Changing Tank Stands

[celaeno]

i'm thinking of changing to a more secure tank stand. how can i do it safely, both for the tank and the fish? it's my 10 gallon.

 

[Mikaila31]

If it was me I would take out 50% of the water, then move it to the new stand. You could take out more water if you put it in buckets, then add it back to the tank once it has been moved.

 

[Biulu]

Take half of the water out, put it in a (clean) bucket, and then lift up the tank. If necessary with 2 persons, and move it to the new stand. I always put egg crate or another material underneath to even out the pressure.

 

[Inchworm]

Hi celaeno

Moving a 10 gallon is no problem. It's the bigger tanks that are a job to move.

All you have to do is take almost all the water out, leaving just enough to cover the substrate, and move it with the sand/gravel in. Since the process is quick, if your fish are small, they can just be moved into a small (one quart or so) deli container for the duration.

I usually save about 1/3 of the water to return to the tank once it's set where I want it to be. This helps keep the number of bubbles that form in a newly set up tank to the minimum. Be sure to take out your filter an set it in a pot or bucket filled with tank water. It's probably best not to clean it at this time since that might disrupt the beneficial bacteria and you will want to keep them in good condition.

Once your tank is moved, just add back some of the old tank water, add dechlorinator and fill with water of the proper temperature. Once the filter is going, add the fish, and enjoy.

 

[Tolak]

If you don't mind the risk of a leak, then by all means move it with substrate & some of the water, along with the fish.

Tanks are designed to hold their contents in a static position. Moving them with anything in them risks stressing a seam, or the glass, resulting in a leak. I've moved bare bottom 10's & 20's with an inch of water, along with fish, but this is in a fishroom, water hitting the floor is nothing new, and I have spare tanks stored empty.

For a tank with substrate in an area that I can't risk a leak, or for a larger tank, put the fish & some tank water in a bucket. Put the substrate & filter media in another bucket, along with some water to keep the media wet. I don't bother keeping any of the tank water, but I do large weekly water changes. You may want to save about half the water.

You now have an empty tank, pull it off the stand, replace the stand, tank, substrate, water, filter, and all the other goodies you may have running or decorating the tank.