Moving a 125 gallon with large fish, need advice

[Snagrio]

On Saturday I will be driving two hours to get a fully set up 125 gallon system from Craigslist that's currently housing medium/big cichlids (parrot heads and others around the same size that I can't identify for certain) and a couple plecos. I have rubbermaid totes to hold the fish and a decent amount of the water and aeration stones for the long drive back and will have two other people with me to help (and the rule of safety since it's Craigslist by default). but I need more advice as to how I can pull this off without killing anything and getting stuff done smoothly.

Also I don't plan to keep the fish as the tank is an expansion for my current community (I've found a LFS that will take them), but how long a stay should they have post-move before taking them to the store so they don't get over stressed?

 

[Wills]

Would it be an option to take the fish to the store imediately? Like get to the seller early morning and drop the fish off before you take the tank home?

If you can get some have a look for battery powered air pumps they are useful, I've seen some you can charge up with USB. Having an airline in the external filter will really help keep as much bacteria alive as possible.

Wills

 

[Naughts]

Decent fish stores let fish settle for 2 weeks after getting them in, then sell them.

 

[Snagrio]

Would it be an option to take the fish to the store imediately? Like get to the seller early morning and drop the fish off before you take the tank home?

If you can get some have a look for battery powered air pumps they are useful, I've seen some you can charge up with USB. Having an airline in the external filter will really help keep as much bacteria alive as possible.

Wills

The plan is to go early in the morning so maybe? I'm not sure if there would even be enough time in the day though between the 4 hour round-trip plus all the time draining the water and getting everything in the van then getting it out and set up at home. The catch though is that I'd like to trade the fish in for live plants if possible, but I'm not sure if that'd work if I tried to do all that on the same day. And I'm not even certain the tank has proper lighting either which is another factor to consider if I'd need to get that day 1 as well. Lots of things to juggle and not much time to plan it through.

Speaking of however, the van does have a regular plug that I can use so the airstone I have will work. Though I only have the one so I'll probably want to get a battery one too (especially since there's two canister filters).

 

[DAnCSF]

Hey I just did that with a 100 gal....it will be a long day...see if the seller can at least empty half the tank of water before you get there....then use the remaining tank water for the tubs of fish. I hope you have plenty of tubs/5 gal buckets for the substrate. etc...The substrate buckets need some water in them if you plan to reuse the substrate just to keep them wet for the bacteria...etc...finally it's the drive home and if you haven't already done it but have your home location prepped and ready for the tank. .. finally have a six pack on ice for your friends after you get the tank placed in it's location....heck go all the way and have a pizza pie delivered too they deserve it. I had to buy my serfs/adult kids lunch.....good luck and would luv to see it after it's all set up...