need advice for moving tank

[deli_conker]

here's the skinny...

tax return should be here by this Tuesday and I'm getting a new tank setup with some of it.

I am going to be putting my fish into a 75 gal tank that needs to be put where my 55 gal currently is.

Here's the plan thus far...

1. get new tank, stand and all fixin's ready to go (cleaned etc.) in the apartment and close by.
2. remove terrain from 55
3. remove most water from 55 and 10 gal QT tank
4. take extra water from 55 to fill 10 gal
5. put existing fish into 10 gal tank
6. remove substrate from 55 (being careful not to disturb too much)
7. move tank and stand to new location
8. setup new tank/stand
9. add water
10. acclimate fish to new tank and release them into it

I will be using the same filter media from the previous tank.

Any ideas on what else I should do?

 

[cybercron]

I will avoid a double post by tacking on my current tank moving project.

I also have to move my 55gal reef tank from my Family room to my Living room. I was going to use a similar method.

1. Move livesotck to 10Gal QT Tank.
2. Move remaining water to 5gal buckets.
3. Remove tank.
4. Relocate stand.
5. Replace tank, water livestock.

I was going to leave the substrate in the tank.

Any advice would be most helpful.

Van

 

[Christmasfish]

I just moved all the fish from my 18 to a 40 with same problem..the location was the same spot needed...

*First I half emptied and moved the 18

**then I moved their stand (and moved other tanks from larger stand)

***moved large stand to 18 location

_**_Started immediate tank set up because the 18 couldn't be plugged in from the coffee table
***I bagged my aggressives and dainties and put them all in a nice warm unused QT with all the rest of the rascals

*****then I used the media and decorations from the 18 lightly washed in tank water and moved it all to the new tank. I put 3 used filters in there that i keep all in a 8 gal QT for just-in-case
I arranged everything and began the long task of filling
tested the warm water for any strange readings, waited to see if heater was proper..
**started putting fish in one by one. I'd scoop a fish in a betta bowl and flaot em with gradual water adding til the bowl sank and the fish was free.
I am sure there must be an easier way!

Looked like some kinda carnival get up.
Then after all that, I ended up destrying the tank water quality 2 days later searching for a fish and have now likely have no media left except the extra filter kind.

 

[Guest]

http://www.aquariumadvice.com/showquestion.php?faq=2&fldAuto=28

Article on moving your tank, by Billy Z. (this topic comes up a lot).

Good Luck!

 

[Thaiboxer]

I just did this, from a 55 to a 125, with very similar methodology:

1. get new tank, stand and all fixin's ready to go (cleaned etc.) in the apartment and close by.
2. remove terrain from 55
3. take extra water from 55 to fill 10 gal
4. put existing fish into 10 gal tank
5. Move substrate from 55 to 75
6. Move water from 55 to 75 (what's left)
7. Move fishies from 10 to 75

Unless your 75 is going where the 55 is currently, it's easier to move the substrate and water directly from old to new.

Good luck!

 

[deli_conker]

Unfortunately it is going where the 55 is now. It's kinda like a divider between my dining room and living room in my apartment (it sits behind my couch).

I'm just glad I have a friend helping me with the lifting...

 

[Kwenbee]

I just moved our 10 gallon from the kidlet's room to the family room because we're putting a computer on the desk where the 10 gallon was living.

I don't know if I did this right, and I know it's a much smaller tank than a 55 gallon....

I took 1/2 the water out of the 10 gallon (it is a divided tank that has two betta fish in it and four cat fish - 2 on each side), I picked up the tank (all by myself...Wonder Woman that I am) and very slowly...felt like forever...carried the tank down the hall and to it's new location. I added new water, but man was the tank nasty looking when I was done!

I'm going to do some water tests today to be sure the cycle is okay. The only problem I have now is that the stand I bought (a cheesy metal one from Walmart) I thought had been tightened enough, seems to be leaning a bit to one side after I put the tank on it, so gotta get hubby to tighten the screws with his manly muscles rather than my girly ones.

It was a bit of a watery mess by the time I was done!

 

[deli_conker]

I pretty much have to empty the whole tank because of the weight of everything. The empty 55 gal weighs at least 75 lbs with nothing in it...

If the water turned real nasty when you moved it, then I would worry about an ammonia spike. When I turned my 10 gal into a QT tank, I pulled all the undergravel stuff out of it (UGF, air stones, etc.). This stirred up all sorts of gunk. I had an ammonia spike the very next day. DIdn't do any harm as there were no fish in the tank though...

Just keep an eye out for it just in case...