Tank Transfer! - Page 2

El Pez · 08-06-2006, 02:20 AM

Wow Aaron....I am glad you and I think so much alike...one would almost think I copied your post as my own.

Sary · 08-06-2006, 02:25 AM

Really, with a year abroad I wouldn't have a way to take the fishies with me?

So in turn if I am transporting the fish, I will want to put them in some kind of sealable (large) container with water from the tank and an airater.... hm. Seems plausible enough. Actual tank keeps 4 or 5 inches of water in it with the sand/gravel/whatnot and other parts stay dissasembled with tank. Doesn't seem as bad as I thought it would.

Thankyou for your help!

ahill3780 · 08-06-2006, 02:26 AM

That's when you know the other guy knows his stuff.

Practice makes perfect. And there are only so many ways to do a thing the right way.

Perhaps next time I will share my secret of how to fill the tank back up again without kicking up all that sand into a dust storm.

(sshhhh, don't tell them I already posted that info in another thread! Let them dig for it!)

El Pez · 08-06-2006, 02:31 AM

Now this one I have to hear....I must admit, I have been stumped by this many times. All I have been able to accomplish is to hook a pwr head up and pump the water from the storage jug into the tank....being certain to hold the hose coming from the pwr head at the bottom, aiming the water flow against the glass. That has done a good job minimizing sand dispersion....do you have a better technique?

ahill3780 · 08-06-2006, 02:46 AM

A lot of people say that you can lay down a garbage bag on top of the sand and then pour the water down onto that. This technique works, but you still get some sand storm when you lift the bag out, and then level off the crater you made by pouring the water down onto the sand.

My technique is more successful, easier to employ, and less messy to clean up, not to mention no need to smooth out any craters. The only thing is that it works best with another person around to offer their hand.

It makes use of an empty bowl (emptied out butter tubs that have been thoroughly cleaned are better) that is deep enough to hold at least a liter or two. Place the bowl/tub onto the sand and pour your water directly into that (SLOWLY at first so it doesn't jump out of the container). It will fill up and lightly spill out over the edges into the tank. Keep this up until the water level rises enough that the bowl/tub starts to float away. At this point have someone hold it in place while you pour. As the water level rises you can start to pour faster, but continue to make sure you are pouring into the container. Once the water level is about a third of the way up, have your partner hold the container up just under the water surface at an angle so that when you pour into it it hits the container and flows out sideways along the surface of the water and not down onto the sand.

The whole theory behind it is that the container absorbs the impact and keeps the sand from being thrown up. I have used this method every time I add water to the tank (with the exception of my 55 gallon where I simply dump new water into the sump) and I can tell you that it works perfectly. I will try to get a video demonstration at some point to post up.

There you are. Trade secrets 101.

Sary · 08-06-2006, 02:51 AM

I somehow feel as though i've been initiated into some strange club or cult with the learning of how to fill up the tank without sploshing up sand.
Amazing!

ahill3780 · 08-06-2006, 02:57 AM

Oh, you are being dished up a treat with that little tidbit of knowledge.

It usually takes a lot of top-offs and a lot more frustration and agravation before you start thinking about how to get over that mess. And then you usually have to search around (a lot) to get any tips on how to avoid it!