Moving fish tanks

[Guest]

I want to get a larger tank than my current 40 gallon, but I rent and move every couple of years. How do you move the larger tanks, I had a hard enough time moving the 40 gallon.

 

[Fishyfanatic]

Basically you just take out the gravel/sand and put it into clean rubbermade containers. You don't have to take ALL of it out, but the bulk of it. Keep it wet with used tank water. Seal the filter pads in a ziploc bag with tank water. Try to move as much water as possible, but it is not needed to move all of it. Move the tank to the new location, dump in the sand/gravel, add the water, put in the fish, and setup the tank. It will be cloudy for a little while, but that's normal.

When we moved our 55 gal, we took out the sand and left everything else in the tank. The maxijet, heater, airline, and thermometers were still attached to the same spots. This made it easier to set it up faster at the new location.

 

[Guest]

How about your 150 gallon? Is that movable?

 

[Guest]

LOL! Thats funny

you'd have to rent a U-Haul for that

 

[StyleUK]

How about your 150 gallon? Is that movable?

Maybe a crain?

 

[Guest]

lol

 

[StyleUK]

Well if you do move a 150gallon tank, theres 3 things you must take into consideration
1. Your sanity.
2. The price for the Crain/U-Haul
3. Your sanity?

I think you should just stick to the moving 40 gallon idea! Let's not get carryed away!

 

[RoK]

Hahaha, that's some funny stuff there.
You'd probably have to be someone like this to move that tank: Although it can be done and might not be so crazy if you have a truck to bring it in and are not bringing any of the water and fish with it.

 

[StyleUK]

Infact, don't move any of it, would be alot easyer

 

[Fishyfanatic]

HAHA. Actually, the 150 isn't going to be that bad. We have plenty of rubbermade containers to put the sand in. The plants/decor will go in another one. The water we will try to save about 55 gal. I have a spare 55 gal tank so we are going to pump water into the 55 gal and then move everything else first. Then come back to the apt and fill the rubbermade containers with the water. It won't be THAT bad. Imagine my neighbor trying to move a 265 gal saltwater tank in July! We are moving out on the same day. Our neighbors are going to think we are all nuts. To top it off, our tank didn't fit through the front door. We had to take it through the window.

 

[StyleUK]

Thus a crain was needed? Lol Sounds like fun, hope someday I can get a big tank, sadly in the UK you have to pretty much sell ur house b4 you can buy one, or fit one in your house for that matter!

 

[Guest]

well i could fit a 250 gallon in my room, i did measurements, problem is my hallway is like this L<corner L] and my bedroom is on the long wall

 

[Fishyfanatic]

Take it through the window Rudy! We did.

 

[wright4lfe]

i recently helped a friend move a 180 reef out a 2rd story condo. as long as you take your time and plan accordingly its not that bad. make sure you have an extra set of hands available in case someone gets tired

 

[dream_bc]

We have a 40 gal tank right now, we are moving and our fish are going to eventually move into a 160 gal tank we bought. We rent. We want to buy in the next 18 months. Should I wait the 18 months before I set up my 160 gal?!? Im scared now after reading this thread!

I have an irredecent shark that is one year old right now and is just under 5 inches long. Can he wait 18 months before he gets his larger home?

 

[Fishyfanatic]

You shouldn't worry about moving the tank. Just make sure you take your time and plan out what you are going to do.