Moving my tank advice needed please :D

[Julie Ann]

Hi everyone
I'm getting new flooring fitted soon and it means I will have to move my axolotls. My questions are really about my cycle.
I will have to pop my axolotl's in some dishes then drain my tank before I move it leaving only an inch or two of original water in it. Since the tank is pre-owned and home made I don't want to take any chances. If I have to replace say 95% of the water with fresh dechlorinated tap water will this ruin my cycle and upset my axolotls?
Oh and whilst I'm asking I've got this lovely invisible, odourless, slimy feel on all of my tank and things inside, is it a safe slimy organism growing or do you think I should rinse everything over?
All advice appreciated!

[Chirple]

As long as you keep your filter submersed in the old water, you should be fine, the biggest risk comes from shocking the animal in the new water. If possible, try to keep as much water as you can in buckets or tubs to reduce this.

I'm not sure about the slime, maybe it's protein film buildup or algae ?

[Julie Ann]

Thank you Chirple for such an informative answer, I will do just that, I've 5 buckets which ill fill with water and keep my pump running in one of them, Ill also allow the tank once filled to settle for a few hours to regulate the water and temperature.
The "slime", well I'd searched this site through to try and figure out with no luck but I've just Google'd protein film and may have found my problem!
Apparently you can form this slime from excess nutrients from possible over feeding? My axies only ever eat a worm and its gone in seconds but it may be from the live plants? Either way thank you your answer has given me a direction to search

[Sky]

I have the same sort of algae though it came before my guy. . .

[Julie Ann]

Hi sky I think from results of much internet searching that mine is possibly a biofilm which is not harmful if kept down with simple cleaning and apparently grows in most tanks, This is an occurring quote I found
* The good news is the preferred food for shrimp is biofilm, which is literally grows on every surface in a healthy and cycled aquarium. Biofilm is a collection of microorganisms that is anchored on a surface in an aqueous environment. *

If I am in anyway wrong I hope someone will let me know so I don't pass on bad advice but I've just purchased a few cherry and ghost shrimp today so if they don't get scoffed then they will come in handy ;-)

[Jennewt]

The clear slime that grows in the inside of everything in the tank is indeed biofilm. This film is very beneficial. This is where the "good bacteria" live, the ones that cycle the nutrients in your tank. In addition to Chirple's good advice to keep some of the water in buckets, I would recommend keeping all the tank ornaments and rocks in those buckets of water if possible, in order to preserve that wonderful biofilm. This will keep the slime alive and you will have less problem with cycling once you get it all set back up. Don't be worried if you keep some tank dirt along with the water. This may be a good time to invest in a couple of 5-gallon buckets, if you don't have any. Good luck with the tank move and new floor!

[ahiggin1]

I had a similar problem with my saltwater tank a while back, all I did was take water out of the tank and put it in buckets (yes I had to buy a LOT of buckets lol) and then move the tank. All the water was out (minus some for the live rock and such) and when the construction was done, I moved it all back. Good luck.

[Julie Ann]

Thank you Jennewt, Its reassuring to hear the film is a good thing from a real person and not just a search engine We have these big outdoor leaf buckets you can buy cheaply here in the UK I think a couple of those will be a good idea and Ill keep one to get my worm farm going now I think about it!
Ahiggin1 I think I will definitely be needing the luck you are offering lol I'm dreading doing it but as my other half so kindly pointed out if I don't spill as much water as I do each week during my tank changes we wont have to do it again for a good few years to come (that was me told haha)