Question: Moving a 4ft tank across a bedroom (5 metres)?

Aimzs Lotties · Aug 8, 2011

Hi all, I have this obsession with re-arranging my bedroom.. It was a lot easier when I just had a 2ft because I could just half empty it then call the bf to move it for me.. but now I have a 4ft... and I'm DYING to try my new floor plan...

Any ideas?????

iChris · Aug 8, 2011

sand and water are heavy, especially when mixed! one could probably say that your new tank would be double the weight of the old one when half full, and you don't want to stress the glass as it could crack.

I would empty all of the water and keep as much of it as possible, or perhaps plan to move your tank on water change day, so there is less water to deal with, and if possible, move the tank and stand as one.

if you can't move them as one, you'll have to empty the tank of all its contents if you lift it off the stand, because you risk the bottom blowing out if you don't.

and of course, keep your filter running in a bucket of old tank water.

that's how I would do it anyway, I have never honestly moved a big tank before.

Aimzs Lotties · Aug 8, 2011

iChris said:
sand and water are heavy, especially when mixed! one could probably say that your new tank would be double the weight of the old one when half full, and you don't want to stress the glass as it could crack.

I would empty all of the water and keep as much of it as possible, or perhaps plan to move your tank on water change day, so there is less water to deal with, and if possible, move the tank and stand as one.

if you can't move them as one, you'll have to empty the tank of all its contents if you lift it off the stand, because you risk the bottom blowing out if you don't.

and of course, keep your filter running in a bucket of old tank water.

that's how I would do it anyway, I have never honestly moved a big tank before.

Do i really need to keep the filter running? When i used to have my internal i just sat it in a bucket of water, but now that i have a canister... it will already be full of water..?? It seems unnecessary..

iChris · Aug 8, 2011

well, keeping the filter running will help to keep your biological filter bed from dying out.

Aimzs Lotties · Aug 8, 2011

but isnt a canister filter FULL of water? how will that dry out? The move would take less than an hour (1hr tops) and its covered.. i dont know of any evaporation that could occur that fast so i reckon it'd be fine..?

pookiewn · Aug 8, 2011

It would depend on how long the filter is unplugged for as to if you have to keep it going. If the filter is only off for an hour or so it should be fine, but if it's left off for a long time then the bacteria will die in the still water. The water inside could become stale if left for a long time too. Anything to keep that precious cycle

Minniechild · Aug 8, 2011

Some really interesting suggestions

Some other ones I've heard are to run your filter in a large bucket, and to keep your decorations nice and wet

. As to moving a 4ft tank (note, mine doesn't have a stand), it took two relatively strong adults and one wimpy kid to move mine EMPTY. So moving it full (With 250kg of weight in it) is definitely not happening (I'm currently redoing my room as well...Just got to get the time to get on with it

. On the positive side, you'll get the joy of redecorating the tank

Jennewt · Aug 8, 2011

If you open up the canister filter (allow air in contact with the water inside), it should be OK for several hours.

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Question: Moving a 4ft tank across a bedroom (5 metres)?

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