# help! moving my planted tank...



## trashion (Aug 24, 2007)

well, as much as i pretended it wouldn't, winter break has arrived and i am forced to move my tank home for a month.

it is a 15 gallon tank, planted semi-heavily, with a nutrafin yeast CO2 system. filter is aquaclear 30, running with biomax/polyfiber/sponge.

here's my plan for moving:

-drain tank to an inch of water plus substrate
-pop the fish into a large plastic bag in "the fish bus," my small styrofoam box, with a battery-operated airstone.
-save 2 gallons of water in a bucket, plop filter media in there, along with lava rock and java fern/driftwood. 

questions/uncertainties:

-what do i do with the plants? some are rooted into the substrate (swords, crypts, ludwigia, rotala) but my 4 anubias (barteri & afzelii) are just weighted down. should i put the weighted ones into the bucket with filter media?
-what to do with the co2 chamber? it's still reacting, it's only a couple of weeks old. should i pipe it into the bucket of water?


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## Guest (Dec 21, 2007)

Your plan sounds good. 

All the plants will be fine to uproot. They may be a little ticked off, but should root back into the substrate when planted again. The Anubias will be fine in the bucket too. I'd just make sure that all the plants stay wet.

I'd personally start over with the co2 mix, but if thats just not an option, you could pipe it into the bucket with the plants.


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## trashion (Aug 24, 2007)

could i possibly leave the rooted ones in the tank? there will be about an inch of water on the substrate...but if that's not enough, i'd understand. haha, i just don't wanna have to rip those swords out, and i had enough trouble trying to get the ludwigia to root :x 

keep in mind i have to repeat this process again in a month


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## Guest (Dec 21, 2007)

Sure, as long as the water covers the plants, they will be fine in the tank.


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## TheOldSalt (Jan 28, 2005)

Many plants can be emersed for quite awhile with no problems, too, so yeah, I'd say you shouldn't have to uproot them. How long a trip is it from school to home?


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## Guest (Dec 21, 2007)

How long to you have to move? as in how many total hours will it be from the moment you take them out, to the moment they get back in the tank? That will also help...There are quite a few colleges near me where it is only 1-2 hour drive, which is no problem for transportation plants and animals, but there are others that are out of state, and that's a long drive, so it will help us to know how long you have to travel...lol


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## trashion (Aug 24, 2007)

hmm, well, it's about an hour and a half trip, BUT that doesn't include packing the car, waiting for my sister at the train station, then unpacking the car. i'd estimate around 3.5 hours total


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## Damon (Jan 18, 2005)

I would never move a tank with substrate in it.You cannot keep the tank level to keep stress on the glass at a minimum.


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