Your Ultimate Guide on How to Move a Fish Tank

Transferring a fish tank from one place to another is not as simple as moving boxes. There are various lifeforms involved in the process, so you have to take extra care to avoid harming them in any way. There are moving companies that offer this type of service, and some even use transport equipment made especially for transferring fishes and their aquarium. However, if you want to be more hands-on with this,

Here are the steps on how to move to a fish tank on your own.

Step 1: Transfer your fish into a portable container.

It is best to keep the fish submerged in the same water it has in its tank so as to prevent the fish from going into shock. Breeds that thrive in salty water are more sensitive towards this compared to freshwater types of fish. Therefore, avoid using filtered water at this point of the transfer to avoid any harmful effects on the physical wellbeing of the fish.

Appropriate types of container for transporting fish are pails and plastic bags. The container must have never been used for any other purpose—such as cleaning or storage—and that there is still enough space left for air. Take note also of the kinds of fishes that you would put together in one container. Avoid placing the aggressive breeds with any other fish that they could attack or even kill.

Step 2: Dry and pack the aquarium accessories.

Remove the filters, heaters, and pumps from your fish tank. Dry them before packing into a separate container like a lidded pail. If you have living rocks or sand in your aquarium, pack them as well into another container, but keep them wet using the same water from the fish tank. According to experts on how to move a fish tank, this would prevent the tiny organisms living within those rocks and sand from dying during the transfer.

Step 3: Disassemble and pack the fish tank.

Drain the remaining water from the fish tank, and store the water into another clean pail. Then, carefully strip down the fish tank into its parts. Clean and wipe dry each part before wrapping it with protective materials.

Step 4: Transport the fish, accessories, and the fish tank to their new location.

Take inventory of your fishes, the accessories, and the parts of the fish tank that you have packed. This will help you keep track of everything you would need for the succeeding steps. Once you are done, set aside these containers away from anything that could contaminate the contents, and away from heavy objects that could fall and damage them. Ideally, you should keep your fish and fish tank in your own vehicle during moving day so that you would not run the risk of having them jostled around in the moving trucks—especially if you did not use any special equipment for packing them safely.

Step 5: Reassemble the fish tank.

If you have the instructions manual with you, follow the instructions indicated there on how to reassemble the fish tank. If not, refer to the internet or try to reverse the same steps you have taken when you disassembled it. Once the fish tank is ready, set up the filters, pumps, and heaters before filling the tank with water again. Only then can you arrange your living rocks and sand inside the fish tank. Since you have kept the fish tank water from earlier, it is best to combine that water with distilled water. Let this run through your filters for a day or two so that your fish can better acclimate to the water condition later on.

Step 6: Reintroduce your fish into the aquarium.

Carefully transfer the fish from its temporary container into its new home. Observe how well the fish would adjust to the changes in its environment. If it does not exhibit any signs of irritation or slower movement, then you have successfully managed the transition of your pet’s home. Keep a lookout for the placement of the rocks, however. There are some cases that the rock may become dislodged if not handled well during the assembly of the fish tank. This could result in the injury or death of your fish, so make sure that everything is settled already before reintroducing your pets into the new fish tank.

Properly moving your fish tank to another location is quite a difficult—but not entirely impossible—a feat of careful planning and execution. If you are going to live in another country, it is more practical to sell your current fish tank and all its content to a buyer near your current home than to lug everything along with you. You can always start anew, and that goes the same for your aquarium. However, if you do not really want to part with your pets, then follow the steps outlined in this guide on how to move a fish tank so that you can safely bring them along to their new home.