Since I am also SKehl, I have decided to do a little blogging myself on something other than bankruptcy. As many of you know, I have lots of aquariums, 12 to be exact for a grand total of 705 gallons.
We recently moved into a larger house. We went from 2,100 sq ft to 4,000 sq ft. Moving my 12 aquariums was going to be a substantial task. I am writing this blog today to help others learn from lessions I have learned in the move. I was able to move multiple smaller tanks at once, but tanks the larger tanks over 29 gallons, I would only move one at a time. The larger tanks would tank 4 hours or more to move, clean and re-setup. I was lucky the new house was only about 15 minutes away and the outside temperature was about the same as what I keep my tanks 76-82 degrees F. If it were very cold or very warm, I would have to take that into account.
To get ready for the move you will need several containers to hold the fish, gravel/sand, decorations, wood and bio-filter media. I used Rubbermaid storage containers. I at first used several of the 36 gallon Rubbermaid Clever Store Totes. The totes were not able to hold the weight of the water or the gravel and tore. I then switched to 35 gallon Rubbermaid Roughneck Storage Boxes that I bought from Walmart. They are made to hold more weight. They had no problem holding the weight.
For smaller aquarium tanks 29 gallons and less I did the following:
- I turned off the filter, air pump, lights and heaters. I also removed the lid.
- I drained about 1/3 of tank water into one of the storage boxes using a gravel vac. I did not vacuum the gravel, just drained the water.
- I moved the fish to the storage box.
- I put the filter media, decorations and any driftwood in a second box. I then covered them with water from the tank.
- I then vacuumed all the water out of the tank using my Python water changer. I cleaned the gravel/sand as I vacuumed.
- You have the option of removing the gravel/sand from the aquarium to a third storage box. I did not do it for the smaller aquariums since I had a 15 minute trip and I could still lift the aquarium by myself, but it is recommended since moving the aquarium with so much weight in it can cause it to leak.
- I put the lids on all the storage boxes. If it had been a longer move. I would have bought and setup a portable air pump with an airstone from a hunting goods store. They are used to keep live bait alive and run off batteries.
- I then loaded the aquarium tank, storage boxes, stand and all the equipment into the SUV.
- At the new house, I unloaded stand and then put the tank on it.
- If I had removed the gravel/sand I would put it back in first.
- I then put the decorations and driftwood in the tank and then dumped the water from the container into the tank.
- I then setup all the equipment (filter, air pump, lid, lights and heaters).
- I then added water from the fish container to the tank so their would be enough for the fish.
- I then put the fish in the aquarium and added the rest of the water from the container that held the fish.
- I added enough Seachem Prime to treat the entire tank. Prime is the best water dechlorinator by far. It works the best and a bottle is very concentrated.
- I filled the tank up the rest of the way using my Python water changer. I was careful to match the temperature of the water I was adding.
- Finally I turned all the equipment on.
For the larger aquariums > 29 gallons at least two people are required, because of the weight involved. For my 210 gallon, it took 3 people and special equipment. My brother is a piano mover, so he is used to moving heavy pianos and organs. We strapped my 210 gallon to a piano moving board and then strapped it flat dollies that had very large wheels. It was much too heavy for 3 people to try to carry it any distance by hand. The LFS (North Waco Tropical Fish) that sold it to me had used a casket truck (dolly) to deliver it. They are used by funeral homes to wheel around caskets. Here are the procedures used for the bigger tanks. They took me about 4 hours each, so I scheduled only one per day.
- I turned off the filter, air pump, lights and heaters. I also removed the lids.
- I filled one of the storage boxes 1/2 way full using a gravel vac. I did not vacuum the gravel, just drained the water.
- I moved the fish to the storage box.
- Since this was going to take a substantial about of time, I put one of the heaters and an airstone connected to an air pump in with the fish and turned them on.
- I put the filter media, decorations and any driftwood in a second box. I then covered them with water from the tank.
- I then vacuumed all the water out of the tank using my Python water changer. I cleaned the gravel/sand as I vacuumed.
- My gravel was very dirty so I filled the tank again with enough water to cover the gravel. I stirred the gravel which made the water very dirty. I drained all the water again.
- You must move the gravel/sand from the aquarium to a third storage box. On my 210 I separated the gravel into 2 storage boxes because of the weight. I did any water to these boxes.
- I removed the heater and airstone.
- I put the lids on all the storage boxes. If it had been a longer move. I would have bought and setup a portable air pump with an airstone from a hunting goods store. They are used to keep live bait alive and run off batteries.
- I then loaded the aquarium tank, storage boxes, stand and all the equipment into the 7ft enclosed moving trailer we were using.
- At the new house, we unloaded stand and then put the tank on it.
- We put the gravel/sand back in first.
- I then put the decorations and driftwood in the tank and then dumped the water from the container into the tank.
- I then setup all the equipment (filters, air pump, lids, lights and heaters).
- I then added water from the fish container to the tank so their would be enough for the fish.
- I then put the fish in the aquarium and added the rest of the water from the container that held the fish.
- I added enough Seachem Prime to treat the entire tank. Prime is the best water dechlorinator by far. It works the best and a bottle is very concentrated.
- I filled the tank up the rest of the way using my Python water changer. I was careful to match the temperature of the water I was adding.
- Finally I turned all the equipment on.
This was a very time intensive task that I hope not to repeat anytime soon. All of my tanks were moved over about a week and a half. You have to remember that aquariums, equipment and fish are very costly. You want to take your time as much as possible doing the move and you want to be sure you have everything you need ready (such as the Prime at the new location).
Stephen Kehl
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