How Do I Move Tank?

37 gallon tank on a wood tank-stand cabinet.

Want to move it over some 6 feet on same wall of room. Need advice esp from those who have done this already.

I realize it's very heavy. Will do water change (removal phase only at first) plus I can take more water out of tank and keep it in some 5gal pails. How few inches of water will my platies, tetras & Cory fish tolerate?

Any other advice besides don't drop the tank?

The stand cabinet is made for fish tanks, one of those heavy particle board cabinets. Which after 3 years is sunk into the carpeting. It's not gonna just slide over on the rug. So I'm afraid of lifting the cabinet by its top. But I don't really have a way to remove the tank first then move cabinet. It's just me and my DW to move it. Not sure if I can easily get any strong help.

 

I recently moved 20 miles, I used five gallon buckets, ten of them, put tank water in them along with plants in each and fish.
Then moved and put it all back together, with about 20 percent fresh water so I didn't have to carry the last 20 gallons, they all did fine for the five hours or so it took me.

 

37 gallon tank on a wood tank-stand cabinet.

Want to move it over some 6 feet on same wall of room. Need advice esp from those who have done this already.

I realize it's very heavy. Will do water change (removal phase only at first) plus I can take more water out of tank and keep it in some 5gal pails. How few inches of water will my platies, tetras & Cory fish tolerate?

Any other advice besides don't drop the tank?

The stand cabinet is made for fish tanks, one of those heavy particle board cabinets. Which after 3 years is sunk into the carpeting. It's not gonna just slide over on the rug. So I'm afraid of lifting the cabinet by its top. But I don't really have a way to remove the tank first then move cabinet. It's just me and my DW to move it. Not sure if I can easily get any strong help.

Hello, you can just remove as much water as possible to sustain the fish inside and with two people, lift the tank and cabinet if its not too heavy. You can also do the same, but remove the tank from the cabinet first and place it on the floor or something sturdy, just make sure you lift from the bottom. If you're doing this by your self, i've moved tanks with furniture dolly's

30 In x 18 In 1000 lb. Capacity Polypropylene Dolly

 

I'm not an expert, but I wouldn't like the idea of moving a tank with water in it, seems to me like too much chance to put stress on the glass.
but I've never tried it, someone else here will probably have an idea about that.

 

I only want to move it 6 feet. Without removing all the fish or plants.

 

Rivieraneo is right. Remove as much water as possible and carefully move it. Id also remove any decor heaters and filters etc... remove everything you can.

 

How many inches of water is the minimum to leave for the fish to NOT stress to death?

 

As long as its a quick move and your not leaving Iit sit for hours ive done it to an inch at most from top of fish.

 

I'd just put all the fish in buckets if I could, and as much water into buckets or any convenient containers as possible. Get a couple friends over to help pick the tank up and move it, a little 37g tank should be easy for 2-3 people. Then pour the water and fish back in, done. I wouldn't expect it to take more than an hour all up.

 

I had a buddy help me move a 55 about 10 feet on carpet a couple of months ago with the fish and plants in it. Drain it down to about 1.5-2 inches of water, remove heater lights etc. It will slide on the carpet, one person gently pushes and the other pulls, this done on the stand. The one pulling can lift a little to get the stand out of the carpet indentation.

 

Well, I did it. Kept half the existing water in clean buckets. Python-ed out the rest but leaving 2 inches.

I could lift the cabinet with tank on it but the other side was too sunk into the carpeting. And I felt like I would pull the cabinet apart. So I put some of those super slick furniture moving slider pads under each corner and easily slid the tank where I wanted it. Poured back the water and refilled the rest.


Done.

 

I wish I had the slider pads, the one problem I encountered was the stand it's 36" tall and I'm only 5'6" or so.