Moving Easily An Aquarium: Moving Tips

By Author: Kostas Theodoropoulos
Total Articles: 30
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A fish tank relocation is not an easy endeavor, on the contrary it is extremely difficult not only for the person that is moving but also for the fish. The fragility of the internal filter of the fish tank combined with the fact that fish get stressed while moving are the reasons why such a move requires both special attention and great care.

All you have to do in order to make your move easier is to make a good plan of how to face the risks, namely a possible fish loss or damage while transferring the fish tank. Considering how many fish you have to move, the size of the fish tank, the distance till the new location and how long the whole task will last are the first steps of your plan. Subsequently, you have to consider of the technical part of the move in order to make sure that your fish tank will reach its destination in the best possible position, that the filtration system will function again and that your fish will be safe to the new location. To this point the following moving tips will be helpful.

MOVING A FISH TANK

When the time for a move has come there are several issues you have to settle ...
... the most demanding of which is surely the fish tank transfer. A few weeks ago I decided to move my aquarium from the office to my home. Given that such a transfer is extremely difficult all my relatives and friends advised me to sell my fish and buy some new once the fish tank was placed to my home. However I decided to transfer my aquarium and I managed to make this move a smooth one. Here are some of my movers’ advice that will help you make it with your move in case you want to do it by yourselves.

MOVING TIPS

The following plan will help you minimize the risk of loss and damage while moving an aquarium. First of all you have to get prepared for the transfer, which means that there are some things to do a few days before the move. You have to do gravel clean in order to have lots of gunk floating around when you empty the tank. Remember not to clean all the gravel but only half of it approximately. You should also store some of the tank’s water in a bucket, this will help you save some of the aerobic bacteria colony. However, the bacteria can only be preserved for few hours, so it is essential that your move lasts less than 3-4 hours. If your move lasts long you will have to restart the bacteria. Feed your fish before the move because they won’t be able to eat during the transfer as they get stressed. Discontinue feeding a few days before the move. Be sure that your fish won’t starve as they can survive about a week or so without food. Drain the tank and keep your decorating objects and plants in a bucket, keeping their roots wet.

The main risk when moving a fish tank is the filtering system. This fragile system needs to be transferred carefully. Disassemble the system and pack it up using packing materials for fragile objects such as cartons, bubble wrap and lots of tape. The best possible option would be a never used carton or chemical free container. Use moving blankets, bubble wrap, tissues or paper to cover the tank and secure with tape. This way you reduce the chances of damage. You will need at least three people to help you carry the tank. If your tank is big enough you will need some extra helping hands or a trolley to carry the tank with. Move slowly and carefully the tank from one place to another.

Therefore, you have to take good care of your fish transfer too. Do not try to move your fish in the tank, it will be a disaster. Not only the tank will be heavier but also your fish will be at danger, given that the filtering system will be out of order. Carefully put the fish out of the tank and place them into sealed bags, half filled with water. You can find these bags easily in pet stores. This is how fish transfer is made by pet shops, but fish will be safe there for less than three hours. If your move lasts longer you can either give a fee and let a pet shop host your fish, or take them to a friend’s tank.

Finally, do the unpacking quickly and set up the tank as soon as possible and make sure that the system functions properly before you put the fish in the tank. Remember to use the water that you stored before you move. Place the sealed bags in the tank for few minutes in order to acclimate your fish by equalizing the water temperature.

A FISH MOVE MADE EASY

Following this plan you can achieve an easier move, but yet you still cannot nullify the risks. Undoubtedly, having the support of professionals will make things easier. This is what I did when I moved my aquarium from one side of Melbourne to the other. After I hired the most reliable and Cheap Melbourne Movers company I got the advice I needed and I saved time and effort. All you have to do is to consider the advantages and disadvantages of all options and make the right choice!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

My name is Kostas and I wrote this article in order to help you make your move easier. This is the plan that I was given after I addressed Removalist Melbourne for my aquarium move. Following this advice and having a reputable Melbourne Furniture Removalists company to help me I managed to make my aquarium move a breeze.