Getting new carpet - apartments sux

[Bioworldmaker]

Hey all

I am facing a not-too-happy situation. As a broke student that I am, I live in an apartment. The management decided it was about time to change the carpet (which is more than true! It looks like a ol' dirt rag) and that is great, except for one problem...
Yes, that is right. I'll have to move my fishtank. 29 gal of water, 2 medium driftwood, lots of river rocks, 10 barbs, 1 redtail shark and 4 otos. I hate having to disturb them... Changing the carpet shouldn't take more than a day (I imagine!!)

Here is the advice needed part:
How do I move my tank without causing too much stress on my poor little fishies? The tank will be moved to the kitchen and then back to its place
in the living room.

I was thinking that I should leave the tank half-way filled with everything in it and maybe move it that way. But being only half-filled I wonder what would that do to the pump. My tank is one of those Eclipse2, so it needs to have water to the top for the pump to work best. Also, I wonder if moving the aquarium, half-water and all, could cause it to break due to pressure.
OR
I could get another smaller tank maybe a temporary 10 gal and transfer everyone there, move the larger tank empty, save the water. But then... Would my biowheel dry and die? That could cause problems to my cycling I guess?

Help me !!
Thanks!

 

[youronlysin]

My own thoughts say just leave the pump unplugged for a day. I would drain the tank far enough to make it easy to lift. Then maybe add a little bit of water to it once you get it moved. Leave the pump unplugged if you have to and just run an airpump and airstone in the tank. If its easy enough, you could just drain it low, move it and refill it. Then do the same thing once the carpet is in. It isnt something that youll have to do on a daily basis, so the fish should survive and move on with life just fine.

 

[Mr Burns]

i have moved my 29 gal around the room several time with moving/changing the furniture.... i would suggest taking out all decorations (rocks, woods, etc, except any silk plants you might have.) if you can get a 5 gallon bucket, scoop out a lot of the substrate into the bucket, then siphon off enough tank water to cover the substrate. after that, empty the tank to about half way or to the point where it become manageable to move. i would advise that you scoot the stand (with the tank on top) across the room and into the kitchen if possible. picking up a tank filled with any amount of water is asking for trouble. once you have the tank moved, fill it back up to where the filer works, then repeat the process after the carpet is installed. one day without the gravel and deco won't hurt your fish, but i would suggest keeping the light off to minimize stress. hth

 

[rubysoho]

I had to move my fishies from my dorm, back home, and then back to an apartment in a span of two and a half weeks. Honestly it is a lot easier just taking the fish out of the tank because if you try and move the tank with water still in it, it will slosh around a lot more than any bags or buckets might. Also, you risk breaking the tank which is never a good thing. Of course, my fish had to go through a two hour drive (each way) so it is a much different situation.

Actually, the owner of my LFS just told me a story today of two girls that tried to move their fish tank across a room in their apartment (though alcohol may have been involved) and the tank became unbalanced, fell, and since it was a 55 gal tank and they lived on the 3rd story, it was not a pretty site 8O Anyway, now that entire complex has banned fish tanks so 800 apartments have no fishies (or at least none "detected" by housing). So just be really careful. Good luck, and I'm glad you are getting new carpet... I wish they'd replace my carpet in my apartment

 

[BrianNY]

I would never move a tank that has water in it!!!! It stresses the seals and could cause leaks in the future!!!!

I would unplug everything. Begin draining the tank. Get enough buckets to hold half the water. Catch the fish and place them in the buckets. Keep 50% of the old water.
Move the tank and stand to it's temporary location. Slowly add the old water and fish. Fill the tank with new water (you just did a 50% water change). Plug everything back in.

Repeat the process after the carpet has been laid.

 

[Bioworldmaker]

Thank you all! So I guess I'll empty the water, the last thing I need is a leaky tank!
sorry I only gave you each 5 kudos for the good advice, but I am short on fishy money

 

[rubysoho]

hope you enjoy the new carpet!!