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Okay. Well my Dad and I are going to be moving my main fish tank to the new'ish TV room. The 200L'ish tank is situated in my bedroom on some solid old school bench, which has been it's stand for the past three years.

Well, yeah. My parents decided once i left home to go out and buy a nice fish tank tank stand and hood. Now they want to move the tank out of my old bed room into the TV room which is at the other side of the house. Well i figured i would need plastic storage tub thingies to hold some of the water, gravel, driftwood, plants and fish while Dad and I move the tank. I figured i could drain water from the tank into buckets, and pour the water into the big 15 - 20'ish gallon tubs in the TV room, then bag the fish, put them into the tubs. Empty put the plants and driftwood stuff (the two are attached) into buckets. Remove all the gravel, unhook the filters and stuff. Empty the tank basically, and move the tank to the stand in the other room. Then set it up. Could someone tell me direct me how to do all this the easiest and safest way. Or any tips if you have done or read about moving tanks before. Thanks.

-- Gomer

Oh and yeah. The tank has been full for a constant three or so years. Would this have done anything to the silicon seals. I mean if i empty the tank, then refill it, could that cause a leak? Or am i just worrying too much?

-- Gomer

I think you said it all, but i will tell you what i usually do.

Empty some of the water in a bucket & catch the fish & place them in the bucket & keep a lid on. Place an airstone with the fish & a heater if required.

Empty the rest of the water in containers & then place the gravel in another container & keep the gravel wet.

Keep the filter wet aswell, so the bacteria will stay alive.

Move the tank to it's new place & check the silicone seals. I don;t think that the seals will need anything after 3 years. I heared that they last 10 years.

Fill the tank with gravel, water, plants etc. etc & hook on the filter. air pump & heater.

Wait till the heater reach the required temperature & then place your fish.

That's how i always do mine & hope it helped.


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Silicone should be fine. The problems usually happen when its allowed to dry out completely and is then refilled.

For animals, the entire universe has been neatly divided into things to (a) mate with, (b) eat, (c) run away from, and (d) rocks. - Terry Pratchett

Yeah okay. Thank guys. I will give it a shot in the morning, time for sleep now.

If anyone can think of anything else which may help, just give me a shout. I will check the thread before i begin, and reply with the results.

Ciao.

-- Gomer

forget about preserving bacteria on the gravel, just hit the stuff with the garden hose. it will be filthy, no matter how well you gravel vac. Onless you want a few days of dusty tank, rinse it before you move it

For animals, the entire universe has been neatly divided into things to (a) mate with, (b) eat, (c) run away from, and (d) rocks. - Terry Pratchett

This is what we did to move our tank:

Put all of the gravel in a spare 10g tank. take 35% of the water out (that equals the water change) then drained the rest of the water (cept for a few inches) into a 40g garbich bin.

We left the fish in the tank (That was our only choise, i dont want to pick up a 14" pleco with spines all over it, and a 9" clown loach with the spines under iuts eyes that can slice my hand off)

We moved the tank, then put the water back in, then put the gravel back in.

All of the fish were fine, none died because of stress or anything.

To be quite honost, the fish acually LOVED it, the WCMM's were flairing, then clown loaches were swimmin around, the pleco just sat there like he always did (came with the cories).

I have discovered a time bomb. A crack which runs almost the whole depth of my tank. So lucky it never leaked. But now Dad and I have to make a trip to the pet shop and buy a whole new tank.

Will update later. I hope the fish are fine in their tub.

-- Gomer

When i moved my tank (which was only like 6 feet) i fully drained the water put all my fish into a stirophome box with heater and filter, washed out tank, then fully started again...new water, clean gravel, and no plants! took 3-4 hrs to heat up water...so i added boiled water the fish loved it!
My stand didn't like to be moved tho! at one stage i thought it as gonna snap!

It's always better & safer to drain all the water before moving any tank. Better be safe than sorry.


http://uk.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/s8xi5heh/my_photos
http://www.geocities.com/s8xi5heh/classic_blue.html
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/buzaqq/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/corydoras/
Member of the Malta Aquarist Society - 1970.
http://www.maltaaquarist.com

I didn't even attempt to move mine.

-- Gomer