Moving A Fish Tank

[stonedcamel]

hello,

just wondering how easy or what methods to use to move a fish tank? the tank is 260l fluval vincenza and is currently sat on the carpet.

any ideas welcome? (even crazy ones for a laugh)

thanks

 

[bricko]

You will need to completely drain the tank an temporarily rehome your fish (in buckets or something) to move the tank. If you try moving while partially full you risk cracking the tank and causing yourself a lot of hassle.

I recently laid laminate floor in my front room (home of my main tank). I bought a water butt (200l) from the garden centre and thoroughly washed it out. I then drain most of the tank water in to the butt in the next room, removed the external filter and heater and set it up on the water butt. I then proceeded to catch the fish and shrimp and snails and house them in the butt. Finally i removed the remaining water from the tank and proceeded to move it until the floor was completed.
The following day I simply reversed the process by adding new dechlorinated water 50% and original water 50% from the water butt, set the filter and heater back on the tank, then caught reintroduced the fish, plants and rockwork back into the tank.
I also added new substrate so the tank was somewhat cloudy at first but cleared within 24h.

Hope this helps.

Mark

 

[minxfishy]

Well the only really safe way is to completely drain it (obviously bag or bucket the fish 1st!) with a tank that size, it obviously could be moved with some water left in, but that can lead to cracks in the glass. If your worried about losing the water, keep some in large tubs, half should be fine, then re-fill it with the water, add the fish back and top up with fresh tap water, its only like a 50% water change that way.

 

[stonedcamel]

brilliant and thanks, the problem i have is with the fluval vicenza the filter comes through the bottom of the tank. was hoping i wouldnt have to drain the tank and move the fish etc even though in the back of my mind i kinda knew it was the only way

 

[minxfishy]

Just switch the filter off before you drain it, shut off the valve that will keep the water in the filter. Drain down to substrate level that way you shouldnt have to lift the tank off, just gently push/pull it on the stand (with some help of course).