Best Way To Move A Tank Downstairs?

[Blade118]

I have a 72l tank up in my room, and replacing it with an 120l tank (moving 72l downstairs) and was considering what best options were to move it?
Do i either?
1) Put all fish into a bucket and empty tank (leaving 1/5 water)
2) Remove 4/5 water leaving fish in?

What ever i do, will stress fish out, so wanted quick and easy

 

[Anguilla82]

probably take fish out along with most of the water (keeping it in buckets if you can) so that the tank is light enough so that you don't head over heels down the stairs.

 

[schooly20]

The fish should be fine in a bucket for the little while that it'll take to you to move the tank downstairs and get some more water in it. If you can put some plants for something in the bucket just to give them something to hide under to somewhat lessen the stress.

 

[Athena]

Blade, do you have floorboards upstairs? If so, before you set up your new tank, it might be a good idea to check they are in good supporting condition before adding that extra weight to them (especially if it's an old house, like mine). Have a check of the joists. I discovered a joist had rotted away in one corner of my living room (when I got a carpenter to check it) - it meant having some work done before I could place anything heavy in that corner. I had some extra supports fitted so that I wouldn't have to worry about the weight of the tanks. I have 6ft in total of tanks in that area now.

Oh yes, and I remember reading somewhere that when moving a tank, take out the fish and most of the water (but keep most of it in clean buckets), leave the gravel etc with some of the water. When pouring the water back into the tank, place a large jar or container in the tank and pour the water into the jar slowly and as it overfills it will gradually fill the tank without upsetting the gravel/plants etc and making too much of a mess. Not tried it myself but I made a mental note to remember this as it sounded like fair advice.


Athena

 

[vinylman]

I'd take all the water and gravel out of the tank. Even if you only leave 1/5 of the water plus the gravel in it, it's still going to be heavy considering you're going downstairs, not up. All it needs is the water to slosh about and gravity will do the rest; remember, you won't be falling onto the stairs, you'll be falling onto glass. People have died falling onto their tanks during maintainance. It's just not worth the risk.

 

[newfishy]

also carrying a tank with gravel in can also cause the gravel to slosh around and crack or chip your tank. and voids any warenty you have on the tank because most come saying "never move with ANYTHING inside tank"

just do yourself the favor and empty everything, saving in buckets what you can.

 

[Tolak]

Empty it completely. Aquariums are designed to be stable in a static position. Besides voiding the warranty, the amount of water in the average aquarium can cause damage to the dwelling far in excess of the price of the tank. These things tend to happen at the worst times, like when you are not home or in the middle of the night.

I have a 72 gallon I got for free, it was moved with substrate, a few inches of water, and fish;

That is a cracked structural member, the crossbrace on top of the tank. If it goes out the bowfront tank will really bow.

The solution;

That is the damage you can see, there is no telling if any of the seams are weakened. This tank stays in the basement, concrete floor, floor drain, only damage would be some mop work if it went out.

 

[Blade118]

Thanks people for the support, Tell you something that was horrible, something i would strongly not recommend unless 100% sure! Think fish were abit stressed, but they seem calm now swimming like no tomorrow.
cheers guys