Moving Plants

ladayen

I have two smallish planted tanks.... I will be moving (within the same town) next weekend. How do I move these tanks and plants without hurting the plants?

GwenInNM

I would imagine you would empty the water as much as possible, to move the tanks. The plants will be fine for a period of time in shallow water while you move the tanks to the new location, where once there you can fill the tanks up with water. Is there any reason you'd have to take all the water out of the tank? If that was the case, you could put plants with water in plastic bags.

Boredomb

If you can move the plants like Gwen said that will work fine if not then simply take the plants out and wrap them in wet newspapers and put them in a plastic bag or a ziplock bag would work better at keeping them all moist.

Byron

How "small" are the tanks?

ladayen

35 gallon

Byron

That is a risk to move without completely emptying. The weight of the substrate (plus any water left in) is the issue, as any movement of the tank can cause the frame to "give" and the seal break, causing the tank to leak. That's the minimum; it can also cause the glass, especially the bottom, to crack if the frame is even slightly twisted.

If the tank can be set on a solid platform, such as a sheet of 3/4-inch plywood or particle board, and two people carry it being careful not to shake it or tip it, it can work. I've done it. But one does have to be very careful.

To avoid risk, the tank should be emptied completely. The plants will be fine; just gently pull them up and lay them flat in a small tank (like 5g or 10g) or a rubber tub/pail with just enough tank water to keep them covered. Temp is not so important. Keep the substrate wet in a pail/pails. Reset the tanks as soon as you can.

I did this with my 90g and 115g tanks in 2000, a move that lasted 12 hours in cold (above freezing though) temps in late November, and the plants, even crypts, were fine.