Major room revamp...axie care?

I solemnly swear I have checked with the search engine, and gotten some good advice.
However, I am about to embark on a MASSIVE room renovation, specifically my bedroom which I share with the six adult axies (And afterwards adding Pablo, Lizzie and Pipsqueak if she actually survives (She's the tiniest of the larvae I have at the moment, but she's quick so I have hope!) in their tank which I'll (hopefully) be picking up tomorrow). The reasons? 1. My filter flooded my carpet and it being winter, it never dried out, so I'm moving to something more Caitie/Minnie-proof. 2. I won a bedroom suite, and I'm switching out my old bed for it, in the meantime using it as an opportunity to redecorate and cull my mountains of STUFF! (Probably not the best timing for it, but it's happened so I'm rolling with it!)

As most people have talked about just paint, and this is looking more like Eris herself setting up shop, I'm looking for further advice...

Problem #1- Moving the tank/filters
-Any thoughts on keeping the filter alive? Should I invest in more Sacrificial Guppies?
-Any advice for temporary storage of a 4 ft tank? Or does someone want to buy it off me so I can get a six footer? I'm in the upper North Shore of Sydney, it's just under a year old but is missing one of the four lid covers (The story involves heavy painkillers and not going to bed till 3am...330 once I cleared away the wreckage *facepalm*)

Problem #2- Housing the axies
-Unfortunately the fridge is out as it is filled with food (And being kept quite close to zero).
-Would a plastic pond covered to stop little kittens going "Amphibianing" (as my little brother calls it) be acceptable? Or would a large plastic toybox be a better solution* *Note, this would be in the next room to the chaos, and thus not exactly away from it...
-Any thoughts for moving the tank outside (I don't know if this will become a factor, or if it would in fact be a good idea to do, especially considering Problem #1)?

Problem #3 Moving back in
-As there will be heaven knows what going into the air in my room, what would be a good time interval for returning everyone back to the room? Or are there signals (lack of smoke. fumes, the bat signal...) That would say "Yup, hometime." Are there kits available?
-Does the low fumes paint REALLY make a difference?
-If I only have one day to get everything back in (Which I fear may be the case), would I be wise to move the tank back in and leave it empty until the parameters of the room itself come back to "safe?", then wash it out and return the axies of evil to their home? Or do I (quite literally) beg my uncles to come and help a second day just to be on the safe side?

Problem #4-Adding in extra plumbing to the filtration circuit
-In order to avoid the chiller heating the room which would heat the tank this summer, could I feasibly add in an extra *calculates* 6-8m of piping into my filtration circuit (Using an AquaOne Nautilius 800 with a Resun chiller) without it all going kablooie?
- If the answer to the previous post is "no", then is pointing it into the centre of the room or in the vauge direction of the window or door better for the overall heat results (Just hoping someone else has done the experiment).

Problem #5- Substrate
-As the sand's been in service for nearly a year, would switching it out be worthwhile?
-What are the best methods for storing the substrate and decorations without them going toxic/smelly/ generally bad?

Any answers at all would be incredibly appreciated! And once the chaos is over and done with, I can guarantee there will be many pictures posted
*hugs!* and many thanks in advance-Caitie/Minnie, Freddie, Izzie, Peta, George, Bertie, Phree, Pablo, Lizzie and Pipsqueak.

I can't tell you much, but I can give you this advice...

Wherever you store your axies, keep them far away from your room. I once had some prehistoric thingies (they looked like mini kabutops) that I hatched from eggs bought at a museum, and my parents decided to fumigate my room due to a ladybug infestation. So I took their tank and moved it into the hall maybe 20 ft away from my room, but somehow enough fumes got to them and they died.
It would be safest to keep them outside if temperatures allow it and you can predator proof their housing.

Remember that when keeping them in a different room, the air ducts can send any fumes or dust from your room to another.

Good luck!

This is going to sound weird, and coming from someone who only understands filters at a Finding Nemo level, but could you temporally run the filer in a bucket [or spare tank] of tank water to keep it from drying out? Maybe you could also stick the decorations in there.

I know some people use those big storage tubs for their newts, but it probably depends on how long everything takes. It might just be easier to move the tank then refill it if they're going to be out for a couple of days.
I'm sure moving them outside wouldn't hurt, but make sure you bird proof it as well as kitten proof it.
The kookaburras might decide that your axies look tasty (Seriously. I've seen then steal an entire kebab out of someone's hand because they wanted it. Also lost countless goldfish when we had a 'pond')
They'd probably enjoy the cool weather!

But I have no idea what I'm talking about.

you're right about the kookaburras. I had one steal a whole hotdog from my hand as I was going to take a bite. they are nasty sometimes, like the seagulls at the sydney opera house, one of them stole my pie when I was there last time.

I would get a large plastic tub, put your ornaments in there and run the filter in the tub as sort of a temporary tank. or even the bathtub would do perhaps?

Thanks guys! chris, sorry about your bugs...did you ever get some more?

In response, as I'm pulling up the carpet, laying floorboards, repainting and redecorating, I'm expecting it'll be two weeks at least from the time the axies go into the buckets (to move them safely without them getting squished by decorations) to when I plug the filter back into its final plug. I'm thinking outside might be the smart move (Although the temperature here's been swinging between 9c at night and 19c during the day, and August is usually much worse in its swings). As to the bathtub...It gets used every night (Not by me- I can't do baths *GAK!*).

As to kookaburras, the swoop in and eat it thing happened to my uncle with a lovely hot meat pie....And we've got one who likes to sit out under the pergola... Perhaps flyscreen under some colourbond/clear roofing stuff...

Move them outside and get something to cover it.
Having done something similar to my own room its much easier if you set something permenant, because it also means thar you don't get things like building dust in your tank and filter.
It's a pain to move even a small fishbowl around constantly because they can get in the way of people who have no idea that they shouldn't put whatever they have near the tank.

Thanks for the advice! As a result, the babies are definitely going outside for this endeavour Whether or not this ends up being in the tank or I FINALLY set up one of the two plastic ponds mum bought for the garden back when I was in High School (Ancient history) for them to hang out in (I'm thinking if I do this, I can later populate it with koi....), I'm not sure. Also got to make sure the tank doesn't get damaged, coz I'm not allowed to upgrade (I asked- DAMN!)
Now to start the cleaning process *shudder*

Also got to make sure the tank doesn't get damaged, coz I'm not allowed to upgrade

Click to expand...

I'd put them in the tank. People tend to be more careful around a full tank than they are around an empty one. That and make sure it's as out of the way as possible.
And if you have other people come to do work let them know to be careful around it/move the axies if they're moving big things in and out near it.

Axies of evil. Lol.

*makes useful contribution*

Useful contribution accepted! And Jossie, I agree...Now to find said safe-to-begin-with spot...
Though, another thought...anyone found any really pretty light shades of purple? And!! (Just coz I don't want to create another post and it kinda relates ) Two babies went to their new home today!!! AND!! Even though they're only 4cm long, THEY'RE GETTING 4FT of TANK!! (Well, to move into once they're bigger!) SO currently I'll only be dealing with 10 babies during the reno (And my brother decided to adopt one as well...and promptly named it after a video game character *brain can't remember actual name...*, So four going into the new, smaller tank (read:3ft). Which brings another thought, has anyone ever built a bookshelf with a tank in it, and have any thoughts for ensuring structural integrity?)