Moving a 20 Gallon Tank

[CluelessInNY]

Okay everyone. I have gotten terrific advice from everyone on here to this point. My first mistake in buying my tank is that I did so without thinking as much as I needed to.
The present location of my tank is fine, but it atop a dresser. The dresser seems fine, but it is built with four tapering legs about 2x2 inches and I am a little nervous that the 240 lbs load atop it will give out someday soon. The dresser is REAL wood, which is certainly good news, but yet I worry that the spindley legs will give out and one day I will wake up to a crash and a disaster!
So how does one shift and lift a tank this size without breaking the glass or killing the fish? I am going to guy a small cabinet designed for a fish tank and will certainly invite a good friend to help me, as I cannnot lift anything close to 200 lbs alone. Advice?

 

[Retaks]

Umm.... drain it and refill it. Its ony a 20 gal. I had a similar prob with my 55 gal. I got it all set up and filled on my dresser(Its home made to deal with the weight of the tank) and forgot to check clearance for the hob filter. I needed to move the entire thing out 3" without tipping over the dresse and spilling 55 gal of water in my room. I ended up draining 95% of the water and pulling it out which was not easy by myself since the dresser itself is about 300 pounds.

 

[meegosh]

I'm not sure with SW what all you have to do but I did just move my 10g FW. I just used a board long (and thick) enough to hold the tank securely. I had a friend push the tank (with only a few inches of water in it) onto the board that me and a friend were holding.

Once we got it over to the new stand we simply slid it back off the board and onto the new stand. The key is to hold it flush with the stand surface so no stress goes on any one side. Worked like a charm for me... just my experience

 

[CaptainAhab]

Get food-safe buckets. Empty the tank down to a few inches above the substrate. Put the water in the buckets. Put the LR and fish in the buckets. Move tank to new location. Reverse directions.

Expect a possible sand storm when you refill. Bulk up on some floss in the filter until it clears (assume u have a HOB on there).

Key is to do it quickly. If not, make sure everything is heated, covered and with water movement.

When you put everything back, turn the lights out for ~12-24 hrs until everyone has calmed their nerves down.

 

[CluelessInNY]

Sounds good guys...this is a lesson for the impulse buyers out there. DO YOUR RESEARCH FIRST!!! I though when I bought everything that I was putting maybe 50 lbs of weight on my dresser LOL! Duh!
Now I have to hope my fish survive this mess. Thanks all!