# Moving a planted Tank



## Barbara Turner (29 Oct 2018)

Hi All
Just looking for some tips and tricks when moving a fish tank (picture below was taken a few months ago before everything grew)

I'm moving house next week and really not looking forward to moving my tank. 
It's 120 x 50 x 60cm and made in braceless 12mm / 10mm  glass

I was hoping to be able to move it  but it's all looking pretty heavy

Tank only - 64kg
Gravel -  20kg
10cm water (120x 50x10 / 1000) = 60kg
seiryu stone / spider wood  = 10kg

Total = 155kg

It's weighing in about the same as a piano, without the advantage of wheels.
Guessing I need at least 3 strong friends.

I've bought a garden sprayer and plan was to give all the plants a good spray every 20 minutes, drive will be about 2 hours. I'm hoping that in a warm car everything will be okay.

Just wishing that I had glued all the hardscape in place.

How do people move big exhibition tanks? Guessing there aren't any companies in yellow pages with bespoke lifting equipment..


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## Zeus. (29 Oct 2018)

I have moved a 50l tank which was pretty easy but yours . Think I would drain empty and rescape


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## Tim Harrison (29 Oct 2018)

Barbara Turner said:


> How do people move big exhibition tanks?


Like Zeus says probably your only practical option is to strip it down and start again in the new house.
Aside from lumbago and hernias you probably risk popping the seals or damaging the glass through stressing the tank unevenly.


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## Iain Sutherland (29 Oct 2018)

Big tanks (90+) do get moved for expos but generally it's planned before hand so the tank is on a base that can be lifted fairly easily.
I remember Mark Evans's 120 was moved for Aquatics live and it was no small job and lots of people needed, flat based transit etc... 
I'd suggest the easier/realistic option is to break down and replant after. Sorry.

Sent from my SM-G950F using Tapatalk


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## Edvet (29 Oct 2018)

Agreed: strip and rescape
Livestock can survive in a simple garden pond


 
You can run a filter on that and float the plants, it will keep for a week easily.


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## Barbara Turner (29 Oct 2018)

Hmmm...Easier said than done.
Here's what the tank currently looks like... (ignore all the horrible reflections)

Cory's and rainbow fish are a real pain to try and catch. 
 I'm not even sure how you would try and catch the couple of hundred baby shrimp that live in the Monte Carlo carpet. 

I moved some of the crypts around yesterday, and they need replanting with a little bit more care which is why you can see lots of the roots sticking up.   




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## tam (29 Oct 2018)

I guess you could catch the fish that you can, take all the rock work out, syphon the sand from the front (might have to loose some carpet) that would give you the ability to lower the water to 1-2 cm (shrimp gathering in the low points) and drop about 50kg of your weight estimate. I'd cling film rather than spray. Then get a professional/adjustable height trolley to slide it over and wheel it out on. 

(Not responsible if it explodes at any point if you do that)


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## oscarlloydjohn (29 Oct 2018)

Drain the tank as much as possible, pack it full with bubble wrap or something similar to keep hardscape in place, then possibly try to slide it on to some kind of trolley?

Hope this helps


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## zozo (29 Oct 2018)

Exhibition tanks or prescaped tanks that are sold completely and some do, ofcourse shipped without water and lifestock. Hardscape is held in place with EPS blocks fitted between glass and rock etc. So it can not slide. If the tank is closed with cling film the plants can survive easily.. If substarte is going to slide is a risk and a mater of moving and driving skills. If all is on one level and you don't need to take any stairs you would need a scissor lift cart that can take the weight. 

Maybe worth taking the risk.. If hardscape is sufficiently secured it can not cause any damage because it just can't move. With a propper scissor lift cart there will be a minimum of lifting required if non at all, gently sliding it off and back on.

Scissor lift carts are darn expensive i do not know if they would be for rent.

I was planning to modify my aqauriums cabinet.. And than the tank needs to be moved temporarely.. Was thinking the same thing i need a scissor lift to get it done without breaking my back. I was thinking to create one myself with wooden bottom with swivel wheels a Sealey Scissor Support Stand For Motorcycle on it. These a not that expensive..




https://www.ebay.com/itm/Sealey-Sci...ike-Motorbike-Lift-450kg-MC5908-/301590367692

with a wooden table top on that again.  They also come in black.. Drill some holes in the bottom plate to screw it to a platform with wheels and srew a larger platform on top. The crank in the picture can be taken off, it has a nut probably sparkplug size. Can be turned with an extended ratchet wrench.
Just need to make the bottom platform with wheels high enough to get to proper needed height. Because these lifts are maybe 35 cm max..

If done build correctly it also can look rather nice a piece of functional furniture ready to use when needed. And you wont see the bike lift fully lowered.


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## Barbara Turner (29 Oct 2018)

If I lift out the larger rocks and hire a Scissor table like this is going to make life a lot easier, 
Only pain is the step at the front door, might have to also rent an access ramp.. . 

Tank only - 64kg (I'm surprised at this when I bought it I carried it down a set of stairs and loaded into the van with the shop assistant without breaking into a sweat.)
Gravel - 15kg  (could possibly siphon out 5kg )
5cm water (120x 50x5 / 1000) = 30kg

Total weight down to 109kg

With all the fun of moving house and starting a new job.  I really don't have time to re-scape, 
I really want to do a semi palladium tank with lots of plants and wood emerging from the water, I also have a clever idea for a waterfall. But It's going to be a crazy month. 




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## Barbara Turner (29 Oct 2018)

zozo said:


> EPS blocks fitted between glass and rock etc.


Thats a good idea,  all the spiderwood is screwed to a slab of slate that sits in the bottom of the tank, so I'm hoping it should be okay. I'll take out most of the larger rocks. 



zozo said:


> closed with cling film


Do you mean wrap the top of the tank with cling film, and seal it?

I could catch my betta and the dwaft nano rainbow fish and ember tetras .  Leave the shrimps and corys to travel in the tank.


Leave the external filter full of water.


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## zozo (29 Oct 2018)

Barbara Turner said:


> Do you mean wrap the top of the tank with cling film, and seal it?



Yes.  The same as poeple do with a dry start, wrap the top completely closed with cling film. Usualy with the dry start we leave a little opening to vent and prevent mold etc. But i your case for a few hours close it completely. Than the plants will be in 98% humidity and probably wont notice much difference.

Leaving any fish in such little water is rather very risky.. With the water chaking around during the transport a lot of debri and who knows what will leach out the substrate and into the water. Not very healthy for the fish i think.. Best is to get all out even if it is pain to catch 'm all. Try to use traps for the small ones. Stop feeding soon enough to get them hungry, than make a trap from a pet bottle. Cut off the top turn it around and put it back into the bottom section. Put some food in it, smelly bloodworms etc. And put in the tank, the morning after you'll definitvely have a few maybe a lot. Small oto's and cory's will fall for it and venture into the trap to get to the food. As Edvet says, you can easily keep 'm for weeks in a large plastic tub with a heater, a filter and some plants. Time enough to get them out if you don't need to move tomorow. No panic..

For the rest i know an lfs that sells prescaped planted tanks dislayed in their shop. And they drain the tank fill it up with chunks of eps so the hardscape can't slide and bring it completely to the customer who bought it..  Seems to be very effective and if done properly secure. There is no room for hardscape to slide.


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## zozo (29 Oct 2018)

Watch this...  Never mind the german language, skip the babbling and the rest is self explanatory.


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## alto (29 Oct 2018)

Barbara Turner said:


> Leave the external filter full of water.


Not the best way for filter at all - this leads to low oxygen levels which will negatively impact your “good” bacteria 

It’s much better to drain filter, leaving only a small amount of water (for humidity) at bottom, close for taps for transport, then reopen (for air) once at new home 

If possible, give filter a clean this week to remove debris (which suppprts the competing much more successful opportunistic bacteria types) 

Aquaflora which moved massive tanks to Interzoo 2018 has some update videos post exhibition - some of the tanks had to be ready to go on the road again within a couple weeks, others had a couple months to recover 
There were also some transport delays with some of the returning tanks - all recovered, though some of the plants looked a little under the weather for a bit 
One tank, some fish resisted capture so remained in tank - surprisingly all survived 

Shrimp will be fine in the MC, all they really need is minimal water to prevent drying out 
BUT you want water to be “clean” not full of disturbed mulm/debris 

I suspect if you syphon out the gravel/sand, the soil areas will move unless you’re very good with the supports

If possible move tank the day before or the day after everything else so that once begun, you can focus on tank 

Biggest challenge is likely tank inexperienced movers - tank must be kept level to avoid torquing of silicon seams - movers are used to tilting/twisting larger items to move through narrow doorways, around corners etc


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## alto (29 Oct 2018)

When using a fish trap, I just add a small amount of frozen shrimp - seems more aromatic than bloodworms - and empty trap every 10-20 min ... once most fish are out of tank, leave for longer intervals 

Then wait a day - no food - reset trap for those inevitable last fish


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## Barbara Turner (29 Oct 2018)

alto said:


> If possible, give filter a clean this week to remove debris (which suppprts the competing much more successful opportunistic bacteria types)



I'll attack it with the turkey baster and siphon out 70% plus of the water , get everything as clean as possible this weekend.

The challange on timing is getting enough strong people at both ends to make the lifting possible. Everything else will have to fit in.

Ideally I would like to get my other furniture in the lounge first  as don't want to be trying to moving  it more than once.

Is it worth dosing the tank with prime before and after  the move, I'm guessing the nitrite level will spike with everything being mixed up.

Still worried a little about the change in water Parameters. But I'm not sure I really fancy trying to transport 300 litres of water as well as the tank.  At the minute it's also 50% RO.



alto said:


> It’s much better to drain filter, leaving only a small amount of water (for humidity) at bottom, close for taps for transport, then reopen (for air) once at new home



Thanks for the heads up on the filter bacteria, sometimes you realise how little you know.

Ps massive thanks for all the advice, greatly appreciated


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## Barbara Turner (9 Nov 2018)

That was painful... For all parties involved. 
And only half way there. I've had to drop the tank at my parents as we can't move into for another week. 

Leaving 10cm of water in the bottom kept the shrimps alive.
It looked pretty mucky by the end of the trip. 
 But made the weight dynamic. 
As soon as you dropped your end slightly all water shoots to that end.  It was okay till you start squeezing around tight door frames and through tight gaps. Four people just couldn't fit.. 
I got a quote for a company online that specialises in moving tanks but he was busy this week, also expensive at £550

I lost a few ember tetras that hid in the plants . Then didn't survive being washed about. Shrimps all seem happy. 
Some of the plants have been up rooted but I'm sure with some tlc they should be fine. 

Definitely not recommended.


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## Barbara Turner (9 Nov 2018)

One other issue I wasn't expecting was that the tank was sat on a camping mat. This had been compressed to a couple of mm over the last year. The problem was that it formed a good seal onto the cabinet. You could literally pick up the tank and the cabinet stayed attached.  In the end I made about 10 small wooden wedges that were slowly tapped in.until it slowly released.


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## alto (9 Nov 2018)

Shrimps will remain alive even with just a cm of water here & there (learned that during a rescape when I thought all shrimp were out ... missed 20-30 small juveniles and even a couple males) - much better during a move as well re minimal “slosh” effect


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## alto (9 Nov 2018)

Barbara Turner said:


> One other issue I wasn't expecting was that the tank was sat on a camping mat. This had been compressed to a couple of mm over the last year. The problem was that it formed a good seal onto the cabinet. You could literally pick up the tank and the cabinet stayed attached.  In the end I made about 10 small wooden wedges that were slowly tapped in.until it slowly released.


Note that an ADA mat won’t compress to this degree - looks for a similar structured mat 
(I feel this is one ADA product that is quite well priced - this technical foam is expensive)


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## alto (9 Nov 2018)

Barbara Turner said:


> That was painful... For all parties involved.
> And only half way there. I've had to drop the tank at my parents as we can't move into for another week.
> 
> I lost a few ember tetras that hid in the plants . Then didn't survive being washed about. Shrimps all seem happy.
> Some of the plants have been up rooted but I'm sure with some tlc they should be fine.



 On the interrupted move 
(not sure I should ask why)

That “wash” effect happens in buckets as well - which is why fish are always recommended to be moved in suitable bags (1/3 water, 2/3 air - unless breathable bag)

Hope Part 2 goes better


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## Barbara Turner (11 Nov 2018)

alto said:


> Hope Part 2 goes better



So do I, it's a shorter distance and hopefully also a bit less rushed. But we will see.




alto said:


> On the interrupted move
> (not sure I should ask why)



The house we were meant to be moving into fell through and we haven't had time to sort all the paperwork out, everything has gone into storage and currently in a b&b. I'm not sure I can think of a way to make it more painful.


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