Moving tips and tricks please!

[Insidious]

We may be moving in the next month or two, even if we don't it won't be too far off into the future. We have two tanks one 20 gallon and one 55. Like the title asks, what's the best way to do this? We aren't moving too far, about a 15 min drive. (makes this doable) 

 

I do have one of those usb air pumps coop sells which I plan to use. 

 

The 20 gallon is mostly empty right now just a few shrimps and couple fish.

 

The 55 has something like 10 rainbows couple killifish and a pleco with some live plants. I have a bad pic of it I'll paste below.

I am soooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo not looking forward to getting all the substrate out !!!!! idk why on earth I put so much. 😧

[Cleveland M]

My advice is exactly what it looks like you planning to do. 5gal buckets with the fish using the nano air pump and actually emptying everything out of the tanks before you move them. If you feel the fish can't all go together then move and set up one tank at a time

Me, I would probably worry over the huge water change that's gonna be happening in the 55 and buy a bunch of buckets to haul 35gal of the old water. Probably not really needed and hopefully someone who has done a move like this will advise.

[lefty o]

5gal buckets. a bucket or two for the fish, and a bucket for each tanks substrate.