Tips and tricks for moving an aquarium, fish in?

[Chenpoes]

I have my 55g on a stand I made myself, and I just hate the varnish I chose, don't know what I was thinking but it's one of the ugliest colors on this planet. Want to paint it black but I of course can't do it with the tank on. Anyone have experience moving a tank this size while keeping the fish/plants/etc in? Any tips or thoughts? Wouldn't have to go far, maybe a couple meters, but I still worry.

 

[Leinalou]

i've always heard you should never try to move a filled tank. I would never try with a 10, let alone one that big. I just don't think the glass is meant to take that kind of pressure... seems very scary to me. Plus, it is at least 500 pounds, as water is 10 pounds a gallon, ish. So, save a very fancy weird tool to slip something under it and then carry it, I would recommend draining it at least 4/5 and moving the fish, just to be safe. Maybe you could slip something under it and have a few people carry it? even saying that stresses me out. I think it's best to take the time to just move the fish and temporarily drain the water.

 

[BigManAquatics]

I cant even move my 45 gal alone with just the gravel in it!! So yeah, you would be best off draining a good majority of it and grabbing a buddy or two...and make sure to give them beer afterwards

 

[StarGirl]

I wouldn't. What are you planning for the painting. Do you have to sand it or something? I would just paint it where it is....lol Curiosity wants to see the ugliest color ever....lol

 

[dojafish]

You're gonna have to drain it and put the fish into a bucket while you move it if you're that determined. Get some strong people to help you move the tank. An empty 55 gallon tank is about 80lbs alone, on top of however much substrate and hardscape you leave in there. Practice safe lifting.

 

[Chenpoes]

I wouldn't. What are you planning for the painting. Do you have to sand it or something? I would just paint it where it is....lol Curiosity wants to see the ugliest color ever....lol

I don't have a pic on me, but I originally varnished with a very bright, very red cherry type of varnish and then thought it was, well, too light and too red lol. Instead of sanding I just went right over with a black varnish but it didn't go well, instead made this super dark muddy reddish color. I would paint as is, but the tank is on carpet. Would be impossible to do a solid paint job on the bottom without ruining the floors, but I think I'll try draining the tank halfway and see if I can slip some cardboard underneath before I go about moving.

 

[Frank the Fish guy]

Remove all the fish to buckets using existing tank water. Use an air stone. This is their home for a few days.

Remove all the water and all gravel and rocks to other buckets and cover with tank water too. No air stone needed. Rinse the gravel while you are at it.

Move tank only when its empty.

Do your painting.

Set the tank back up and refill with half new water. Put all of the water and fish back in from the buckets. Top off as needed. with new water.

So you get a new stand, and a nice tank clean an 50% water change in one shot!

After a few days do another 50% water change since your fish have accumulated a lot of waste in those buckets.

 

[MiaK]

I have only 20 gallon long and that was freaking heavy when I drained almost all the water but left substrate and moved it by myself 3 meters. Sure my back will make me pay for this in coming years lol

 

[BigManAquatics]

I have only 20 gallon long and that was freaking heavy when I drained almost all the water but left substrate and moved it by myself 3 meters. Sure my back will make me pay for this in coming years lol

Doesn't help a 20 long can be a bit awkward when empty, anyway

 

[Pariah]

Practice safe lifting.

This. Take the extra time and do it right. It's not worth risking your back. I speak from personal experience on this one.

as water is 10 pounds a gallon, ish.

Freshwater is 8.34# (3.785kg) per US gallon if you ever need to do some ancient Egyptian algebra with your tanks. No clue on saltwater weight, but I'd imagine it would depend on your specific gravity.

And I also want to see how ugly this stand is. It can't be as bad as you say.

 

[Chenpoes]

Y'all really wanna see my great shame huh? I give in, I'll post it. Please keep in mind this was literally the first wood working project I ever did lol. Honestly it wouldn't be so bad if I didn't have grey-blue walls/cleared some of the clutter underneath or put on cabinets, but hindsight is 20/20. (Don't pay attention to what's happening inside the tank, I haven't been keeping up with the plants...) And thank y'all for all the advice! Think I'm gonna go with the take-it-apart method so I can do a lot of renovation on the stand and rearrange plants.

 

[Pariah]

I don't think it looks bad at all. You're crazy.

 

[BigManAquatics]

Houston, we don't have a problem.

 

[BigManAquatics]

All my stands are just black. That looks better than mine!

 

[Tallen78]

I have my 55g on a stand I made myself, and I just hate the varnish I chose, don't know what I was thinking but it's one of the ugliest colors on this planet. Want to paint it black but I of course can't do it with the tank on. Anyone have experience moving a tank this size while keeping the fish/plants/etc in? Any tips or thoughts? Wouldn't have to go far, maybe a couple meters, but I still worry.

yeah like frank said.any other way GOOD LUCK

 

[magentatooth]

I have my 55g on a stand I made myself, and I just hate the varnish I chose, don't know what I was thinking but it's one of the ugliest colors on this planet. Want to paint it black but I of course can't do it with the tank on. Anyone have experience moving a tank this size while keeping the fish/plants/etc in? Any tips or thoughts? Wouldn't have to go far, maybe a couple meters, but I still worry.

I have moved my tanks a lot of times, they are 130L. I take out all the wood and decorations, leave in all the plants, take off lid, empty down to about 1.5 inches water (above the gravel) and move. They've done two house moves and a few within house moves like that, had no problems and no fish deaths.

 

[Chenpoes]

Y'all are too kind! I'm admittedly a bit of an overthinker lol... My brain is probably making it out as worse than it actually is.