How Am I Going To Move My Tank

[Chri$]

i have a 60 litre rena aquarium, it sits currently on an oak chest but i have a rena stand waiting for the tank. i have three fish currently in the tank and if possible i don't want to move them as they have only been in the tank for a week. I can get my dad to help me lift it up but i'm scared the bottom will fall through. Whats the best plan of action for moving a tank?
cheers

 

[rdd1952]

Since you only have 3 fish in it, I would suggest using 5 gallon buckets (the ones you use for water changes). Syphon about 75% of the water into the buckets and move the fish into one of them. Then syphon the rest of the water off and discard. All you will have left then is the tank, substrate and what water is in the substrate. Probably will only weight 30 or 40 lb. Lift it carefully and move it. Be careful setting it down as that is when you would be most likely to break the bottom. Then put the water and fish back in and top the water off, basically meaning youhave done a 25% water change.

 

[Chri$]

thanks a lot for your reply. Do you think the fish will be ok when i move them into the bucket as i have only had them a week.

 

[Animation]

I did exactly the same process with a 65 litre with 10 fish in it, they were all fine- However i couldnt catch my ancistrus so he stayed in it while it was being moved LOL

 

[andywg]

The more water you can remove the better as moving tanks with water in can cause them to crack.

 

[Chri$]

thanks a lot for your comments, i will attempt the move tommorow,

 

[Animation]

Good Luck Mate!!

 

[rdd1952]

To remove the fish, take as much water out as possible first and use 2 nets. You can use one net to kind of herd them to the other one. A lot less stressful than chasing them around the tank with one net and risking hurting them by pinning them to the glass.

 

[Durbkat]

I did exactly the same process with a 65 litre with 10 fish in it, they were all fine- However i couldnt catch my ancistrus so he stayed in it while it was being moved LOL

As you probly know plecos are hard to catch and the best way to do it is by just picking them up with your hands. All I did when I was moving my 10g was remove about 50% of the water and put fish in bags then me and a friend picked it up and moved it. But that was like 2 years ago but earlier this year when I moved it into my room I had gotten stronger and me and my friend was able to pick the tank up with out empting it at all and just put the fish in bags. I guess I was lucky the bottom didn't fall through.