Moving fish downtown

[chrisfoerst]

In two days, I will be relocating my whole aquaponic setup in a gallery downtown. My plan is to put my tilapia in a holding tank for 24 hours until the system is relocated and the chlorine evaporates. Is it a problem to add the plants immediately?

Also, any suggestion on how to move the fish? They would be in transit, door to door for maximum 25 minutes.

Thanks!

[TCLynx]

I would recommend some sort of filtration and aeration for your holding tank. How big is your system?

How many fish and how big are they?

I have moved fish in coolers before but you need to have some way tot get aeration into them so a hole in the top of the cooler makes that easier but kind ruins the cooler for other purposes. Cooler full with lid closed to reduce sloshing except at the little air hole.

If your system is already cycled up, I would leave the media to be the filter for the fish in the holding tank. Seeing as if you take your media to the new locating and re-fill with chlorinated water you will likely kill off your bio-filter and wind up having to re-cycle all over again. Get the report from the local water authority to make sure it's only chlorine you are dealing with at the gallery location since chloramine won't outgass in a few days (that takes several weeks.) You might be better off filtering the water with an activated carbon filter if you are dealing with chlroamine.

Then on fish transfer day you might want to transfer the fish and the media into the new system on the same day so you are not leaving the fish in a holding tank without filtration for days.

[chrisfoerst]

Thanks for the suggestions TCLynx.

The holding tank will have a store bought filter and bubblers (it's only for 24 hours.) The way I built my system, I really have to move the bio filters with the units and set them up together. But, I hear what you are saying about the chlorine killing the bacteria. (Luckily there aren't chlorides.) I was planning to leave the filters alone (still some water there) and not start the water for at least eight hours. I also don't want my plants to die!

I have about 55 fish but most of them are way too small to harvest. They are just going along for the show. I have about 10 that are between 8-9 inches (not that big but these are the ones we will harvest).

I have two styrofoam coolers that are on hand. I was hoping to get some large, strong plastic bags and fill them with water and air and put the fish in those, inside the coolers. I just don't know how to get the air in the bags.

[TCLynx]

Well if you are sealing the bags, you would be better off filling them only part way and inflating the rest of the bag with oxygen or getting breather bags especially made for transporting fish and those don't require air in the bag.

To provide air in bins or coolers I usually go for a little battery powered bubbler or get an inverter for the car and plug in an aquarium air pump for the ride.

Now I don't know how you are going to keep your bio-filter alive if you transport it and then re-fill everything with chlorinated water. And if you simply leave the filter and plant bed empty for the day, they probably won't survive very well either if it dries out. I would suggest taking enough water from the existing system with you when you transport so that you may at least re-fill the bio filter and plant beds with good water and add some aeration for the night to help keep it all healthy until you can finish the set up properly.

Your holding tank filter will probably need to be cycled up if you are going to keep the fish healthy for a day in a small tank. Even if it is only for a day, fish are still going to give off ammonia and if that builds up it is not going to be all that healthy for the fish, especially as preparation for a move into new water. I don't want you to have to deal with a system crashing or fish dieing while on display in a gallery.

[chrisfoerst]

Ok, I am going to look into those bags you mention and I'll find a way to transport some water with me.
I found this product called "organic digester" which adds lot of beneficial bacteria to a system and it's all based on algae. I will see about adding that to both the holding tank to see if it gives me a leg up. Absolutely don't want dead fish on display. Thanks again for the help!

[TCLynx]

I don't know this product "organic Digester" What sort of purpose is it meant for?

How long till this move is going to take place?

You might be best off if you could manage the entire move in one day and move the water from your system along with the fish. That way you don't have to worry about conditioning the water at the gallery.

[urbanfarmer]

Your plants will be fine. The chlorine will not kill them whatsoever. However, don't let the roots dry up and die.

The plant requirement for Cl is quite high as compared with other micronutrients, but its exact role in plant metabolism is still obscure. Chlorine is:

- Associated with turgor in the guard cells through the osmotic pressure exerted by imported K ions.

- Involved with oxygen production in photosynthesis.

- Involved in chlorophyll and photosynthesis because its deficiency causes chlorosis, necrosis, unusual bronze discoloration of foliage, and reduction in growth.

[urbanfarmer]

As far as the fish, you can add 1000 mg of ascorbic acid (vitamin C) per 100 gallons water to neutralize the chlorine.

We have also discussed this here: removing chlorine from tap water with Vitamin C?

Since you have Tilapia, you really do not have to worry about the typical chlorine levels found in tap water. Mine runs just under 2 PPM of chlorine on average (it has been as high as just under 4 PPM, the legal limit). I have NEVER dechlorinated my water for either goldfish or Tilapia. I have had some baby Tilapia (which are more susceptible to chlorine than adults) in this water. I have had no mortalities. Channel catfish start having trouble at 0.1 PPM, but Tilapia have very special organs that help them deal with the chlorine. Check what the tap water is (you can find the water report online), and if it's something like 1 PPM or even 2 PPM, I wouldn't even worry about it. (I wish I could find you some exact numbers for acute chlorine toxicity in Tilapia, but I don't have any on hand.)

If anyone is interested in learning the science behind this, have at it HERE

Also, the chlorine will disappear in as little as a few hours with "bubbling". Elemental chlorine has a poor solubility in water especially at high temperatures. If you boil water and let it cool or cool it fast, you can rest assured there is no chlorine in it, period.

[chrisfoerst]

Thanks for the info Urbanfarmer. Any suggestions/concerns about the chlorine killing the bio filter? It is going to be a logistical nightmare to move the cycled water on top of everything else that has to happen in the next few days.

TCLinx, The product comes from http://www.strata-intl.com/ Check it out!

[keith_r]

you can also find oxygen tablets to use for short transport