Its moving time (advice needed)

[Josh23]

Its not a big move. Just from one room to another.
The Plan!!!!

1. Catch fish and put in individual 5 gallon buckets
2. Remove all rock and put in large rubber maid garbage can
3. Remove water down to sand level.
4. Pick up tank and move to next room
5. Replace

Question is
How long can the fish stay in the 5 gallon buckets
If the 50 gallon tank with 4 inch sand bed is to heavy to lift and I have to take out some sand is if going to release chemicals into the remaining water. What should I do?
Thanks
Josh

[Bob I]

As a matter of interest I have taken entire sandbeds out during a move, and fired them back into the tank. I have never experienced a problem. :D :D

[Delphinus]

4 of us moved Mitch's 50g refugium with 5" sand bed. It was a chore, but we were able to do it without sand removal. So if you can get enough people together ....

I don't know how long Mitch's fish were in 5g buckets. Seems to me, at least an hour or two (since this did involve a cross city trek).

Mitch, do you remember? It seems soooo long ago now...

[Aquattro]

I've kept fish in 5g buckets up to three days. I had a brittle star in a bucket for 2 weeks.
When I switched tanks, all the sand got mixed and moved, no problems afterwards.

[canadawest]

Not that I've actually done it, but I would expect that fish can live for an extended period of time in a 5gal bucket. As long as you keep the temperature regulated and perhaps throw some bubbles in there (aka air pump) to keep the water moving (and oxygenating) it would be no different than keeping the fish in a 5gal tank for years.

I would recommend keeping the buckets in a dark room if possible as the dark will be less stressful to the fish, especially considering the moving circumstances which always stresses fish out.

[MitchM]

4 of us moved Mitch's 50g refugium with 5" sand bed. It was a chore, but we were able to do it without sand removal. So if you can get enough people together ....

I don't know how long Mitch's fish were in 5g buckets. Seems to me, at least an hour or two (since this did involve a cross city trek).

Mitch, do you remember? It seems soooo long ago now...

Yeah, that was last April, wasn't it? Now I'm in a new house again.... :wink:
Couple of hours with the fish, no problem. My bi-color Blennie had hitched hiked in some live rock in an unheated container...it had gone to below room temperature, and he was not impressed! But he's still alive and kickin' - one of my favorite fish. Also, remember that my sandbed had the bottom 2" of Miracle Mud. I would have hated to stir that up! It takes forever to settle.

Mitch

[ron101]

Is the tank glass or acrylic?

If it is glass I would recommend removing some of the sand bed. Moving glass tanks with heavy contents can cause flexing that can cause leaks in the silicone. So unless you can slide the tank onto a rigid carrying platform I don't think it is worth the risk of setting it all up again only to find you have a slow leak.

[Josh23]

The tank is glass.

I dont know if it makes a difference but its only a 50 gallon with a small foot print 36x16 inches.

If I do go ahead and remove most of the sand can I replace it all without creating a problem. The sand bed is 3 to 4 inches deep and in some locations deeper in the bed there are black areas. Its my understanding that these areas if disturbed can release gasses into the water. Will i have to replace all the sand?

Thanks for all your replys so far. Keep them coming

Josh

[AJ_77]

I think the best advice you've received so far is to slide it onto a piece of 3/4" plywood and have 3 friends help you carry it. Then you can keep the sandbed intact, which is what you seem concerned about.

Piece of cake. :wink:

:D

[StirCrazy]

for a smaller tank like that it would be no problem to move it with just one person on each corner.. for what its worth 4 people moved Brads tank down stairs, into a van, up stairs again and into the new house.. n ot a problem whats so ever.
just make a gental indent in one corner of the mud and scoop out as much water as you can.


Steve

[seadog]

Recently took out CC and set up a DSB. I purchased a 14$ 48 gallon Rubbermaid container, put in few pieces LR, a power head , a pump,a heater, and tank water. IMO this is a better alternative for temporarily housing your fish. More space, more places to hide for the fish and only cost me 14$.