catcher Posted March 20, 2005 Share Posted March 20, 2005 Hi all, My 6x2 display tank has a colour that i thought was different but nice about 12 mths ago. I was wrong! I going to scrape it off and redo it. Trouble is the tank is against a wall so it means draining. My question is: I have a large plastic tub about 1mtr high x 1.2mtr long x 600mm wide, if I fill it with existing tank water and service it with a canister filter I have spare that is about a 500ltr/hr for maybe 24-48hrs do you recon the fish will cope? I'll put matrix from my sump in the canister so it's ok for this period of time. I'm a bit worried about the more confined space for the day or two. Any tricks about how to make this as seemless as possible would be a great help. cheers glenn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anchar Posted March 20, 2005 Share Posted March 20, 2005 Why so long Glenn...I have emptied large tanks, scraped the paint off, repainted and filled them all in a day (esp. in this weather). merjo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mazimbwe Posted March 20, 2005 Share Posted March 20, 2005 Yep...gotta agree that 24hrs(max) is all you should need. What type of fish are we talking here Glenn? Are they large Haps or small Mbuna...or one of them wierd Cichlids from the other continents? I have set up a few temporary tanks using Plastic tubs in my fish-room and as long as there is enough airation, even just an airstone, they have been fine. I have done this with tinanti(but those buggars like the floor ), yellows, polit, acei and pheno's. I have also used cycled filters and that works too...in fact I did it today with the Ikola when I changed a tank in the room...and that works great too but with no food and enough airation the fish(depending on their size/type, etc) would/should be fine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catcher Posted March 20, 2005 Author Share Posted March 20, 2005 Thanks for the replies, Maz and Andrea, I suppose my time frame had a little panic added to it . The fish are mostly haps and peacocks, some quite big, Rosti's, kadango's, etc. One other question please, If I use the tank water to fill the big tub I have, put the fish in, then dump the rest of the existing water so the display can be moved, come refill time I'll have a tank with at least 1/2 capacity "new" water in it. The fish will have to go into this first then I'll pump the rest of the pre-loved water that they have been in back to the tank. I would have been happier if the water they go back into first would have been "old" tank water, then add new just like a big water change. But this way It's happening in reverse, do you think there will be a "shock" problem? cheers glenn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CThompson Posted March 20, 2005 Share Posted March 20, 2005 Get another barrel, and save all your water. But you will still need to heat it, dependant on the external temperature. The one with the fish will need a filter, dependant on how long they are in it. I moved my 400l Tropheus tank (K1), and did it all on one day. Put all the fish, 30+ into a 200 litre barrel, attached the canisters to it, more for the bacteria in the filters than the fish. If I can do this, you can do yours in less time, as all you need is enough room behind you tank to scrap and repaint. The paint doesn’t have to be dry for it to be put back and filled. Craig Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mazimbwe Posted March 20, 2005 Share Posted March 20, 2005 Glenn, my experience with temporary tanks on the floor is more with smaller fish than the ones you are dealing with...at the same time I have not had a 4ft holding tank to use in the past either. Maybe a couple-o-rocks in the tub or some, weighted, plastic plants might make the fish feel a little more comfortable. Totally agree with Craig...spend a few dollars on the extra Drum. Not sure what it is like there in NSW but it cost me $35 for a food-grade, secondhand 200ltr drum with lid...getting right to the bottom to clean it was a challenge, and no doubt entertaining to anyone who saw it ...but well worth the money. Also spot on about the filter-media being more of a reason for running the filters than the fish, given the short-term nature of the job. HTH Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CThompson Posted March 20, 2005 Share Posted March 20, 2005 What ever temporary home you make for the fish, don’t put anything in there. It will only be something for them to either fight over, or run into, or both. The drums available from Adrian Browne 9605-3555 10 myee Rd Macquarrie Fields, are of food grade quality (some sort of powder), and were/are even lined with plastic. The ones I have purchased have only had to be hosed out. Craig Craig Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
r.d.m Posted March 21, 2005 Share Posted March 21, 2005 when i did the big changeover i used a couple of smaller tubs for the fish an airstone and heater is all you need ,definately cover the tubs with towels etc then the fish go to sleep = no stress! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CThompson Posted March 21, 2005 Share Posted March 21, 2005 skip their feeding a day before hand won't hurt either. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BaZ Posted March 21, 2005 Share Posted March 21, 2005 I remember re-painting a standard 6-ft tank many yrs ago.... I removed the rocks, drained as much water as I could into drums, then drained the rest onto the lawn until there was just enough water for the fish to survive. I then carefully moved the tank out from the wall just enough to be able to fit my arm down the back, and returned the rocks and water, and topped the water up. I then scraped and painted while the tank was full of water and operating as normal. After a day or so when I was finished I repeated the exercise. My fish went crazy after having 2 water changes in a few days, and went into a breeding frenzy. Only use this method if you are very lazy like me, and if you have a backup plan should the tank crack I was kinda hoping it would crack so I would have an excuse to buy a bigger one Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ducksta Posted March 21, 2005 Share Posted March 21, 2005 There you go, now you can choose, the proper way, or the BaZ way Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roo Posted March 21, 2005 Share Posted March 21, 2005 Only use this method if you are very lazy like me, and if you have a backup plan should the tank crack There you go, now you can choose, the proper way, or the BaZ way Well they do say that fortune favours the brave! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catcher Posted March 21, 2005 Author Share Posted March 21, 2005 Well thanks everyone especially you BaZ , You have no idea how much more confident I feel . I think I'll go with the save as much water as poss method and leave a bit in the bottom for the BN's, they survive anything. If I can slide the whole thing forward about 400mm I'll be ok. If you don't hear or see me on the forums after Easter you'll know I screwed up and took the next logical step, sat in a hot bath and cut my wrists. glenn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matthew Posted March 21, 2005 Share Posted March 21, 2005 G'day To move the tank you can place two pieces of cardboard under each leg of the tank OR you can build a small trolley that goes under each end of the tank stand. I have built these trolleys as I used to move my tanks around a little bit. They are low to the ground and what I would do was lift up one end of the tank and slide the trolley under the legs at one end, then repeat the procedure at the other end. I never cracked a tank but maybe I was just lucky Goodluck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mazimbwe Posted March 22, 2005 Share Posted March 22, 2005 What ever temporary home you make for the fish, don’t put anything in there. It will only be something for them to either fight over, or run into, or both. Craig, I know this is the usual way to do things but in the past I have found that they fight, jump outta the tub & are more stressed by having nothing in the tank. I think it has to be an "individual" thing with some fish needing cover and some prefering not to have any...just gotta play it by ear. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CThompson Posted March 22, 2005 Share Posted March 22, 2005 Okay, I take your point. In that case put something soft in there such as plastic plants, or some home made plastic spawning type mops. Craig. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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