


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## hey_wood1981 (Apr 7, 2004)

Nice! Congrats on your new tank and the move. Where did you get the stand?


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## SpaghettiCat (Apr 12, 2009)

I stopped at a per store on the way to pick up the stand http://forestlakepets.com/ It was $79.


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## hey_wood1981 (Apr 7, 2004)

Cool. Looks good. :thumb:


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## SpaghettiCat (Apr 12, 2009)

Thanks, I still need more rocks and to do some more landscaping but its looking better and they all seem happy. The Elongatus Usisya's stay hidden, are they going to relax a little someday?

I did a water test this morning 
Ammonia = 0
PH = 8
Nitrite = 0
Nitrate = 15


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## SpaghettiCat (Apr 12, 2009)

Its been over a week and the daily test results have stayed pretty much like this:
PH 8.1
Ammonia 0.25
Nitrate 0
Nitrite 0

I have added a couple gallons of topoff water but other than that I have done no water changes or cleaning. When should I do my first WC? The fish seen healthy and happy.


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