Moving a tank?

[pairustwo]

I found a nice stand with doors and everything that I would like use to repace my cheapo iron stand - with the fluval and yeast hanging out all over the place.

What are the chances of moving an established tank.

How much water can I take out without having to re-cycle?
How much weight can the glass floor support?

This is a 20 gallon glass tank 24" long and 14' deep
I have a couple of inches of flourite substrate and maybe 10 lbs of rock which would suck to pull out but I could do it.

I'm thinking I could lift up one end and get it on bamboo skewers to use as rollers. It is just that lifting up of one end that worries me.

what do you think? Anyone Tried this?

pairustwo

 

[bs6749]

If it were me... I would siphon half of the water into clean buckets or other containers. Then I would move the tank from the current stand to the new stand after placing the inhabitants into the buckets or other containers. This should be 80-100 pounds. If you can't lift that much at once I would recommend taking out as much water as you have to and then putting it back in. Clean buckets are always good to have around. You may not even have a mini cycle if you take out all of the water. I did nearly a 100% water change on my 55 gallon tank, due to moving, and did not have a mini cycle at all. I had lots of plants which probably helped with this. I guess it all depends on your setup but I would say that taking out 18 gallons would be okay to do. Remember, most of the beneficial bacteria are on surfaces in the tank, in the substrate, and in the filter and filter media. Very little are in the water column. Hope that helps.

 

[Michael]

I have move too many a tank. Just recently I move my 75 gallon from one of my businesses to another. The tank did not go thru a mini cycle, it stayed cycled without problems.

First I got 2 five gallon buckets, filled 2/3 way and put the fish in.
Then I put the filters on the buckets and pluged them in to keep them running.
I then removed the rest of the water and put it into two 32 gallon rubbermaid buckets along with rocks.
I left enough water in the tank to keep the gravel wet.
I moved the tank, set it up, added the water from the 32 gallon buckets.
Set up the rocks and plants
Then added the filters, then the fish.
Within 5 minutes it was like I never moved them.
Never got a reading of ammonia or nitrites.

 

[shayfish]

I have moved tanks a few times also. Honestly, I would take out as much as you think you can. If you keep your substrate and filter media wet there's no reason to have a mini-cycle. I would recommend putting as little strain on the seals as possible. Remember that the tank is designed to hold that much weight only with the sealed bottom edges fully supported so there's no gaurantee that they can hold anything without that support. I would err on the extreme side of caution but I am also terrified by the thoughts of leaky/exploding/sponteniously combusting tanks.

 

[Sidi]

I'd probably take out all the water, down to the substrate line, and rocks (don't want them shifting and scratching/hitting the sides), then move it with substrate and the water to that point only. There's very little bacteria in the water, so you won't cycle. If you can save 10-15 gallons of water it shouldn't even shock your fish. I'm sure you could do it with a portion of the water in there (especially with help), but I'd rather make the tank as light as possible for safety sake.

Once, in an emergency, I moved a 55 gallon with full substrate. Without anyone to help me (other than an office chair). Overall I did things just like Michael, and it went fine.

 

[ezy33]

20=200 lbs drain the tank leaving enough to keep the fish in water. Using two people rock the tank to break it free from the stand, then slide it on to the new stand. Return the same water. Don't twist, rock at the same direction. I have moved up to a 55 gal this way. Good luck.